<p>For those who live in Ann Arbor or have lived there at some point in the past, how would you rate the overall quality of life? </p>
<p>Are there fun things to do, places to visit, good places to eat?</p>
<p>Thanks for any input</p>
<p>This is a nice town in which to live, study, and work. I came here for grad school and have become a lifer.</p>
<p>There's a lot to do that is cheap or free; the University contributes to the cultural opportunities but there are plenty of non-University events and opportunities, as well. There are numerous bookstores and a boatload of coffeeshops. Most people think the restaurants are pretty good; the only people I've heard complain are people from LA and I think the restaurant scene has gotten even better since they were last griping about it. I'm pretty lazy so I don't have lots of personal info on this, but I hear the recreational opportunities are also good here.</p>
<p>You've said elsewhere that you have a young family. Lots of Ann Arbor is baby- and toddler-friendly, even some of the cultural stuff is oriented towards wee ones.</p>
<p>There is a pretty good yahoo list for Ann Arbor parents--if you guys end up coming here I recommend you check it out (private message me and I'll send you details). Lots of relocating families use it to get good insider info on their new home. In addition to talking about parenting issues, people talk about stuff to do and swap a lot of advice on restaurants, pediatricians, contractors, schools, stuff like that.</p>
<p>Ann Arbor is amazing. There is so much to do you're sure to find something you like. Music, museums, movie series, so many different types of food, great coffee houses, clubs, etc. To be honest the people I've met are liberal, which is a perfect fit for me, but I can't comment on the amount of things for someone with a more conservative bent to do (only because I've never looked so I don't know if they're there).</p>
<p>Ann Arbor is enough reason in itself to attend U of M.</p>
<p>Hoedown, PM sent.</p>
<p>It sounds like a great place to live. Im from Northern California and imagine there are a lot of similarities in civic involvement, outdoor activities, and, hopefully, tasty ethnic food :)</p>
<p>Except for the weather... but Ann Arbor is otherwise a very comfortable small city with lots going on for a place of its size. Great place for kids. Since you said you have a baby, I imagine you're not looking at schools -- but there are lots of things for families with small children. Good parks, good community recreation department that offers inexpensive classes, good public library, brand new YMCA, good preschools, etc.</p>