From the observation deck of the University of Michigan's Burton Memorial Tower, home of the Baird Carillon, you can see nearly the entire city of Ann Arbor, Mich., and it becomes clear why the city has hit so many of the 2014 "Best Places To … " lists (to live, raise children, beautiful cities, retire, etc.). It's a vibrant town, full of lovely architecture, higher education and an animated food scene.
Even if you don't make it to the top of the tower (it's one of the city's most recognizable landmarks but it's open fairly infrequently), you can at least enjoy its resonant carillon daily. With 4½ octaves of bells, the largest of which weighs 12 tons (the bourdon), and the smallest just 15 pounds, the carillon is rung each quarter-hour from 9:15 a.m. to 9 p.m., the bourdon striking twice each hour. The resounding, comforting tones can be felt deep within the bones, and heard throughout the town.
If the arts are your thing, visit Motawi Tileworks (1-734-213-0017; www.motawi.com) and enjoy a tour of the tileworks (no charge, every Thursday at 11 a.m.). We felt a bit of envy, watching the artists at work on their exquisite tiles. If you liked the bells, you can purchase a 4-by-8 tile commemorating the tower.
Festive dining
Heading out for a night on the town to celebrate the new year? We have some suggestions for you, whether you are interested in farm-to-table fare, high-end dining, delicious tapas or old-fashioned roadhouse cooking. Ann Arbor boasts more than 300 restaurants, with more on the way.
For a romantic evening, try Logan (1-734-327-2312; www.logan-restau rant.com). Order the tasting menu with wine pairings. The night we were in for a meal, chef Thad Gilles served four courses plus an amuse-bouche. The second course, especially, we won't soon forget: a tender leg of lamb marinated in a shallot- and garlic-infused yogurt, served over house gnocchi.
If you're looking for a bit of fun coupled with a memorable experience, check out the Slurping Turtle (1-734-887-6868; slurpingturtle.com/annarbor). This is flavor-rich Japanese comfort food (the Twin Cities needs a place like this). We pitched that idea to the director of operations, Tom Roche, and he said it's being considered. The Slurping Turtle opened first in Chicago, now recently Ann Arbor — next stop, MSP?
Another place we loved is Zingerman's — Deli, Roadhouse or Next Door coffeehouse. At the Roadhouse, you can taste work by James Beard award-winning chef Alex Young; we recommend the buttermilk fried chicken (1-734-663-3663; www.zing ermansroadhouse.com). Or hit the deli for a tender, bursting Reuben, graced with the brinery's excellent sauerkraut (1-734-663-3354; www.zingermansdeli.com).
Beverages, too
One of the best things about being down on Main Street (cue the Bob Seger song; yes, he grew up in Ann Arbor) is the number of exceptional watering holes. If we were to suggest a cocktail crawl, it would start at the Ravens Club (1-734-214-0400; the ravensclub.com) for an Old Fashioned; then off for a craft beer at the Jolly Pumpkin (1-734-913-2730; www.jolly pumpkin.com); then to Vinology (1-734-222-9841; www.vinologya2.com) for a superior glass of wine. Finish at the Last Word (thelastwordbar.com), because we can't think of a better spot for a romantic nightcap in a dark booth.