The best time to view the peony is end of May and begin of June. This blooming only happens on the…read moreshort duration of time. We were lucky to visit arboretum during this time on our trip to Ann Arbor. The peony garden can be reached in two locations. The best parking is near Ronald McDonald House of Charity Ann Arbor. That parking lot gets you direct access to the garden. The other parking near Nichols Drive and go the entrance by taking the first right trail to the top and reach the garden. The garden has 28 bed of flower beds. Each bed has the name of flower indicated. During the blooming time, there are a lot of visitors. Parking may be full. The flower is beautiful and the pedal open wide and bright. I got my peony moment during my visit. Some flower has fragrances smell. So don't forget to smell the flowers during your visit.

The first time I came here in April and there were no flowers or green and everything was brown!…read more I came back on the last day of May with my husband and it looked completely different!! There is a lot of green everywhere and soo many different flowers (especially the peonies before they were vandalized)!! We parked in the back where it is about a 15-20 min walk to the peonies. It was a nice and mostly shaded walk. We even saw a new bird (Great Crested Flycatcher)! I think it's only worth coming for the peonies but otherwise, it's free (unless you park in the front and then you have to pay).

Bandemer Park is an awesome park located right in Ann Arbor. Although it's close to everything,…read moreit's completely hidden. You can hear the cars driving by but can't see them. It's a beautiful place to walk and get closer to nature, and convenient because it is right in town. It could use some upkeep from the city or county. Some signs and the bike park are showing their age and not looking as maintained as they could be. Still a great place to swing by.

I stumbled on this park after a failed attempt at a nearby park…read more I would say this park is roughly only abou 1.10 miles in total but plenty of connecting areas. honestly I did I did part of this trail that's why pretty much turned around but I was happy to say that restrooms were available but unfortunately wasn't the cleanest. Would I go back here... YES! Happy Hiking!!!

One of my favorite local parks to walk with my dog! We typically get on the trail from the south…read moreentrance, which has plenty of parking, fields for sports, a play structure, and some pavilions. Hike is on the easier end, with wide paths. Would note that that it is prone to get muddy so expect that after rain and dress accordingly. Note - they've taken down the old boardwalk. Not sure if they are just removing it or if they are creating a new one? Pittsfield township also often has fun activities in the park, like Halloween or St Patrick's Day themed walks/"scavenger hunts". Cute little touch.

Uncrowded park for jogging or walking 2-3 miles near Ann Arbor! I drove here (about 9 minutes)…read morefrom the Hyatt Place. This park has two sections (North and South). I took time to walk along the path from the parking lot, past the soccer fields toward Turtle Pond. You'll need to walk about 0.5 miles to see the pond, but it's a lovely respite and seems dog-friendly. One downside is the proximity of I-94 which means that you'll hear the background noise of cars and trucks in the distance. It's not super-loud, but noticeable if you had expected a serene walk. Another downside is that the trail does not have clear signs or color stripes - but you can figure out the main route by using the pond as your guide. Would recommend folks staying in the hotels on the south side of Ann Arbor to give this park a try - it was really nice for jogging or a long walk.

I'm so happy to have this lovely park close by. Ann Arbor has a lot of parks, ranging from a…read moretriangle of grass with some benches to parks with trails and canoeing. Allmendinger isn't big enough (like Gallup) to have a bike/walking trail, and it isn't adjacent to a body of water, but it's a dang fine neighborhood park. The majority of the space here is open and sunny, with the side along Pauline offering more shade as well as lots of play equipment for kids and picnic tables. There is an outbuilding, too -- with public bathrooms that are really not that gross, amazingly. They even stuck some sort of fake stained-glass sticker on the windows in the bathroom. I was kinda amused, kinda charmed that someone wanted to make the park bathroom look that nice! There's a drinking fountain outside of this building too, but it doesn't seem to be working. Bummer. There are also two large baseball diamonds, which would be perfect for baseball or kickball.... ... and then, around the periphery of the park is one of my favorite parts: Lilacs! Big, giant bushes (trees, really!)... mini-walls of lilacs. Right now, they are blossoming, and just a walk near them -- either in the park or on the sidewalk smells like heaven. Way to go, whomever planted these beauties long ago, and big ups to the A2 Parks staff for keeping them strong and healthy! I wasn't able to hop on anyone's wi-fi, but I do have a wireless card for my computer, so this can theoretically be my new "outdoor office" now and then. I just have to remember some SPF and camp out on the shady side of things...

This park has a *CARGO NET*!!! Way too small for regular adults to climb though. Makes me wish I…read morewere a kid again... or at least a dwarf (worth it?).

THIS PLACE IS AMAZING!!!! got a huge pool. 12 ft deep on the far side of the lanes. Has a cute kid…read moreside with shallow end! Adults is only $6 for entry, I forgot how cheap it was for kids but I think it was $4. Regardless this is my new spot. Opens at 11-8 for the pool. They have walking trails and picnic areas, a play ground for the kids. Staff is friendly. And environment is amazing and chill.

