Fun Weekend Getaway in Kalamazoo

The best way to do it all? Walking or biking. That way, you can really take in the 1,100 acres at the Kalamazoo Nature Center as well as the Kalamazoo Mall, a downtown outdoor shopping area full of boutiques. Adventure seekers brimming with energy climb walls at Climb Kalamazoo; a few miles away, history buffs could easily spend half a day learning about vintage aircraft and space flight at the huge Air Zoo. A half-hour trip northeast leads to Hickory Corners, where 300 classic cars await at the Gilmore Car Museum.

For a more modern experience, the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts teems with contemporary works; next door, a restored 19th-century Victorian offers a restful stay. (If you stay at the Kalamazoo House B&B, you might be able to see the KIA's Chihuly chandelier from your room—the owners call it the best night-light in Michigan.) The eat-local movement here continues to evolve. Even basic breakfast dishes get gourmet treatment at supercool Food Dance. The steel-cut oats end a lifelong search for standout oatmeal. Sliced banana, golden and dark raisins, brown sugar and Mattawan Creamery yogurt top the oats. Nine fresh-squeezed oranges churn out one glass of juice. It's all so refreshing—just like Kalamazoo.

Pictured: The Kalamazoo Institute of Arts showcases American artists—from traditional to edgy.