Take It To The Big House

It May Be Known As The Home Of University Of Michigan Football, But Ann Arbor Holds A Trove Of Delights For All The Senses. Plus Whirlyball.

- Laura Monroe Elliott

ON THE RUN

That’s how it went for Matthew Altruda, a longtime Wolverines fan who remembers rooting for the Maize and Blue (and being won over by those iconic winged helmets) long before moving to Ann Arbor as a teen.

He and his son were in the stands during the infamous in-state rivalry game versus Michigan State in 2015. If you follow college football, you’re probably familiar with the final moments of this game as it’s one of the most memorable finishes in the sport’s history. University of Michigan fans were celebrating what looked to be a win, but a blundered punt in the final play resulted in a last-minute touchdown for Michigan State.

Like most Wolverine fans, Altruda and his son left the stadium with broken hearts, pausing their walk of shame only for a quick stop at the portable restrooms before heading home. That’s where a sad memory becomes a positive one, in the most unlikely of places, after one of the toughest losses he’d experienced. Altruda could hear his son crying in the stall next to him. And he was proud.

“He was so upset, but I remember thinking, ‘He’s here. He’s arrived,’” Altruda says. “When it hurts this bad, you know you’re a fan for life.”

It’s safe t

TAILGATING

And take care of you, they do. If you’re here to tailgate, there’s something to suit every taste in Ann Arbor, or A Squared, as it’s called. If you’re looking for the party, head to State Street or the front lawns of the fraternity houses, where you’ll find loud music, cheap beer and students celebrating the football weekend. The sea of fans that forms around the intersection of State and Hoover streets may leave you feeling a bit claustrophobic, but it’s something