Top 10 Things to do This Weekend in Lansing, MI
Our community is proud to call Lansing home. It’s a city that plays an important role within the state and contributes to its rich history. The Lansing Tower Apartments team has done the research for you and put together this list of the best local restaurants and activities. Let us know your favorite!
DOWNTOWN LANSING RESTAURANTS
1. ENVIE
Known as one of downtown Lansing’s trendiest bistros, EnVie offers patrons a full menu of signature entrees, creative appetizers, tantalizing burgers, and signature cocktails. Fan favorites include the seabass, the braised short rib, the whitefish pate appetizer, and the EnVie burger topped with brie cheese and pork belly. The restaurant’s atmosphere is accented with chic exposed brick walls, sleek hard wood floors, and black tablecloths— it’s the perfect setting to enjoy a high-quality meal. Best of all, EnVie is located just 10 minutes walking distance from Lansing Tower Apartments.
There’s something inherently special about having a drink at your local brewery. Not only are you supporting a business within your community, but you’re also experiencing handcrafted concoctions made with fresh hops, unique flavors, and a whole lot of love. In Lansing, Midtown Brewing Co. is the place to go for the best beer, eats, and entertainment. With over 40 taps and a food menu built around local Michigan ingredients, Midtown Brewing Co. is one of downtown’s liveliest watering holes. Highlights include the Nugget IPA, the Marathon Gold, and the Apple Pie Mimosa. Good times await!
Located on Michigan Avenue, just east of the Grand River, Bowdie’s Chophouse offers patrons a Manhattan-style steakhouse experience complete with perfectly marbled beef, quintessential sides, and classic cocktails. Choose from filet mignon, porterhouse, a bone-in New York strip (called a “Kansas City” cut), a cowboy ribeye, and the mighty tomahawk for two. Guests can enjoy their steaks with sides of creamed spinach, lobster mac, truffle fries, or au gratin potatoes. Set inside a charming, upscale environment, Bowdie’s Chophouse effectively caters to all five senses.
Authentic Thai food is just around the corner at Bangkok House, one of Lansing’s most popular Thai restaurants. Due to its famed pad Thai recipe, the local Thai eatery has gained a large following throughout the city. The menu features other well-known dishes like Pad See Ew and Pad Khe Mao alongside more exotic options such as Gang Ped Phet (a red curry with duck) and Pla Lad Prik (fried fish fillet topped with sweet & sour sauce.). Sandwiched between the river to the west and Oak Park to the east, Bangkok House is easy for Lansing Tower Apartments residents to access with a quick 3-minute drive.
5. YETI KITCHEN
Here’s an unexpected combination: Himalayan-inspired cuisine inside of a shuffleboard-centered food hall. It may sound odd, but this is exactly the setup at the Lansing Shuffleboard & Social Club located on the eastern edge of the Grand River. Yeti Kitchen, one of 5 restaurants inside of Lansing Shuffle, was created by Nepalese-born and Michigan-based chef Anjani Lama. It features a boutique menu with fresh & exotic dishes like a chicken paneer bowl, aloo tiki sliders, and fried momos, a Nepali-style dumpling made with meat and veggies. At Yeti Kitchen, it’s easy to pair a tasty meal with a game of shuffleboard— it’s an unexpected, but fantastic pairing.
TOP PLACES TO GO IN DOWNTOWN LANSING
MICHIGAN STATE CAPITOL
Unveiled on January 1st of 1879, the Michigan State Capitol is an impressive piece of architecture that functions as the state’s legislative headquarters. Visitors can join guided tours throughout the week where they are able to explore the building and its history while also learning about how representatives make decisions, pass bills, and govern the state. Best of all, the state capital is just one block away from Lansing Tower Apartments. This means that residents can easily enjoy a tour or make use of the beautiful, green lawn space that surrounds the building.
FERRIS PARK
This is *unofficially* the official park of Lansing Tower Apartments! Located just two blocks north of our community, Ferris Park provides residents with quick & easy access to open, green space that’s perfect for dog walks, picnics, and game days. It features walking trails, giant lawns, as well as the Beacon Soccer Field, a community owned mini turf field where locals can play soccer underneath LED stadium lighting. Ferris Park is, without a doubt, one of downtown Lansing’s hidden park gems.
POTTER PARK ZOO
Curiosity and fascination are the name of the game at Potter Park Zoo, a hundred-acre zoo with the stated mission of protecting animals and supporting conservation organizations around the world. Located a couple miles southeast of downtown, the Potter Park Zoo features a variety of mammals, birds, and reptiles, including an African lion, an Amur tiger, a Canadian lynx, a Patagonian cavy, a Red Panda, and much more. The diversity of species is impressive, which is why visitors enjoy returning again and again. Potter Park Zoo provides Michiganders with an exciting local adventure that inadvertently supports global conservation efforts.
LANSING SHUFFLEBOARD
& SOCIAL CLUB
Instead of building another run-of-the-mill bar beside the downtown riverfront, the owners of Lansing Shuffleboard & Social Club had the vision of doing something unique by integrating five full-size shuffleboard courts with an extensive food hall. The result is one of the most talked about entertainment venues in Lansing. Visitors can play game after game of shuffleboard while enjoying creative meals from 7 different restaurants. On top of this, Lansing Shuffle also hosts trivia nights, live music, and game nights. One thing’s for sure— there’s a whole lot of fun to have at the Lansing Shuffleboard & Social Club!
MICHIGAN HISTORY CENTER
The first thing you will see when you walk through the doors of the Michigan History Center is “Carl the Tree,” a 40-foot white pine that stands as a testament to Michigan’s stunning landscape, natural forests, and long history. Spread across 5 floors, the Michigan History Center is dedicated to exploring the state’s evolution, starting with the early Anishinaabe peoples and moving all the way through the mid-20th century. Visitors will find exciting exhibits on Michigan’s famous lakes, its manufacturing history, and the key role it played in the automobile industry. There’s so much to explore at the Michigan History Center.