Nightlife and hangout places

The Arcadia Creek Festival Site is the place to be. It annually welcomes the coolest festivals around. The Taste of Kalamazoo, The Ribfest, the infamous Winter Mixer on Ice ... the list goes on. There are often live bands on the modern stages and fun, friendly folks to meet and greet. The Arcadia section of Kzoo is one of the city's best - don't miss out!

Who says you can't have fun while learning, mingling and networking? Kzoo's annual Art Hop is a great time to get out and see more of the city. Held once a month, Art Hop features a schedule of art exhibits that are open to the public. You hop from venue to venue (snacks are provided) and see all there is to see.

History lesson: Kalamazoo's founder, Mr. Titus Bronson, donated the land that is Bronson Park way back in 1831. Now it's on the National Register of Historic Places. All of Kzoo can enjoy this New England-style commons located in the city's center.

What has 12 screens and special student discounts? If you said Celebration Cinemas then you're right. Located in Kzoo's Portage area, Celebration shows the latest and greatest movies complete with stadium seating and the latest technological advancements.

Climb Kalamazoo offers you open climb in over 10,500 square feet of climbing surface, including a lead cave.

With open bowling all week and bowling specials on top of that, head to Continental Lanes for some great fun!

Located on W. Main Street, The Corner Record Shop has everything an audiophile could need. This store has everything from record players to DVD's. You may also be able to catch a few bands playing here from time to time.

When mom and dad come for a visit, clean your room, take them somewhere nice for dinner, and finish the night with something cultural. How about a nice trip to the Civic Theater? The Civic puts on shows like "Cats" and "A Midsummer Night's Dream."

Head to the Fire Cultural Lounge for some great local theater productions.

Do SDDS, DTS, THX and DLP mean anything to you? If so, then head to the Kalamazoo 10 for a technologically superb movie experience. This megaplex has it all – stadium seating, a game room, café, party rooms for rent and kiosk ticket printing. Go online for shows and show times.

The cool shoes, the smell of bowling alley food, the crash of pins, the inability to determine the time of day thanks to zero view of the outside world. Sometimes, a good bowl is just what you need. So, head over to Holiday Lanes.

The Kalamazoo Nature Center offers a wide variety of outdoor activities for any season.

Check out Kalamazoo's Skate Zoo for skateboarding, inline skating and biking. Their spine ramp and street course comes with 6,800 square feet of indoor skating area, and they recently added an outdoor street course bringing an additional 7,200 square feet of skating area. You don't have to be Tony Hawk to give it a try.

The Kalamazoo State Theater, a fixture since 1927, is so beautiful you might have a hard time paying attention to the show. While operas and ballets are performed on the theater's main stage, the Band in the Basement features more contemporary performing artists.

Located on WMU's East Campus, the Little Theater is just that. But the price is right. Showcasing big-budget and art house films, the Theater lets students purchase tickets for a special discounted rate. Both the Western Film Society (which is student-run) and the Kalamazoo Film Society present films here.

At Putter's Family Fun Center, fun is what you will be having. Putter's offers it all - from Putt Putt golf to arcade games, it's a great place to spend the day with friends.

Located in Downtown Kalamazoo, the Rave has stadium seating and large screens, which makes going to the movies a great experience. With multiple theaters, a party room and two concession areas, this is a great place to go catch the latest blockbuster.

At Rollerworld they have open skate and skate rentals at affordable prices. You can also book parties, so if you need a place to host your next birthday bash, why not do it here?

Open skate and open swim in the same place?! Sounds like a great set of plans.