Westwood - Kalamazoo, MI

Kalamazoo grew like most Michigan cities: Settled by pioneers who were attracted by the fertile soil, growing with the railroad and expanding through industry. The city used to be known for paper mills and Gibson guitars and transitioned into being known for craft beer and the Pfizer and Stryker corporations. The addition of a university, a college and a community college has kept the city growing.

Right in the middle of downtown sits one of the best features. The free Kalamazoo Valley Museum features an actual Egyptian mummy, a large interactive science center for kids, rotating hands-on educational displays for kids, a local history museum, a planetarium, and best of all, a Challenger Learning Center, which provides a space simulator experience and science center for middle school groups.

Art lovers will want to stop in at the Kalamazoo Institute of Art, a museum featuring rotating exhibits, a variety of classes and various art programs.

Kalamazoo celebrates various events throughout the year and invites visitors and residents to come downtown to Arcadia Creek Festival Place for them. Some of the most popular recurring festivals include the Greek festival, the annual balloon race, pride festival, Irish festival, the blues festival and Oktoberfest.

Residents enjoy the Westwood neighborhood for its quiet streets and easy access to high-quality restaurants downtown. Drive the three miles to downtown and enjoy a wide variety of food.

Rustica serves European cuisine, making an effort to source the food locally. Because the cafe features a small interior and a strong clientele, be prepared to wait for a table. The pear and parsnip soup, ricotta gnocchi, fresh fish baked in parchment paper and callebaut chocolate brownie make the wait well worth it. The restaurant also has an extensive beer and wine list featuring local craft brews and hard-to-find European wines.

Across the street, the Fandango Tapas Bistro serves small plates inspired by Spanish Mediterranean cuisine. With items like citrus ginger tuna, bacon wrapped lamb chops and sherry-shallot mushrooms, this restaurant continues to be a local favorite. The restaurant has a full bar, and is located on a downtown corner.

For foodies who love locally sourced food, Food Dance will more than meet expectations. The restaurant lists their suppliers on their website, with descriptions of how the food grows. Serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Food Dance makes its customers come back for more with food such as curry-dusted chickpeas, homemade sausage, cider brined pork chops and mac ‘n cheese made from grafton aged cheddar, caramelized onions and house made bacon. Food Dance also runs a market and bakery in addition to hosting cooking classes.

If you’re in Kalamazoo and you’re looking for late-night fun, Bell’s Brewery and Eccentric Café should be a requirement. This local craft brewery, the first in the state to serve beer by the glass, has become nationally known, with bars and restaurants in 20 states selling their creations. Open until midnight on weekdays, 2 a.m. on the weekends, the café next door has more than 20 different beers on tap, a lot of them Bell’s labels that you won’t find anywhere else. It also frequently has live music and trivia nights and serves small plates, appetizers and salads.

The city transit system, K Metro, runs nearly 20 routes throughout the city with buses stopping every half hour. The city of Kalamazoo makes parking in the downtown area easy with several parking garages, and many restaurants validate parking.

Although a somewhat walkable city, a car remains important for most residents, especially in the residential Westwood neighborhood.

Several taxi companies operate in the area, including AZO Cab and The Taxi Guy. Uber also operates in the area, with a ride from the Westwood neighborhood to downtown costing $14.

Amtrak and Greyhound share the transit terminal downtown, providing easy access to long-distance transportation.

You won't find many dedicated bike lanes in the city, but getting around campus by bike is easy, and a bike trail runs alongside the Kalamazoo River.

The closest large park to Westwood continues to be Markin Glen County Park. Located at one of the highest points in the area, the park lets visitors take in the scenic views of the area. The 160-acre park includes campsites, lakes for fishing and swimming, trails, playgrounds and sports fields. Residents and visitors can use the park for free, except for the campsites which cost $26.

The city has one dog park, Fairmount Dog Park, which features a fenced area and a small dog area. To use the park, dogs must be registered and a $10 fee for a pass card and a $63 annual fee must be paid.

The cost of living in Kalamazoo sits 7 percent lower than the state average and 16 percent lower than the nation. The average rental rate for a one-bedroom apartment costs $670 per month.

Gas in Kalamazoo runs 6 percent lower than the state average and 15 percent lower than the national average. A domestic draft at the bar costs $3, and a one-way ticket on K Metro will cost you $1.50.

Getting to major shopping centers remains easy for residents of the Westwood neighborhood. M-43, known as West Main Street runs through the bottom of the neighborhood, and along this major road, residents can find a lot of major stores including Hobby Lobby, Target, Lowe’s, and Kohl’s.

Residents can find their grocery needs met by the regional chains of Meijer and Harding’s as well as Wal-Mart and Costco.

When it comes to shopping, residents enjoy the locally-owned boutiques located in the outdoor downtown Kalamazoo Mall.

If you’re a runner, stop in at Gazelle Sports. Going far beyond selling running shoes, Gazelle provides excellent customer service, analyzing your running style and fitting you with the right shoes, as well as being active in the community. Gazelle has become a community favorite by providing clinics, training and supporting over 200 local events during the year.

Earthly Delights sells high-end items for the home along with apparel and accessories for women. Come in this store for nature and vintage based items like silver flower display bowls, bud vases, dresses, and Matt and Nat purses.

For your stationery and paper needs, stop in at Petals and Postings downtown. It carries an excellent selection of greeting cards, wrapping paper, seasonal gifts and journals.

Run by the local organic health food store, the Kalamazoo farmers market runs May through November a few blocks south of downtown.