Life At Central Michigan University

Once you’ve found the perfect apartment in Mount Pleasant, MI, take a break from unpacking and stop at Mountain Town Station Brewing Company & Steakhouse. You might not find any mountains there, but we can guarantee there’s enough great steak and beer to go around. Mountains don’t stand a chance against a culinary combination like that.

The party scene seems to be run by Greeks, which is always a really fun experience. On the other hand, if you’re old enough to hit up some bars, CMU has got some pretty cool places you can check out as well.

Marty's Bar
Taco Boy Restaurant
O'Kelly's Sports Bar
Stan's
Freddie's Tavern

Outdoor/Recreation

Many of the establishments in town may cater to the young professional and older crowd more, which means the search for cheap drinks will be hard. But it's rumored Wayside occasionally puts out some great drink specials. If your budget is busted or you're exhausted from studying, you can find some cheap drinks at Kaya Coffee Shop.

The Chippewa River snakes right through Mt Pleasant and runs very close to CMU's campus. Along the river near campus is Veit's Woods CMU Park which has many running and biking paths linking to other riverside parks. A longer run from campus is Island Park where the Chippewa River's rapids will surround you as you play or relax. Finally, close to campus is the Deerfield Nature Park, which has many scenic trails.

Finding good locations and packing the right equipment for a trip can be tough. But fear not! There are many student groups on campus that will help you explore Michigan like a local.

Things To Do in Mt. Pleasant, MI

Want to be a real Chippewa? Show your CMU pride by cheering on the team at Kelly/Shorts Stadium. If you’re not into sports, don’t worry: tailgating is just as important as the game itself. There’s always plenty of beer and good cheer to go around at games, but the best time to tailgate is during Homecoming in October. Thousands of alumni flood back to Mt. Pleasant to root for their alma mater during a week full of festivities and fun.

Homecoming is great for more than just football: student organizations get to shine, too. Once a year, groups from around campus compete in activities to win the prized Maroon Cup. Join a student organization and earn your rightful place as a Central Michigan champion! After all, if you’re going to take out all those loans, you should at least have a trophy to show for it, right?

One team takes Homecoming to a whole new level. The CMU engineering students design, build and race their own cardboard boats. That’s right: the boats are made of cardboard. How do they keep them from sinking into Rose Pond? We don’t know. We didn’t go to school for that! Check them out and learn their secrets.

During the rest of the year, check out The Wayside Central for great concerts and nightlife, or stop at the Soaring Eagle Casino near campus. You never know when you’re going to need an extra buck for food or fun. Actually, you do: the answer is always.