Summer in Ann Arbor with kids is easy. The hard part is getting them to leave. Between the river, the museums, the splash pads, and the fact that there’s a petting farm with 200 animals ten minutes from downtown, you’ve got enough material to fill every week from June through September without anyone saying “I’m bored.”
Here’s the local parent’s guide to what actually works, what’s worth the drive, and what to skip on the hottest days.
Argo Cascades
This is the one everyone talks about, and for good reason. The Argo Cascades are a series of nine small rock chutes and pools built into the Huron River. You rent a tube, kayak, or canoe at the Argo Canoe Livery, and then float downstream through the cascades. The drops are gentle enough for kids (ages 6 and up handle them fine) but exciting enough that they’ll want to do it again immediately.
The whole loop takes about 30-45 minutes, and kids will ask to go a second time. Let them. Bring water shoes – the rocks are slippery – and sunscreen, because you’re on the water with no shade.
Weekend mornings book out by 10 AM in July. Reserve online or arrive early. Weekdays are significantly less crowded.
1055 Longshore Dr. Argo Park Canoe & Kayak
Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum
The Hands-On Museum on East Ann Street is the go-to rainy-day option, and it’s genuinely good. Four floors of interactive exhibits covering science, engineering, sound, light, and water play. Kids ages 3-10 are in the sweet spot, but toddlers have a dedicated area and older kids can still find things to geek out over.
The water table exhibit on the ground floor is where you’ll lose track of time. Kids build dams, redirect streams, and get wet – bring a change of clothes or at least roll up their sleeves.
Membership pays for itself in about three visits if you’re local. Summer hours are extended, and Wednesday evenings sometimes have special programming.
220 E Ann St. Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum
Domino’s Farms Petting Farm
Yes, that Domino’s. The pizza company’s founder built a massive office complex on the northeast side of Ann Arbor, and attached to it is a petting farm with roughly 200 animals. Cows, goats, sheep, llamas, alpacas, pigs, donkeys, chickens, peacocks, and cats. Kids can pet and feed most of them.
The farm runs from spring through fall, and admission is cheap. Bring quarters for the feed dispensers – watching a goat eat pellets out of your kid’s hand is worth the investment. There’s also a gift shop and a small art gallery inside the main building if you need a break from the sun.
Pack a lunch and eat at the picnic tables. The grounds are big enough to let kids run, and the whole outing takes about two hours.
3001 Earhart Rd (Domino’s Farms complex). Domino’s Farms Petting Farm
Leslie Science & Nature Center
Leslie is Ann Arbor’s quiet star. Tucked into 50 acres on Traver Road, this nature center has live raptor exhibits (owls, hawks, a bald eagle), interactive natural history displays, and trails that wind through woods and wetlands. It’s free, which makes it even better.
The raptor program is the main draw for kids – seeing a barred owl up close tends to make an impression. Check the schedule for live presentations and feeding times. The trails are manageable for younger kids (strollers work on the main paths), and the nature play area lets them build with sticks, dig in dirt, and do the unstructured stuff that screens can’t replicate.
Combine it with the Hands-On Museum for a full day – they’re run by the same organization and sometimes offer combo deals.
1831 Traver Rd. Leslie Science & Nature Center
Gallup Park
Gallup is the family park in Ann Arbor. It has everything: a playground, paved paths for bikes and strollers, canoe and kayak rentals, fishing spots along the Huron River, and enough green space to throw a frisbee or lay out a blanket.
The playground is solid for ages 2-8, with climbing structures and swings shaded by big trees. Older kids can rent paddleboats or kayaks at the Gallup Park Livery. The paved path along the river connects to the Border-to-Border Trail, so you can bike or walk as far as you want.
Parking is free and there are restrooms on site. This is the default “we need to get outside for a few hours” spot for most Ann Arbor families, and for good reason.
3000 Fuller Rd. Gallup Park
Splash Pads and Pools
When it hits 90 degrees, you need water. Ann Arbor has a few good options.
Veterans Memorial Park Pool on Jackson Ave has a tot pool with a zero-to-two-foot depth incline and a splash pad with interactive sprayers. Ages 1-8 love the fan-shaped spray area, and toys are available to borrow. The full pool is good for older kids and adults. It’s the best single destination for mixed-age water fun.
The Heritage Park Splash Pad in Saline is a short drive south and worth it on the hottest days – the splash pad is free, well-maintained, and surrounded by the park’s playground and walking paths.
Bring towels, sunscreen, and snacks. These places get busy after noon on weekend days – mornings are better for little kids.
2150 Jackson Ave (Veterans Memorial Park).
Top of the Park – Ann Arbor Summer Festival
Top of the Park runs for about two and a half weeks in June on Ingalls Mall, and it’s free. Free outdoor movies, free concerts, free KidZone activities, free chalk art on the sidewalks. Bring a blanket, grab food from the vendors, and park yourself on the grass.
The KidZone Tent runs from about 5-8 PM each night with different activities hosted by local organizations. Movies start after dark. The vibe is relaxed and family-friendly early in the evening – it gets a little more “adult hang” after 9 PM when the bands start, but by then the kids are asleep in the stroller anyway.
David Zinn, Ann Arbor’s chalk artist, decorates the sidewalks during the festival. Kids will hunt for his little characters like it’s an Easter egg search.
Check a2sf.org for this year’s schedule. Ann Arbor Summer Festival
Matthaei Botanical Gardens
Matthaei is on the northeast side of town and offers two things kids love: trails through real nature and a conservatory full of plants that look like they belong in a movie. The outdoor trails are free and wind through prairies, woods, and along a creek. Strollers work on the main paths but not the narrower side trails.
Inside the conservatory (small admission fee), the tropical room is warm, humid, and full of giant plants. The desert room has cacti and succulents that fascinate kids who’ve never seen one in person. Seasonal butterfly exhibits run in summer and are exactly as magical as they sound.
Pair this with a stop at Leslie Science & Nature Center – they’re on the same side of town and make a great half-day loop.
1800 N Dixboro Rd. Matthaei Botanical Gardens
Find the Fairy Doors
This one is free, requires no planning, and works for kids of all ages. Scattered throughout downtown Ann Arbor are tiny fairy doors – miniature wooden doors built into the base of buildings, trees, and public structures. They’ve been appearing around town for years, and finding them has become a local tradition.
Start at the Ann Arbor District Library downtown branch – there’s one there, and the librarians can point you toward others. The Michigan Theater has one. Mott Children’s Hospital has one. Part of the fun is not having a map and just keeping your eyes low as you walk around downtown.
Kids who are old enough to read can write letters to the fairies and leave them at certain doors. It’s the kind of low-tech, imagination-driven activity that summer is supposed to be made of.
The Cheat-Sheet Day
If you only have one day, here’s the move:
Morning: Hands-On Museum until they’re hungry. Lunch at Frita Batidos on Washington Street (kids love the milkshakes).
Afternoon: Argo Cascades if it’s warm enough, Gallup Park if it’s not.
Evening: Ice cream from Blank Slate Creamery and a walk through the fairy doors downtown.
That’s a full day, happy kids, and zero meltdowns. Probably.
For more family activities, parks, and kid-friendly restaurants in Ann Arbor, browse the full directory at miannarbor.com.
