One Day in Ypsilanti: Where to Eat, Drink and Shop, Ypsilanti, Michigan

If you live or travel in the United States, you’ve probably heard of Ann Arbor, Michigan. But, did you know there is another college town only 7 miles east of the University of Michigan’s main campus? Home to Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti shares quite a bit in common with its Washtenaw County neighbor. Both college towns are artsy and LGBTQ-friendly destinations. Like Ann Arbor, Ypsi — as we shorten it in Michigan — also has a multicultural population, fun annual festivals, local parks and trails, one-of-a-kind boutique shops, and foodie-approved dining.

Yet, with a population just over 21,000 as of the 2010 Census, Ypsilanti is considerably smaller. Perhaps that is why I felt such a strong sense of community among the local businesses and restaurants I recently visited. I have to thank Ypsi Real for introducing me to Ypsilanti’s local small businesses. That was vital to the field research put into this blog post, which has been created in partnership with Ypsi Real and the women’s travel network Wanderful. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).