Battle Creek (Michigan)
Battle Creek is a city in West Central Michigan. It boasts a population of 52,721 as of 2020. The city is renowned for its prominent breakfast cereal industry.
Understand
The city enjoyed prosperity through much of the 20th century. However, akin to numerous small Midwestern cities, it witnessed a decline in manufacturing jobs and stagnant wages. The impact was particularly severe on Kellogg Cereal, the stalwart that once upheld the now-closed Cereal City attraction.
Additionally, the city resides adjacent to a substantial National Guard base. A portion of the erstwhile Fort Custer Army base has now transformed into a state park. Moreover, during the 1980s and 90s, the city undertook the annexation of various nearby areas, resulting in its present expanse of 43 sq mi (110 km2), a significant portion of which remains sparsely populated.
Visitor information
- 🌍 Battle Creek Welcome Center, 34 Jackson St W #1a, toll-free: +1-800-397-2240, info@battlecreekvisitors.org. M–F 9AM–5PM. Stop by the Battle Creek Welcome Center for area information, gifts, souvenirs, and more.
Get in
By bus
Greyhound stops at a Intermodal station downtown on McCamly St.
By train
- See also: Rail travel in the United States
- 🌍 Battle Creek Transportation Center, 119 McCamly St S.
- Amtrak, ☏ +1 215-856-7924, toll-free: +1-800-872-7245. Operates train service around the United States of America. Routes serving Battle Creek:
- Wolverine Service operates several times daily between Pontiac and Chicago including stops along the way in Troy, Royal Oak, Detroit, Dearborn, Ann Arbor, Jackson, Battle Creek, Kalamazoo, Niles, and New Buffalo.
- Blue Water operates daily between Port Huron and Chicago including stops in Flint, East Lansing, Battle Creek, Kalamazoo, Niles, and New Buffalo.
- Amtrak, ☏ +1 215-856-7924, toll-free: +1-800-872-7245. Operates train service around the United States of America. Routes serving Battle Creek:
By plane
- 🌍 Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport (AZO IATA), 5235 Portage Rd, Portage, ☏ +1 269-388-3668. The airport terminal opens at 4:30AM and closes at midnight or 30 minutes after the last flight arrives. Offers flights with Delta, American, and Avelo.
- 🌍 Battle Creek Executive Airport at Kellogg Field (BTL IATA), 15551 S Airport Rd (approximately 3 miles west of Battle Creek and south of Springfield), ☏ +1 269-966-3470, FlyBTL@battlecreekmi.gov. A general aviation airport. Western Michigan University College of Aviation, the Battle Creek Air National Guard, Duncan Aviation, Waco Aircraft Corporation, FAA Battle Creek Flight Inspection Field Office, and Centennial Aircraft Services are also located at the airport.
See
Battle Creek is home to Post and Kellogg's Cereal. These companies are renowned for their production of cereal and breakfast foods. The factories are on the east side of town; however, they do not provide any tours.
- 🌍 Hart-Dole-Inouye Federal Center, 74 N Washington Ave, ☏ +1 269-425-3350. M-F 7:30AM–5PM, except federal holidays. The Battle Creek Sanitarium building and its twin towers stand out in the city skyline. Not open to the public due to security guidelines, this historical building holds a captivating past.
- 🌍 Binder Park Zoo, 7400 Division Dr (3 miles south of I-94 exit 100), ☏ +1 269-979-1351, info@binderparkzoo.org. M-F 9AM-5PM, Sa 9AM-6PM, Su 11AM-6PM. 433-acre zoo features more than 600 specimens with a tram between exhibits & an opportunity to feed giraffes. Adult $16.75, senior (age 65+) $15.75, child (age 2-10) $14.75, children (under 2) free. Parking fee $3 per vehicle.
- 🌍 Kellogg Community College (KCC), 450 North Ave, ☏ +1 269-965-3931, adm@kellogg.edu. Has a permanent art collection distributed throughout the campus.
- 🌍 Leila Arboretum Society, 928 W Michigan Ave, ☏ +1 269-969-0270, katy@lasgarden.org. Daily from dawn to dusk. A 72-acre garden with more than 2,000 species of trees and shrubs, many dating back to the 1920s, laid out in the manner of famous European gardens. The Arboretum is open to the public year round during daylight hours. There are no daily admission or parking fees for either Leila Arboretum or the Kaleidoscope Garden.
- 🌍 Kingman Museum, 175 Limit St, ☏ +1 269-965-5117, Office@KingmanMuseum.org. Museum building is temporarily closed to the public. Kingman Museum is Southwest Michigan's only natural history museum. What started as a small collection of specimens and artifacts donated by Edward Brigham, Sr. in the late 19th century has expanded into the public school museum, one of the first museums in America to be owned and operated by a public school system.
- 🌍 A. Lincoln, 32 W Michigan Ave. M-F 10AM-5PM. In 2017, Richard Schlater won the art prize in southwest Michigan for an incredible portrait of Abraham Lincoln. Using 24,500 rare and common pennies, he created this impressive artwork which can be found in the Lincoln room. Free.
- 🌍 Sojourner Truth Monument, 2-14 E Michigan Ave. Sojourner Truth, renowned for her contributions to women's rights and African American freedoms, hailed from Battle Creek. A substantial statue resembling her can be observed upon entering the town from the expressway, encircled by diverse information placards. Free.
- 🌍 First United Methodist Church, 111 E Michigan Ave, ☏ +1 269-963-5567, fax: +1 269-963 6899, jharveyclark@firstumcbc.org. One of Martin Luther King, Jr's last speeches was given here. A plaque commemorates the altar from which the speech was given. Free.