I haven't been able to explore all of Fuller Park yet but they get 5 stars automatically from me…read morefor their amazing pool! I live really close to the Vets Park pool but I think Fuller Park's may be my new spot. First off, it's HUGE. I think maybe the biggest public outdoor pool in Ann Arbor? They have several lanes for laps, a deep end for swimming, and a shallower end for kids. They also have a separate waterslide tucked in the back (although it doesn't empty into a pool). While Vet's Park is better for the really little ones (they have more of a toddler pool with overhead sprinklers and such) Fuller is better for older folks. In fact, the last 10 minutes of every hour is "Adult swim." Anyone under 18 has to get out of the pool so the adults can have a bit of a peaceful float for 10 glorious minutes. It's not just great for swimming either. It's wonderful for relaxing as well. They have LOTS of lounge chairs and pergolas to keep you semi shaded. I spent several fantastic hours here this past weekend cooling off in the water for a bit and then heading back to my chair to dry off and read a book. It was lovely. If you're feeling peckish they have a few vending machines for beverages and snacks. They have a couple of ice cream novelty machines too. Oh, and they have a few picnic tables and areas for parties. $5 a day for adults, $4 for kids and seniors. They have resident yearly passes ($140 for adults or $265 for familes) or punch passes (10 punches for $40 or 20 punches for $80) if you don't think you'd use the yearly pass often enough for make it worth your while. The pool is pristine, the locker rooms are also clean, and it's just so spacious and great. I really genuinely love it there and can't wait for my next visit!

Charming park with two different gardens and a cute farm themed playground! And of course lots of…read moretrails. Loved the flowers they had (some were as big as my face)! Will definitely be coming back!

A perfect community park with enough to please most folks. An amazing playground adjacent to a…read morelarge picnic pavillion. For those without kids, there are well maintained crushed gravel walking paths. Perfect for joggers and those who want to take a stroll. You would never know this is located off a busy road.

Yet another beautiful free Michigan park!…read more This is connected to Furstenberg Park by a short trail that is mostly boarded by wood and has some small bridges. I like to bird watch and saw a cool Wood Ducks in the water, a tree swallow, and a swan! You can also stop by the water (very close to the shore) in the short hike at least 3 times and see some turtles. And there are many chipmunks and some other birds along the path. And there are a lot of people canoeing or kayaking on the water.

Gallup Park (broader than just the Canoe Livery) is one of my absolute favorite parks in Ann Arbor!…read moreEasy but varied and interesting trails, paved and unpaved, with great views of water, nature, and animals. Great park for distance running - when I was training for a half marathon, I would come here for anywhere from 3-8 mile runs. I actually typically like parking at the boat launch entrance off Geddes, but there is plenty of parking at the main entrance as well. It's just a little bit of a quieter entrance to the park. Over the last couple of years, they've had some fantastic art displays there as well. Very dog friendly, kid friendly, bike friendly, all of the above! Tends to be one of the busier parks, but for good reason.

Finally went into the actual park and wow, it is beautiful!!…read more I didn't realize I have driven by this lake so much on the freeway until my husband pointed it out! They have a playground (with bathrooms in the back) and the trail goes down a paved steep decline that then leads into the boardwalk path way. It is not the most stroller friendly mainly because you are dodging a TON of swan and geese poop the whole time. And it can be bumpy on some parts. But the whole pathway is pretty unique with bridges connecting it (at least 5 bridges) and there is one lookout spot you can go to. We went on a beautiful sunny and windy day and loved it!! Saw so many birds (I have never seen so many swans together before) and nests!! Lots of people fish here too. What a gem! Definitely coming back!

It's always such a beautiful time at North Bay! My husband and I are avid birders and have been…read morecoming here for years. The boardwalk through the wooded trails are beautiful but the real beauty is the boardwalk that goes through the lake. It is amazing! There is sooo much wildlife there, too. There are several spots with picnic tables and benches throughout the trail as well as workout equipment in different spots throughout the trails. It's a beautiful park and I highly recommend checking it out.

Wonderful picnic with my son! We came here to play in the sandbox and swing on the playset. I…read moreenjoyed my day with him so much!

Even on a hot day, even when the restrooms are closed due to Covid-19 restrictions, on a picnic…read moretable under a tree at BP is a pretty good place for a take-out lunch.

Gorgeous park along the Huron river between Ann Arbor and Dexter. Tons of amenities including an…read more18-hole golf course, disc golf course, picnic areas, playgrounds, baseball diamonds, biking and hiking trails, nature trails, river fishing, and boat launches for canoes and kayaks. My husband and I brought our pups here for a little outdoor time during social distancing and despite it being a gorgeous Saturday early-evening we didn't run into any one else on any of the trails we explored. So it's a really great spot to enjoy some outdoor adventures without worrying about getting too close to other people. Beautifully maintained, tons of parking and pup friendly! Just remember bug spray if you get into the woods/near the river. I forgot and got eaten up quite a bit!

It was an awesome sunny afternoon in early May with temps approaching 60 degrees...the perfect time…read morefor a bike ride. Michigan's Washtenaw County has created a 35-mile "Border-to-Border" paved bicycle trail that winds from Dexter through Tree Town (Ann Arbor) and on to Yipsilanti. Much of the trail is off-road and provides plenty of welcomed shade and river views on a hot summer day. Today, my wife and I chose to ride 10 miles of the B2B Trail in the Dexter area that winds through the Hudson Mills Metropark. Given the pandemic, we saw plenty of courteous walkers, joggers and bikers sharing the 10-foot wide trail which enabled effective social distancing. The Hudson Mills Metropark section of the trail in Dexter is a true gem that offers fresh air, sunshine and the opportunity to get some welcomed exercise. We look forward to the time when we can once again stop into the Riverview Restaurant after our bike ride and enjoy a breakfast or lunch. Until then, we're staying safe in Dexter. 5 stars!