Big Lake Movers explains the 10 benefits of moving to Kalamazoo. Contact us today if you are looking to move to Kalamazoo.
Have you ever heard of the Celery Capital of the World?
If you haven’t, now you have! The Celery Capital of the World is in Kalamazoo County in Michigan. In addition to being the Celery Capital of the World, there are so many other cool and fun things about living in Kalamazoo! From outdoor activities to the kind people, moving to Kalamazoo won’t disappoint.
If you are on the fence about making the move to this amazing city, check out these benefits of living here!
1. So Many Breweries and Wineries
There are many breweries and wineries and distilleries in Kalamazoo! If you like trying a new glass of Pinot Grigio or a new IPA to take home, this is a great place to love. Another fun fact: There are over nine breweries in the city of Kalamazoo that are within walking distance from one another.
What’s better than having so many breweries all together? It’s even better when they host events and festivals for you to attend! When you move here, you’ll want to put a calendar together of all of the events to keep track of them all!
Bell’s Brewery, Arcadia Ales, and One Well Brewing are just a few of some of the most popular breweries in the city. District Square is a super large Biergarten that serves great beer and often has live music. They often have block parties and events as well!
2. Vibrant Nightlife
Are you someone who loves to go out at night and feel the vibe of a city? Then you’ll want to hit up one of Kalamazoo’s many outdoor decks and patios during the summer months! If it’s winter, you can just hit up the same place but on the inside to experience what the nightlife scene is all about.
What are some great places to grab a bite and eat a cocktail to start off your night?
You’ll want to go to Bates Alley. This was a brand new city concept in 2018 when the city created decks for all of the restaurants and bars in this alley. Now, you can just hop from one to the other.
In the alley, you can find:
- Olde Peninsula, one of the local breweries that serves a hot pepper-infused tap
- Fuze Kitchen & Bar, which serves some fun and interesting cocktails that you don’t want to miss
- Grand Traverse Distilling Room if you need something a bit stronger
- Tempo Vine Winery – sip, sip, hooray for wine
- The Green Top Tavern offers trivia on Thursdays from 8-9 p.m. so you can make this your first stop of many
But there’s so much more to Kalamazoo than just going out to the breweries and bars at night! You can also choose to visit Kalamazoo State Theatre if there is a comedy show or concert happening in the city. The Union Cabaret & Grill also offers live music (that is free) every single night of the week except for Sundays!
3. Endless Outdoor Activities
Whether you love the nightlife of cities and outdoor activities, or could forego the nightlife just for the outdoor activities, you have both at your fingertips.
From large parks to hidden treasures, biking to horseback riding, and hiking to walking trails, you will have endless options for early morning outings or weekend getaways.
Kalamazoo Nature Center
The Kalamazoo Nature Center features 13 trails that cover over 10 miles. This is great for walking and running!
Van Buren State Park
This state park features a sandy beach right on the shore of Lake Michigan. There are also high dunes formations so that you or your kids can run around to adventure. Or maybe you want to relax and have a picnic lunch on the shore. Either way, it’s a beautiful place to go.
Yankee Springs Recreation Area
If you like an area where you can go hiking, fishing, kayaking, or canoeing, Yankee Springs Recreation Area is home to over 5,000 acres of land. You’ll have plenty to keep you busy here.
Kal Haven Trail
This trail used to be an old railroad. Now, it is 33 miles of trail for running or walking. This is also a great spot for biking as well.
Al Sabo Land Preserve
With over 25 miles of trails, there are so many places to hike, run, walk, or bike! Bikers agree these trails are perfect for all levels of difficulty.
Not only do you get in some good exercise, but you also can’t miss the scenery of gorgeous meadows, wetlands, and forests.
4. Annual Festivals
Kalamazoo is never short of a good festival or two. If you are a fan of food, drinking, culture, or music, you’ll love it here.
Here are just a few of the annual festivals that you’ll have to check out when you move:
- Maple Sugar Festival in March
- Cinco De Mayo Festival in May
- Kalamazoo Pride in June
- Black Arts Festival in July
- Blues Festival in July
- Taste of Kalamazoo in July
And that is to name just a few. You may want to block out your month of July since there are so many festivals during that time!
Part of the reason that there are so many festivals in the area is that Kalamazoo is huge on having a vibrant art and culture sector in the city as well.
There are many murals that cover the city walls. When you first move here, you’ll want to wander all around the city to find them all.
There are also endless places where you can experience live arts and culture in the area!
5. Kalamazoo Job Opportunities Are on the Rise
Kalamazoo has a rich history of invention and discovery. Stoves, Gibson guitars, and Checker cabs were all discovered and born in this great city.
