Michigan is not the place for extravagant shopping. Even in the main city of Detroit, the options for unique and interesting purchases are limited. All towns and cities have some form of retail therapy, often along a main street adjacent to downtown. In the tourist-centric coastal towns, many of these shops sell destination souvenirs, local crafts, and other knick-knacks.
Holland is one notable area along the western shore with a downtown stocked with hundreds of quaint Victorian shops. In winter, the entire district has heated sidewalks and pleasant, old-fashioned street lamps to create a memorable atmosphere.
There are also shopping malls in larger towns like Ann Arbor, which has some nice venues like the European-style Nickels Arcade and Kerrytown Market. The most fun shopping in Michigan can be found in historic downtown districts like Lansing’s Old Town and along Grand River Avenue, Washington Avenue, and Michigan Avenue. Antiques are often a good buy in older towns like Saginaw and Holland.
Spring through fall, be sure and keep your eyes out for local farmers’ markets. They usually appear once or twice a week in every noteworthy town due to Michigan’s thriving agriculture scene. In Ann Arbor, the Farmers’ Market runs on Saturday and Sunday. The capital, Lansing, is home to the Historic Lansing City Market, situated right along the Grand River where vendors sell everything from homemade cheese to fresh flowers.