Driving distance from East Lansing: Approximately one hour and 30 minutes

1. Grand Rapids: Beer is something many Michiganians can get behind, and Grand Rapids is a city where beer is in abundance. The city offers a lively nightlife that ranges from breweries, sports bars, nightclubs and a variety of food options.  
   1. Van Andel Arena: Van Andel Arena is a venue that many award-winning musicians have performed at. This could be a great place to see a live show at during spring break.
   2. Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park: The gardens let visitors experience nature in a whole new way. For the student who is more about nature than city life, the gardens are a good place to take a quick break from the movement of the city. It includes five indoor themed gardens, an outdoor garden and more.
   3. Founders, Vivant and nightlife: Grand Rapids is known for its great beer selections throughout the city. It has everything from HopCat to Founders and food ranging from Caribbean at Chez Olga to burgers at Stella’s Lounge.

Driving distance from East Lansing: Approximately one hour and 10 minutes.

1. Lansing: If you are without a car and stuck in East Lansing, Lansing itself has a lot of interesting places that are potentially unknown to many students, all only a bus ride away.
   1. Mac’s Bar, The Avenue and The Green Door: These three bars are a quick bus ride away from East Lansing and down the road from each other. They each provide new entertainment every night and drink specials. Mac’s Bar has Monday night comedy, The Avenue has karaoke and The Green Door has a variety of bands who perform live. 
   2. Michigan State Capitol: The Capitol building is located in downtown Lansing among many growing restaurants and bars. The Capitol offers tours and would be perfect for an afternoon visit.
   3. Old Town: Old Town has a prime fishing area on the Fish Ladder, walking trails and various shops and bars. MEAT, Pablo’s, The Unicorn Tavern and Zoobies are just some of the many places to eat and drink. 
   4. REO Town: REO Town is another growing area located near downtown. It has thrift shops for the shopper, Blue Owl Coffee for the coffee lover and Saddleback BBQ for the foodie. 

Driving distance from East Lansing: Approximately 10 minutes.

1. Traverse City: Traverse City is a favorite for some Michiganians. 
   1. Skiing: For the outdoorsy type, there are a few places to go skiing and snowboarding in Traverse City. Spend a weekend enjoying the crisp spring air while on the trails of places like Hickory Hills or Mount Holiday.
   2. Wineries: Take a break from the hustle of everyday life and have a nice glass of wine in the city. 

Driving distance from East Lansing: Approximately three hours. 

1. Frankenmuth: Some students might not know of Frankenmuth. Frankenmuth is a city known for its Bavarian-style food and architecture. It’s close enough to East Lansing for a quick weekend getaway.
   1. Bavarian-style food: The Bavarian Inn Restaurant and Zehnder's give people in Frankenmuth a whole new type of food experience. Food is one of the main attractions of Frankenmuth. 
   2. Bay City downtown: The Bay City area has a bunch of one-of-a-kind shops and places to eat. It also provides a small town feel while still being packed with tourists and shops. 

Driving distance from East Lansing: Approximately one hour and 10 minutes. 

Top five places to travel in the Midwest for spring break: 

1. Chicago: Chicago seems like the number one obvious choice for a closer big city to go to. Chicago can be reached by a train ride or in a short road trip. 
   1. The nightlife: Chicago has a plethora of options from a big city. Comedy, music and art shows happen daily. There are plenty of bars and restaurants to choose from while visiting Chicago. 
   2. Art museums: Besides its booming nightlife, Chicago also provides opportunities to keep people busy during the days. The city has incredible art museums that can an art-lover can easily spend hours in. Between the Art institute of Chicago and Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, the city provides a haven for art.
   3. Deep-dish pizza: The pizza in Chicago is unlike any other. The deep-dish pizza is a favorite for visitors. Some prime pizza places include: Giordano's, Pequod's Pizza and Lou Malnati's Pizzeria. 
   4. Ice skating in Millennium Park: Millennium Park in Chicago is a must-see for people who have never been. It has a lot of scenery and tourist destinations. During the winter and spring months, ice skating is one of the many things provided in the park. 

Driving distance from East Lansing: Approximately three hours and 30 minutes

1. Milwaukee: Milwaukee is a short drive or a quick ferry ride away from Michigan. Some people might not realize that Milwaukee has a lot of activities to do, even during the spring months.
   1. Milwaukee RiverWalk: The RiverWalk is a walkway that lines the river and goes through Milwaukee’s downtown. It is a good chance to see the river while checking out the nightlife of Milwaukee.
   2. The cheese: Wisconsin is known for its cheeses and Milwaukee is no different. There are many places where cheese stands and shops are. Take a bite out of the city with a slice of cheese.

Driving distance from East Lansing: Approximately 5 hours

1. Indianapolis: Indianapolis has a lot of fun opportunities for students looking to travel someplace close for spring break. Indy has everything from a booming college town, up and coming neighborhoods and breweries. 
   1. Broad Ripple Village: Broad Ripple Village is a small village outside of Indianapolis that has a lot of youth. It has tons of vintage stores, coffee and nightlife.
   2. Breweries and nightlife: Don’t let people tell you otherwise, the nightlife in Indy is always packed. The city offers many brew tours, including a brew bus tour. 
   3. The college town: Indianapolis is home  to a couple college towns. Indiana University and Butler University are near each other and provide places for students to blend in while getting a different type of atmosphere.

Driving distance from East Lansing: Approximately four hours

1. Cleveland: Some might consider Ohio one of the worst places to visit, but if you look hard enough there are certain places in Ohio that makes it worth going. Cleveland is close in distance and is a nice place to take a weekend trip during spring break.
   1. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: Cleveland is known for its rock n’ roll museum. This is one of the most prime places in Ohio and provides people a look into the world of rock n’ roll. 
   2. Architecture: Cleveland has some amazing architecture and for students interested in that type of thing, the city might offer some great insight into that. The Arcade building and Terminal Tower are just some of the visually appealing buildings for people to fall in love with. 

Driving distance from East Lansing: Approximately three hours and 40 minutes

1. Toronto: OK, it’s not exactly Midwest, but it is worth mentioning because Michigan is so close to Canada. Toronto is a good place to take a trip to, and it also provides a different drinking age than East Lansing, allowing 19 and up to drink. 
   1. Exploring the shops and food: Toronto is not short on places to eat and places to shop. It could take multiple days to just go through each store. 
   2. Toronto Islands: The Toronto Islands are a chain of small islands in Lake Ontario. There are many outdoor activities for students who want to spend some time outside during their spring break.

Driving distance from East Lansing: Approximately five hours