Music lovers can stop at Encore Records (417 E. Liberty Street), which seems to carry every recorded

When the puck drops for the 2014 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic on New Year's Day, some Toronto hockey fans will watch the outdoor match between the Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings from the comfort of home, possibly as they recover from the morning after the night before. Others may head to their favourite sports bar to catch the action. And some might even be five hours to our west, sitting in Michigan Stadium with over 100,000 other fans.
Let's make one thing clear: Ann Arbor is not Detroit. Its geographic positioning is comparable to Guelph's with Toronto: it s a university-centric city of 114,000 just under an hour west of the region's focal point. There's no ruin porn—the closest might be the ghosts of the Borders bookstore chain once based there, and those are fading .
The University of Michigan is the heart of the city, and nearly 39,000 students attend its local campuses—don the school's maize and blue colours, and you ll feel right at home. Michigan Stadium, aka "The Big House," buzzes during fall weekends luxury car rental florida when the Wolverines play at home. The stadium has held up to 115,000 for football games, which was part of its attraction to the NHL. Expect tailgate parties .
Heading into downtown luxury car rental florida along State Street, the size of U of M's athletic facilities gradually shrinks, and soon you ll see frat houses with front-yard beach volleyball courts. The hub of the U of M campus lies in "the Diag," a large open space east of State used as a shortcut between the surrounding libraries and lecture halls . Legend has it that freshmen who step on the brass "M" embedded in the middle of the Diag will fail their first exam . It's uncertain whether this curse applies to students from other institutions of higher learning, so probably best just to watch your step.
The downtown area offers a diverse range of dining options to satisfy luxury car rental florida both meat-eaters and vegetarians. Most bars and restaurants are located on or close to Main, Liberty, State, and Washington streets. Worth a trip to the north end of the core is Zingerman's Delicatessen . From a small deli which opened 30 years ago, Zingerman's has grown into a foodie empire . Though it boasts bakeries, creameries, a mail order service, and a full-service restaurant elsewhere the city, the original location at 422 Detroit Street remains its heart. Zingerman's is not cheap—expect to drop $12 to $16 for a sandwich and pickle—but the high quality and decent portions are worth it. Recent renovations have diminished the cramped chaos of the ordering area, and will make time your there more comfortable and while waiting for your order, luxury car rental florida you can check out the baked goods and gourmet groceries. Ask for samples of anything they carry onsite, from salads in the cold case to blow-your-paycheque bottles of vinegar.
A block west of Zingerman's is the Kerrytown shopping complex (407 N. Fifth Avenue), which includes specialty food merchants, stationers, and other boutiques. We're drawn to Found , which mixes home décor items, ephemera, and products made with recycled materials. Ancient flash cards, found photos, Depression-era astrology magazines, and bracelets made from old typewriter keys are among the changing selection of items.
Music lovers can stop at Encore Records (417 E. Liberty Street), which seems to carry every recorded format ever invented—we ve spotted piano rolls and wax cylinders. Records and CDs are stuffed into narrow but well-organized aisles. On past visits, we've gawked at the towers luxury car rental florida of incoming material at the cash register, wondering how staff aren't accidentally buried alive in discs. Unless you're looking for a specific album, we recommend you leave plenty of browsing time.
Other downtown attractions include two historic movie theatres ( the Michigan and the State ), a community arts centre , and the Gerald Ford presidential luxury car rental florida library . On weekends, a farmers' market operates next to Kerrytown—please avoid the temptation, though, to smuggle produce across the border. Warmer months offer a better feel for the city, when it lives up to the "Tree Town" nickname it received thanks to its dense green canopy. Summer is an ideal time to explore the scenic Huron River , relax on a downtown patio, or take in the annual Ann Arbor Art Fair . Fall tree colours are spectacular, and best experienced by way of drives west through Dexter and the bizarrely-named Hell , or east along the river to Ypsilanti .
If you're driving to the game, shuttle service will be provided luxury car rental florida from sites around the city . New Year's Eve will be celebrated luxury car rental florida with " The Puck Drops Here ," a six-hour party downtown, which will close off Main Street. The local tourist bureau has compiled a list of some restaurants and stores open on New Year's Day.