Downtown

The Heart of the City
Downtown Ann Arbor is the hub of the University of Michigan. With the plethora of bars and restaurants - including favorites like Last Word, Wolverine, Aventura, and The Lunch Room - there is always something to do here. The area is extremely walk-able and provides easy access to the essentials like convenience shops and grocery stores, some of which include Lucky’s Market, Busch Fresh Food Market, and Kroger. You'll be hard pressed to find a local neighborhood more conveniently located.

Renters rave about the area's accessibility and proximity to Michigan's campus. Simply put, if you want to live in a vibrant area that's very close to the university campus, Downtown Ann Arbor is the perfect spot.
What Downtown Residents
Think About Their Apartments
overall
7.8
value
7.5
amenities
6.0
social
7.5
management
7.2
Median rents in Downtown
Studio
$
1,400
1 Bedroom
$
1,800
2 Bedroom
$
2,500

Living in
Downtown

Center of Nightlife Scene
Social
More Expensive Rent
Walk-Able
Great Apartments
Downtown — 8.6/10 Rating (based on 82 neighborhood reviews)
Extremely central. More ambient noise than if you were in a further-away neighborhood.
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Reviewed by
10
/10
Neighborhood Rating
414 S 4th Ave
Downtown is great for restaurants and shops! Better than some of the areas where mostly students live, in my opinion. There are a lot of homeless people who frequently try to interact and are sometimes not very polite. Crazy busy on game days, there will be an hour wait for food.
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Reviewed by
8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
Loft 322
This building is one block from downtown, one block from the public library (great study location), and 2 blocks from campus. It is a 2 min walk to main st. and all downtown Ann Arbor has to offer.
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Reviewed by
9
/10
Neighborhood Rating
332 E. William St.
Great eats, fun events, incredibly safe area. The restaurants are fantastic, you are at the epicenter of the social scene, and its a great place to walk around and explore.
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Reviewed by
9
/10
Neighborhood Rating
YOUnion Ann Arbor
Within walking distance to the hospital, but with lots to do.
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Reviewed by
10
/10
Neighborhood Rating
Fourth Avenue Center
Close to downtown; away from fraternity/sorority life and undergrad partying. Train is closeby which can be noisy on some mornings, but hasn't been an issue.
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Reviewed by
7
/10
Neighborhood Rating
537 South 4th Ave
It is near art department building and has two churches by the side. Subway is just downstairs, which is convenient for a quick grab and go.
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Reviewed by
8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
YOUnion Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor is wonderful! For a college town, there are lots of bars and restaurants. Great shops and grocery all in walking distance.
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Reviewed by
7
/10
Neighborhood Rating
The Varsity
Love this neighborhood because it is so close to many great restaurants. Walking distance to almost anywhere on campus.
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Reviewed by
8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
YOUnion Ann Arbor
Great location for graduate students! Quieter neighbors and close to downtown, while also walkable to school.
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8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
533 S 4th Ave
The neighborhood is mostly residential and very close to campus. It lacks food options and nearby grocery stores, but I have been able to drive and access these needs within a 2-5 mile range. Trash gets picked up on schedule every week and I have never had issues with waste managment. It is distanced enough from the Big House to avoid the game day madness and only gets the unavoidable traffic before and after the game, which is simply something to get used to. Otherwise, great location. The area is clean, quiet and pretty safe.
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Reviewed by
8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
551 S 4th Ave
I love living downtown close to bars and restaurants. Quick 15 minutes from Ross.
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Reviewed by
8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
The Varsity
It is great! Lots of families and nice yards to look at during walks.
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Reviewed by
8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
441 S 1st St
Love living here! So much going on. Everything is walking distance.
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10
/10
Neighborhood Rating
Washington Manor
Not many undergrads, mostly grad students. Close to the stadium and only 7 minutes from the law school. Neighborhood is quiet. Folks usually go through backyards/front yards after game days to collect cans, although they are kind and harmless.
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10
/10
Neighborhood Rating
517 S 4th Ave
The street I'm on is not much of a neighborhood - it is a one-way street with views overlooking the football stadium parking lots. But it is a very short walk to Old West Side, and also State Street / downtown Ann Arbor area.
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8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
549 S Fifth Ave
We are 2-3 blocks from state st and main st, right on Liberty. It doesn't get much better for easy access to downtown Ann Arbor and commuting to any of the UM schools.
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Reviewed by
9
/10
Neighborhood Rating
310 E Liberty St
