With the sun beating down on East Lansing, it seems appropriate to bask in the glory of the city's prettiest time of year.
While many MSU students have skedaddled back to their hometowns for the summer, the remaining can experience various forms of outdoor summer entertainment.
From rooting for the Lansing Lugnuts to meandering with African animals, take advantage of these lazy days.
Rhinos, camels and scimitar-horned oryxes, oh my!
Visitors can do more than just stare at sitting animals at Michigan's oldest zoo in Lansing, Potter Park Zoo, 1301 S. Pennsylvania Ave. On Wednesday, watch rhinos eat large "produce-sicles," or, on May 23, watch wolves as they devour coffee grounds. More than 100 species inhabit the zoo, including rare ones such as the scimitar-horned oryx. The North African oryx is extinct in the wild.
Admission: $8 for adults; $5 for Lansing residents
Parking: $5
Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Starting May 26, hours are extended to 6 p.m.
Extra: On Juate in the 5K Rhino Walk, with proceeds going to the Rhino Yard Expansion Project.
For more information, visit www.potterparkzoo.org.
Home run
Root, root, root for the home team when the Lansing Lugnuts hit the diamond at Oldsmobile Park, 505 E. Michigan Ave. in Lansing. The next home game for the Toronto Blue Jays' minor league affiliate is May 25 against Midland's Great Lakes Loons. The Lugnuts face the Loons again Saturday night, when the park will put on a firework show.
Admission: $7 lawn seats; $8 reserve seats; $9 box seats.
Buy tickets at the game or online at www.lansinglugnuts.com
Extra: Thursday home games are known as Thirsty Thursdays, when draft beers and sodas are $2. The next date to quench your thirst is May 31, when the Lugnuts play the West Michigan Whitecaps.
Siblings or cousins visiting? Sunday home games are Meijer Kids Day, when children can run the bases.
Skate world
Film studies junior Steven Ross spends his time perfecting his favorite trick, a 360-flip, at Ranney Skate Park, 300 Frandor Ave.
"This is all I have to do because I can't find a job," Ross said. "So I just skate."
Ranney is a free place for in-line skaters and skateboarders to practice from dawn until dusk, seven days of week. The only downfall, Ross said, is when it sometimes gets crowded. Bikes are not allowed, and protective pads are not required.
Outdoor living
Strap on your hiking boots and navigate 150 acres of woodland, prairie, riverside and pine forest at Woldumar Nature Center, 5739 Old Lansing Road, Lansing. With 1.25 miles of shoreline, Woldumar is one of the hidden treasures in the Grand River Avenue area.
Hours: Open from dawn until dusk year-round. Visitor's center is open Monday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is closed Memorial Day weekend.
Extra: The White Pine Teams Course is an obstacle course for athletic teams, offices and community organizations. With groups of at least 10 individuals, the team will work on cooperation, teamwork, trust and confidence through physical and mental tasks. Reservations for three-hour sessions are available at $20 per person. A $50 deposit is required two weeks in advance before participating.
For reservations, call (517) 322-0030.
The Harris Nature Center, 3998 Van Atta Road, Okemos, also offers a taste of the outdoors. Renovated in 1996, the center was formerly the home of Paul and Vi Allen, who sold the house to Meridian Township in 1987. The Harris Nature Center is located along the Red Cedar River, a perfect location to observe wildlife and marine habitats. Admission is free.
Hours: The center is open Tuesday-Friday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Saturday-Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Trails are open from dawn until dusk.
For more information, call (517) 349-3866.
Disc-overy course
For the past two years, the Bostic brothers, Luke and Mike - along with the MSU Disc Golf club - worked to convince MSU to allow the Ag Expo lot to be used for disc golf. Pounds of cement and a few flying discs later, the brothers got their wish. Thanks to their hard work, you can benefit from the brand-new MSU Disc Golf course, located just west of the Commuter Lot.
Luke Bostic, an MSU alumnus, began playing disc golf six years ago. It has been his passion ever since.
"It's nice because it's usually free, and if not it's super cheap to get into a park, and it gets you outside for a few hours," he said.
Funded by ASMSU, MSU's undergraduate student government, the course was unveiled this past week. The course will be closed during the month of July. Admission is free.
Sky-high seating
With its margaritas and infamous Topopo salad, El Azteco, 225 Ann St., proves to be more than just your average south-of-the-border grill.
The most distinct quality El Azteco has is its rooftop seating. Manager Heather Patler-Holguin describes the rooftop as "one of the most unique places to eat in East Lansing." Patler-Holguin recommends coming for the rooftop, but staying for the great food.
"With the roof, you're able to people watch from up top," she said. "And the food is different from any (other restaurant) you go - upstairs or downstairs."
The rooftop is open daily, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday and Monday, and 11 a.m. to 12 a.m. Tuesday-Saturday. After 9:30 p.m., you must be 21 or older to enter. The rooftop closes seasonally on Halloween.
Other restaurants with outdoor seating includes The Peanut Barrel Restaurant, Lou and Harry's and the Post.
