“Home of the Wolverines”
Ann Arbor, a college town full of a growing community of students, foodies, and adventure-seekers alike. A person from Ann Arbor is called an “Ann Arborite”, and many long-time residents call themselves “townies”. The city itself is often called “A²” (“A-squared”) or “A2” (“A two”) or “AA”, “The Deuce” (mainly by Chicagoans), and “Tree Town.” Ann Arbor is a major scene of college sports, most notably at the University of Michigan, home of the Wolverines, a member of the Big Ten Conference. Several well-known college sports facilities exist in the city, including the University of Michigan Football Stadium, also known as ‘The Big House’ the largest American football stadium in the world. Several performing arts groups and facilities are on the University of Michigan’s campus, as are museums dedicated to art, archeology, and natural history and sciences. Another unique piece of artistic expression in Ann Arbor is the Fairy Doors. These small portals are examples of installation art that can be found throughout the downtown area. Ann Arbor boasts access to the beautiful scenery of the Nichols Arboretum and Huron River and a wide range of restaurants and bars inspired by the city’s growing food revolution. Aside from a large restaurant scene in the Main Street, South State Street, and South University Avenue areas, Ann Arbor ranks first among U.S. cities in the number of booksellers and books sold per capita.