But that’s not all! There have been more inventions here in our modern-day, like Persefoni Lauhon and Alex Woodward creating E-Z Bind for the heavy trucking industry.
There is also a local chocolatier that creates chocolates for everyone to enjoy while also transforming the lives of convicted felons. To give the young juvenile delinquents a place to work and learn values, he gives them jobs to learn skill sets they will need to thrive and build a better life for themselves.
But you don’t have to be an inventor or discover something new to live in Kalamazoo! You can be a retail manager, work from home doing freelance work, or enter a technological job in the city.
6. Perfect for Foodies
If you go somewhere and have to try out the best restaurants in the area, you are most likely a foodie. You love food. And you love good food.
Well, if you are a foodie, you’re in luck if you decide to move to Kalamazoo! There are so many great options to choose from, you’ll be a bit overwhelmed at first. So where should you go first?
Rustica
Located downtown, Rustica specializes in rustic European food. You probably haven’t heard of that before! Either way, you need to try this fresh food. When you arrive, you’ll notice that the kitchen is wide open so you can see everything that goes on back there. While here, try out the Braised New Zealand Lamb Shank and Roasted Maple Leaf Farms Duck Breast.
The Kalamazoo Beer Exchange
Sometimes, eating food is more about the experience of a place than the actual food that you consume. That’s exactly how it is at the Kalamazoo Beer Exchange.
You have plenty of beer to choose from as well as your typical comfort food options like burgers and sandwiches. There are also a few vegan options as well.
Crow’s Nest
If you are looking for more of a lunch vibe or cafe feel, then Crow’s Nest is the place to go. Their menu is to die for as you have so many options to choose from – from eggs to different types of French toast to sandwiches and burgers, and so much more! You’ll have to go here to experience it all.
Bell’s Eccentric Café
20 plus draught beers. Do we need to say more? Yes, we do! There’s so much more to Bell’s Eccentric Cafe than just beer! All of the produce to make the food is locally sourced, primarily non-GMO, and has sustainable ingredients that all get combined to make all food from scratch!
Drumsticks? Chicken Wings? A chickpea burger? Yes, please.
In addition to all of these restaurants, there are over 20 places to grab a burger. Not your cup of tea? You can try out one of the many other places that Kalamazoo has that are perfect brunch spots for you to try.
7. Family Friendly for All
When you make a move somewhere with a family, you always want to make sure that the place you are going to is kid-friendly, or at least has kid-friendly activities that you all can do together on the weekends. Well, Kalamazoo is very kid-friendly!
You can take your family to see animals at Binder Park Zoo or the Alligator Sanctuary. If you just want to wander around to see nature, you can enjoy an afternoon at the Kalamazoo Nature Center. Why not go check out the Gilmore Car Museum or the AirZoo, too? Both are indoors if it’s a rainy day or too chilly to go outside!
And at the end of a long day of exploring with the family, what better way to end it than by going to a family-friendly brewery with everyone? Everyone will get their drink of choice and leave with a full belly and happy faces!
8. It’s a Young College Town
Sometimes people like to avoid places that are known as college towns, but part of the reason that Kalamazoo is so popular is that it is a college town, home to several colleges like Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo College, and Spring Arbor University.
Not only does this keep the nightlife in the city going all year, but it brings an entirely new dimension to sports for the city! Now, you just have to decide which team you want to root for while you live here! Choose wisely.
9. You Can Shop Locally
Ever since the pandemic hit in 2020, there has been a huge push to shop locally and support small businesses. In Kalamazoo, you can do that! There are so many local shops and boutiques in the area. From clothing shops to candy shops, and unique boutiques to eccentric bookstores, you’ll always have somewhere to go to find something new.
10. Every Season Is Active
If you are worried about moving somewhere that stops living during the winter and chillier months of the year, that is not Kalamazoo! There are things to do in every season, and everyone likes to stay active to participate.
Whether you are catching a football game in the fall or going to the Timber Ridge Winter Festival during the colder months, you’ll never be without activities no matter what season it is. And when it does get cold outside, you can always visit a brewery or a cozy cafe downtown.
Moving to Kalamazoo
Moving to Kalamazoo has so many benefits! It’s family-friendly, there is something to do every day of the year (including winter!), and you won’t want to stop exploring the endless breweries, bars, and restaurants in the area.
And to work off all those extra calories, there is no shortage of outdoor recreational areas to do so! If you are ready to make the move to Kalamazoo, we want to help you here at Big Lake Movers. Contact us so we can discuss your moving arrangements so you don’t have to wait any longer to get to this amazing city!
