No trip to Greater Lansing is complete without a stop at the State Capitol Building, so that’s where I decided to launch my big visit! The artistic beauty and historical significance of this building was just awesome.
After my tour of the Capitol Building, I took a stroll through Washington Square and downtown Lansing. Wow! So many restaurants, shops and night spots from which to choose! I really got a cool and lively vibe downtown and knew for sure I’d be back for some fun later tonight.
I’m a fish, and heights are SO not my thing… but when I heard about the event in downtown Lansing called “Over the Edge”; I just HAD to get involved. Rappelling down the side of the 23-story Boji Tower for charity? Absolutely! This nice young lady let me ride down with her and we raised $500 for Team Lansing Foundation. I may not look nervous, but I was pretty much freaking out.
I had heard a lot about all the automotive history in Greater Lansing, so I had to check out the R.E. Olds Museum. Just so cool! I mean it – this is American innovation at its best. Although General Motors doesn’t make Oldsmobile anymore, the Lansing Delta Township GM Plant is absolutely state-of-the-art and provides the world with Cadillacs. I entered a drawing to win this 70’s era Olds Cutlass. Wish me luck!
Whew! I’m always looking for places to take a dip when I get into a new town. I mean, I like to get around and do things, but at the end of the day, I’m just a fish out of water. I had a great time chatting with these kayakers going down the Grand River. Feeling cool, refreshed and ready for some serious cardio, I swam upstream all the way from downtown Lansing to the Red Cedar River in East Lansing and the campus of Michigan State – Gorgeous!
After my swim, I had to check out Michigan State University. What a happening and beautiful place it is, too! I did some shopping, got a little ice cream and took in the scenic campus. I’ve literally never seen anything like it. You wouldn’t believe how surprised I was when I ran into MSU’s mascot, Sparty and a nice student from the School of Hospitality Business. This picture is a total keeper!
While at the game, I met a man who told me he was a CTA. I wasn’t familiar, so he told me all about the Greater Lansing Certified Tourism Ambassadors. He was just one of hundreds of local residents that have taken a course offered by the Greater Lansing CVB, which educates area residents about all there is to see and do in Michigan’s Capital City area! What a great idea, and as a newbie to the region, I really appreciated his insight. He even took the time to walk me through the steps to download the Greater Lansing Mobile App to my smartphone. Suddenly, I had maps and all kinds of information right there in my fin. Thanks to the Greater Lansing Tourism Ambassador, I’m now all about Lansing and the Greater Lansing Mobile App!
Turns out the people I met at Tavern on the Square had plans after dinner, and wouldn’t you know it… they were so nice, they invited me to come along. At first, I said I was too tired. I mean, just today I had already toured the Capitol, strolled through downtown, rappelled down a skyscraper, checked out some cool classic cars, swam in the State’s longest river, met Sparty, tore it up at a Lugnuts game, and now just had more great food and drink at this cool place, Tavern on the Square! I was beat, you know?! Well, they were persuasive… and when they wagged a free ticket to the Common Ground Music Festival in front of me, I rose to the occasion. I was going to totally maximize my visit in Greater Lansing and not wimp out! So I pounded an energy drink and ten minutes later, I was crowd surfing with thousands of my new best friends at the Stone Temple Pilots show!
Thanks Greater Lansing! You sure know how to show a fish an amazing time - I’ll never forget it!
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