15 minute walk to Ross. 5 minute walk to a million restaurants and bars. Very quiet since the building is just south of the happening part of main str.
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Reviewed by
7
/10
Neighborhood Rating
510 S Main St
Close to downtown, the main public transportation hub, and school, which makes accessibility truly top notch.
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Reviewed by
9
/10
Neighborhood Rating
442 S 4th Ave
The neighborhood overall isn't bad, but where my apartment is (corner of 5th/Madison) has partiers next door. It's a lot of undergrad housing, so definitely noisy around game days. Also quite a bit of traffic, including buses, going by throughout the day. But there are nice, quiet places in Germantown too.
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Reviewed by
7
/10
Neighborhood Rating
558 S 5th Ave
Perfect in between of campus and restaurants/bars along main street. Approx 10 min walk to Ross
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Reviewed by
10
/10
Neighborhood Rating
City Place
Great spot to meet up with people. Lots of great restaurants and bars in the neighborhood.
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Reviewed by
10
/10
Neighborhood Rating
303 S Main St
It's a quiet street, close to everything but without lots of drunken students around.
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Reviewed by
8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
324 E. Jefferson
Great location near a lot of bars and restaurants and not far from the law school
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Reviewed by
7
/10
Neighborhood Rating
The Standard
It is super close to campus and downtown, but feels like a real neighborhood.
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Reviewed by
10
/10
Neighborhood Rating
328 E Jefferson St
Awesome being downtown close to restaurants, bars, and campus.
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Reviewed by
7
/10
Neighborhood Rating
335 S Division St
You will be surrounded by undergrads in similar buildings around this one, and they will all be very loud. There is a building a few doors down that appears to be low-income housing, and there have been some safety concerns there.
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Reviewed by
8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
526 S Division St
Not far from the law school although walking in the winter will be miserable. Close to shops and restaurants. Especially like that I'm near Zingerman's and the farmer's market.
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Reviewed by
6
/10
Neighborhood Rating
322 S State St
One major drawback is that there is no large supermarket within the walking distance, but you can take a bus from the Blake Transit Center.
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Reviewed by
8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
Ann Arbor City Club
It's nice to be close to everything downtown
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Reviewed by
6
/10
Neighborhood Rating
Ann Arbor City Club
An awesome walkable, vibrant neighborhood.
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Reviewed by
10
/10
Neighborhood Rating
322 S Division St
Just west of campus and directly south of downtown. Can be loud on the weekends though.
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Reviewed by
6
/10
Neighborhood Rating
308 Packard St
It is a good spot location wise. It is right in downtown and close to school.
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Reviewed by
7
/10
Neighborhood Rating
YOUnion Ann Arbor
Easy access to law school, gym, restaurants, bars. Amazing location.
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Reviewed by
10
/10
Neighborhood Rating
City Place
Downtown is great. Easy to get to everywhere I want to be.
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Reviewed by
8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
Tower Plaza Condominium
Heart of downtown
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Reviewed by
9
/10
Neighborhood Rating
307 Thompson St
Close to everything!
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Reviewed by
9
/10
Neighborhood Rating
212 W Madison St
Great location, especially for Law Students
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Reviewed by
4
/10
Neighborhood Rating
City Place
right by all the bars/restaurants
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Reviewed by
8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
335 S Division st. apt 2
Great location, close to school and restaurants.
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Reviewed by
10
/10
Neighborhood Rating
617 E Liberty
Great restaurants down town.
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Reviewed by
10
/10
Neighborhood Rating
N/A
The neighborhood is great because of all the stuff nearby -- coffee shops, restaurants, CVS, etc. There is an alleyway right next to us for a restaurant. It's clean and usually safe, and no one lingers there, but just something to know. I felt fine walking home at night by myself.
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Reviewed by
10
/10
Neighborhood Rating
Washington Manor
Great area to go out in as a graduate student. There are plenty of eateries nearby and buses that go to North campus. The bus stop is approximately 10 minutes walk away and then it's about another 10 minutes to North Campus depending on traffic.
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Reviewed by
10
/10
Neighborhood Rating
YOUnion Ann Arbor
411 Lofts is in a great location! It’s very close to the University of Michigan central campus, local restaurants, and shops. It really couldn’t get much better in terms of location!
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Reviewed by
8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
YOUnion Ann Arbor
<10min to all the downtown bars/main street

1 min to skeeps

<10min walk to Ross and University Street.

