From Wikitravel

Kalamazoo [1] is a city in Southwestern Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 77,145, with a metropolitan area of 452,851, which includes neighboring Battle Creek. It is the county seat of Kalamazoo County.

The city has a strong higher education presence, being home to Western Michigan University (with 25,000 students), Kalamazoo College (a private, liberal arts institution), and Kalamazoo Valley Community College.

Because of the large number of shopping malls in Kalamazoo (including the first downtown pedestrian mall in America), it is nicknamed the "Mall City."

[edit] Get in

[edit] By plane

The Kalamazoo-Battle Creek International Airport serves the area. Major connections include Atlanta (Delta), Chicago (American Airlines), Cincinnati (Delta), Detroit (Northwest), and Pittsburgh (US Air).

[edit] By car

Kalamazoo lies on I-94 roughly mid-way between Chicago and Detroit. US Highway 131 connects the city with Grand Rapids and resort areas further north.

[edit] By train

Amtrak offers service to Chicago and Ann Arbor/Detroit several times daily. A train ride to Chicago is about 2.5 hours.

[edit] By bus

The downtown train station also acts as a bus station. Major destinations include Grand Rapids, Chicago and Detroit.

[edit] Get around

[edit][add listing] See

• Western Michigan University, [2]
• Kalamazoo College, [3]
• Kalamazoo Valley Community College, [4]

• State Theater, 404 South Burdick, (269) 345-6500, [5]. Popular concert venue.
• Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, [6]
• Kalamazoo Valley Museum, 230 North Rose Street, 269-373-7990, [7]
• Theatre Kalamazoo, [8]
• Kalamazoo Nature Center, 7000 N Westnedge Ave., (269) 381-1574, [9]
• Kalamazoo Arts Council, [10]

[edit][add listing] Do

Kalamazoo is full of great events, featuring everything from Hot Rods to Pianos. Discover Kalamazoo has a fairly comprehensive list of annual happenings, but don't miss Super Saturday in June, New Year's Fest or the USTA Boys National Championship in August.

For a small city, Kalamazoo also offers an interesting and walkable Downtown, with one-of-a-kind shops, restaurants and the free Kalamazoo Valley Museum.

Nearby, you will find the Kalamazoo Air Zoo, Binder Park Zoo, and the Gilmore Car Museum.

[edit][add listing] Buy

[edit][add listing] Eat

[edit][add listing] Drink

• Bell's Brewery / Eccentric Café & Beer Garden, +1-269-382-2338 [11] Local brews, live music. Bell's was one of the first "micro-breweries" east of the Rockies in the 1980s, and their popular line of ales and stouts are also available in many local bars.

• Kraftbrau Brewery, [12] Provides craft beers and entertainment with a wide variety of acts both international and local. (The Kraftbrau closed Nov. 2007 due to increased rent, but as of early 2008 is in search of a new building.)

[edit][add listing] Sleep

• Clarion Kalamazoo Hotel, 3600 E. Cork St., Tel: (269) 385-3922, Fax: (269) 385-2747, [13]. Upscale six-story facility with 156 deluxeguest rooms - located halfway between Detroit and Chicago, on I-94 at exit 80 and just minutes from US-131. Secure Online Reservations.
• Comfort Inn Kalamazoo Hotel, 3820 Sprinkle Rd. Tel: (269) 381- , Fax: (269) 381-5334, [14]. Conveniently located off of I-94 @ exit 80 - 1/4 mile south of I-94 on Sprinkle Road next to McDonald's. Near several restaurants, malls, museums and recreational facilities as well as most area businesses.
• Hawthorn Suites Kalamazoo, 2575 S. 11th Street, Tel: (269) 353-2547, [15]. Located 1 mile from Western Michigan University, 2 miles from downtown Kalamazoo, and 7 miles from both Bronson Regional Hospital and Borgess Medical Center.
• Radisson Plaza Hotel Kalamazoo, 100 West Michigan Ave., Reservations: (800) 333-3333 Telephone: (269) 343-3333 Fax: (269) 381-1560, [16]. With a prime downtown Kalamazoo location close to shopping, theater and museums, the Radisson Plaza Hotel Kalamazoo offers the kind of warm hospitality, inviting atmosphere and topnotch services sure to please business and leisure travelers alike. At the Radisson Plaza Hotel Kalamazoo, our highest priority is the genuine care and comfort of our guests. Our mission is to provide the finest personalized service and facilities, ensuring a memorable experience.
• Stuart Avenue Inn, [17]. a guest house and events center located in the prestigious Stuart Area Historic District.
• Henderson Castle, [18]. one of Kalamazoo's most notable landmarks. It is a one-of-a-kind destination designed to enthrall, delight, and welcome each guest.

[edit] Get out

The Lake Michigan resort towns of South Haven and Saugatuck-Douglas are about an hour west of Kalamazoo. Gull Lake (NE) and Gun Lake (North) are clear, spring-fed lakes of over 1000 acres each. Each offers boating and water-sports opportunities. Gull Lake has sailboat races on weekends.

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