© Angelique Platas

On a recent visit to Ann Arbor, Mich., I enjoyed exploring the city’s thriving local culture, bursting with farm-to-table cuisine, handmade goods and a booming craft beer and distillery scene. The sense of community and camaraderie between businesses is palpable. Every brewery, brinery, boutique, café and market we visited supports local artisans by using locally sourced, handmade and seasonal products.

A variety of brewery owners informed us every ingredient that goes into their beer was grown in Michigan. Every bar and restaurant had local craft beers on tap and locally distilled gin, vodka and whiskey behind the bar.

The city is walkable like a small town but brims with activity. Of the more than 100,000 residents, more than 47,000 are students. We visited Gallup Park, kayaked on the Huron River, and toured the Matthaei Botanical Gardens and the open-air markets peddling local produce in town. The urban-meets-rural allure of Ann Arbor is rich and inviting.

— Angelique Platas, office manager