- 🌍 Kimball House Museum, 196 Capital Ave NE, ☏ +1 269-660-9072, museum@hsbcmi.org. Su 1-4PM or schedule a tour. The Kimball House Museum, constructed in 1886, is a Victorian house museum designed in the Queen Anne architectural style. It was built to serve as a family home for three generations of physicians, but it has become Battle Creek's local history museum. Within its walls, visitors can explore a series of rooms that faithfully recreate upper-middle-class Victorian life and provide insights into the captivating Kimball family history. Additionally, the museum offers special exhibit rooms that shed light on the Battle Creek Sanitarium and the remarkable life of Sojourner Truth. For families and children, there are engaging displays such as the Pioneer room, General store, and even a glimpse into the servant's quarters.
Do
🌍 FireKeepers Casino Hotel, 11177 E Michigan Ave (just west of Battle Creek off I-94 at exit 104), toll-free: +1-877-352-8777, info@firekc.com. 24 hours. Modern space for classic table games & slots in a resort-style hotel with restaurants & bars.
🌍 W K Kellogg Auditorium, 50 W Van Buren St (corner of Mc Camly St. & W. Van Buren; auditorium is attached to W.K. Kellogg Jr High School, across from Willard Library Parking Lot & Clara's Restaurant; take I-94 to business loop M-66 North Bound, turn west onto W. Van Buren approximately 3 blocks), ☏ +1 269-963-1911.
Events
- Field of Flight: Field of Flight lasts from June 29 to July 4, 15551 S Airport Rd, ☏ +1 269-962-0592, fax: +1 269-962-8687, barb@bcballoons.com. Hours vary, check schedule on website. Each year, around the Independence Day holiday, the Field of Flight takes place at Kellogg airport. This includes an air show (often including the USAF Thunderbirds), a carnival midway, and the famous hot air balloon launch Parking is $10 on first day, $5 after that. Admission is free first day, then $13.
- 🌍 Cereal Fest (The World's Longest Breakfast Table): , 25 McCamly St S, ☏ +1 269-963-4800, info@battlecreekvisitors.org. This signature festival highlights Battle Creek's heritage as the birthplace of the cereal industry and is a tradition that has attracted people from far and wide for over 50 years. This family-friendly festival includes a range of entertainment, such as live music, children’s activities, inflatables, and, of course, free cereal for everyone! $0. (date needs fixing)
- International Festival of Lights: , Downtown Battle Creek. Every year, a festive event takes place in Battle Creek, where most buildings are adorned with Christmas lights and feature light-up displays of the 12 days of Christmas, all with a Kellogg's twist. Free. (date needs fixing)
Buy
- 🌍 Lakeview Square Mall, 5775 Beckley Rd, ☏ +1 269-979-1744. M-Sa 11AM-7PM, Su noon-5PM. More than 30 specialty stores, community room rental, and gift cards.
- 🌍 Battle Creek Farmers Market, 25 McCamly St S, ☏ +1 269-788-1102. May to October on Wednesdays from 9AM-1PM. Hosts a farmers market.
Eat
The usual chain-type family restaurants are clustered near I-94 on the southern edge of town.
- 🌍 Clara's on the River, 44 McCamly St (from I-94, take the I-194 N/M-66 N exit (Exit number 98B) towards Downtown Battle Creek; merge onto I-194/MI-66 and then turn left onto E Van Buren St. Afterwards, turn left onto North McCamly Street and finally, turn left into Clara's on the River parking lot), ☏ +1 269-963-0966. Daily 11AM-9PM. American eatery with vast menu set in a circa-1888, antiques-filled riverfront building with patio.
Drink
- 🌍 Griffin Grill & Pub, 38 W Michigan Ave, ☏ +1 269-965-7206. M-Sa 11AM-midnight, Su closed. Classic tavern offering Irish-American plates & many beers on tap, plus TV sports & a chill patio.
Sleep
Motels are mostlynear the Interstate highway.
- 🌍 Holiday Inn Battle Creek, 12812 Harper Village Dr, ☏ +1 269-979-0500, hi.battlecreek@amerilodgegroup.com. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. This hotel's amenities include an onsite restaurant and arcade. It also provides easy access to major freeways, including Interstate 94. It is part of the Harper Village Shopping Center, near local restaurants, shops, and entertainment options. $146.
- 🌍 McCamly Plaza Hotel, 50 Capital Ave SW #1, ☏ +1 269-963-7050, toll-free: +1 888-205-7322. This hotel is directly linked to the convention centre.
Camping
- 🌍 Fort Custer Recreation Area, 5163 Fort Custer Dr, Augusta, ☏ +1 269-731-4200, DNR-ParksAndRecreation@michigan.gov. 8AM-10PM. Former World War II training area now a vast park with camping on farmlike terrain plus biking & hiking trails. $11 for daily if nonresident or guest, $13 for yearly pass on license plate for residents.
Go next
- Kalamazoo
- Gull Lake is a half-hour NW of the city.
- Marshall, an attractive small town to the east of Battle Creek, boasts the Dark Horse Brewery, renowned for its exceptional micro-brewed beer, all within a laid-back ambiance. Moreover, Marshall is adorned with numerous splendid Victorian houses and features a pedestrian-friendly downtown area.
| Routes through Battle Creek |
| Chicago ← Kalamazoo ← | W E | → East Lansing → Port Huron |
| Chicago ← Kalamazoo ← | W E | → Jackson → Detroit |
| Michigan City ← Kalamazoo ← | W E | → Marshall → Ann Arbor |
| Grand Rapids ← Jct W E ← | N S | → END |
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