Nichols Arboretum

One of the few places with true greenery in Ann Arbor. Super natural, and everyone is respectful of the area. Great place to walk around, relax and take some pictures. It can get pretty busy with visitors on a nice day but it's a very large area so there's plenty of room. Got family photos taken here and they turned out great during the fall colors. Great backgrounds everywhere you go that make for awesome photos.
Not sure of the policy on hammocking or picnic but this seems like a great place to do it as long as you're respectful of the park. Bring some friends or family and just go for a nice walk, you won't regret it!

Beautiful place to visit, especially if you are a peony fan like me! I never knew there were so many different kinds of peony out there. The key though is to make sure you go during the peak season. Unfortunately the peony season is short lived, and last year I went about a week too late and there was not much left to see. This year I went the second week of June and there were tons of blooms still out. I would think early June is the best time-but check their website before going, they have information on the best times to go. I plan to make  this a yearly visit!

Beautiful arboretum. Peonny garden is gorgeous during summer time, a must see. River is also very peaceful. Worth walking around and exploring it's pretty big and beautiful to explore. Worth taking the time to picnic if you have extra time on you. Easy parking nearby and many entry points.

This is a nice place to take a walk through the woods in the middle of town.  All the trails are wide so you won't get lost.   There's a little visitor center at the entrance where you can pick up maps and refreshments.

There are informational signs throughout the arboretum for those who are interested in that kind of thing.    There are many opportunities (benches, stumps, etc) to sit and relax and just unplug and enjoy nature (but of course there is a strong cell signal if you prefer not to unplug).

This place is beautiful and expansive. I come from the land were parks are scarce and generally square watches of brown grass and a few trees.

We spent a wonderful afternoon wandering around and seeing what was in bloom. In California you would have to drive to go for a hike to find that kind of foliage. It was a real treat. My only complaint is that there appeared to be only one bathroom all the way across the arboretum at the other entrance.

Though it was probably poor planning having two cups of coffee and a ton of water 30 minutes before we began our wander.

The Arb is what makes a trip back to Michigan so special. I love living in Los Angeles, my current home, but Los Angeles is, for the most part, fabricated beauty. Michigan is natural beauty, and Ann Arbor residents/visitors are privileged to get to experience such a wonderful wealth of natural beauty so close to such a precious city.

Whether you're on a date with your significant other, out for a jog, writing a paper on your laptop, sunbathing, biking/roller blading, etc. the arb is a perfect spot to spend your afternoons. I wish I spent more time here as a student, but I'll take advantage of it every chance I get now!

The Arb is the perfect place to go on a beautiful day. There are winding paths with tall, luscious trees all around. My favorite place is where the Huron River runs through the Arb...the scene is so picturesque. Walking along the paths,it is hard not to feel peaceful.

One reallycool activity they do is Shakespeare in the Arb where local actors perform Shakespeare plays in the woods. Each scene is done at a different place, so viewers walk along the paths between Acts. I saw Twelfth Night and really enjoyed it.

The only down side, I would say, is the bugs. But I still can't wait to go back!

Wow.

I was totally 100% blown away by the arb. I walked here from my office in A2 and it only took 30 minutes to get to this amazing 'park'. It really isn't a park but more of a giant cultivated garden managed by U of M and it really shows. Diverse plantings, well managed trails and beautiful views. It seems much more like nature and muss less like a sterile park.

I think what really shocked me was the sheer verticality of the place. Five minutes after walking past hundreds of peonies I am on a trail with one sinking 20 feet below me and one 20 feet above. This leads to both stellar views and a great sense of isolation and nature.

I went for a pretty solid 6 mile hike here and only tackled a small percentage of the trails. Next time I am in A2 I will want to check it out again.

Beautiful at all times of the year. This place is truly therapeutic. Beautiful habitat with great places to relax along the river

Fun

Many trails

Free

Animal friendly

Family oriented

Will return again

Highly recommend