15 min from the football stadium/bus
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Reviewed by
10
/10
Neighborhood Rating
Tower Plaza Condominium
Everything is close, including convenience stores, restaurants, skeeps, bars, and everything for social lives. The only thing is that gyms are not close, though.
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10
/10
Neighborhood Rating
Tower Plaza Condominium
Tower Plaza is a less than 10 min walk from pretty much anywhere you want to go in central Ann Arbor, including campus, bars, restaurants, coffee shops etc
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Reviewed by
9
/10
Neighborhood Rating
Tower Plaza Condominium
As you walk outside you are right where everything is happening in the city of Ann Arbor with many restaurant options and close to campus!
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Reviewed by
10
/10
Neighborhood Rating
Tower Plaza Condominium
The nightlife is excellent & I am very close to the law school!

However, there is a sizeable homeless population at the intersection of Liberty & Division which will ask you for money everytime you walk passed it.
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Reviewed by
9
/10
Neighborhood Rating
432 S. Division St.
Downtown is great because there are lots of great restaurants around. It's very convenient when I'm in a rush.
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9
/10
Neighborhood Rating
The Varsity
Great location, very close to the University of Michigan central campus as well as shops and restaurants.
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Reviewed by
8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
YOUnion Ann Arbor
In the heart of downtown Ann Arbor, steps away from the bars restaurants and shops
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Reviewed by
9
/10
Neighborhood Rating
Ann Arbor City Club
Lovely neighborhood, feels safe, and lots of Ann Arbor residents as neighbors.
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Reviewed by
9
/10
Neighborhood Rating
436 S 4th Ave
I love living in the Old West Side. It's very neighborhood-y, lots of families with kids and some beautiful homes. Walking through the neighborhood in the fall is gorgeous as the leaves turn. There are almost no undergrads but a few graduate students sprinkled around.
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Reviewed by
8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
557 S Ashley St
It is less than 10min walk from Ross campus and less than 5min walk from everything else. Walking distance to the central bus station (Blake Bus Interchange) and downtown area. You can take a bus from the bus stop outside the lobby to go to Meijer or Target.
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Reviewed by
10
/10
Neighborhood Rating
Tower Plaza Condominium
Even though Germantown is very close to downtown and less than a five minute walk to restaurants and bars, the single family lots are quite large and have backyards. It is also only a one mile walk to the medical school which is good.
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Reviewed by
8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
450 S 5th Ave
I'm literally a 2 minute walk from almost every bar and restaurant in downtown Ann Arbor. It can get a little bit noisy at times if there is construction or heavy traffic outside.
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Reviewed by
7
/10
Neighborhood Rating
The Varsity
Extremely centrally located, near town and the bus to Detroit/the Detroit International Airport. Beautiful and quiet streets, except for a couple of undergrad houses.
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Reviewed by
10
/10
Neighborhood Rating
318 E Jefferson St
Close to everything and not too far of a walk from the medical school. Parking can be tricky, but isn't impossible.
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Reviewed by
9
/10
Neighborhood Rating
The Varsity
Restaurants and bars are close by. But it never feels like the party spills over into the neighborhood.
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Reviewed by
9
/10
Neighborhood Rating
335 S Division St
lots of restaurants, coffee shops, shopping and bars - close walk to campus and to the Big House
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Reviewed by
8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
212 S 4th Ave
Central location: 5-10min walk to Main St, Liberty St, Ross
Lots of food options nearby
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Reviewed by
8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
536 S 4th Ave
Walkable to just about everything downtown. Can also easily walk over to quiet west end.
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Reviewed by
7
/10
Neighborhood Rating
404 S 5th Ave
Super convenient and safe! Few restaurants and a convenience store <1 min walk.
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Reviewed by
9
/10
Neighborhood Rating
The Varsity
Center of campus; no longer than a 10 minute walk to anywhere you'd want to go
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Reviewed by
8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
322 S State St
Right next to Blake Transit and residential housing and downtown
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10
/10
Neighborhood Rating
442 S 4th Ave
Germantown isn't much of a neighborhood. But it is unbelievably convenient to campus. And also close to downtown. Basically it's not cute or quaint like Old West Side or Burns Park, but it is very central and basically a 10-15 minute walk from anywhere.
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Reviewed by
8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
323 Packard St
Amazing location in downtown Ann Arbor.
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Reviewed by
9
/10
Neighborhood Rating
Ann Arbor City Club
Lots of fun things to do (restaurants, bars, ice cream, parks), but it's also very crowded during the school year and has a fairly large homeless population.
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Reviewed by
10
/10
Neighborhood Rating
402 S 5th Ave
Very close to bars and restaurants. Can get noisy and you get less bang for your buck with apartments.
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Reviewed by
8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
315 S. Division
LOVE my neighborhood- close to everything I want!
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Reviewed by
10
/10
Neighborhood Rating
N/A
I like being in downtown. Close to a lot, but still driving distance to grocery stores.
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Reviewed by
8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
335 S Division
Filled with restaurants, bars, shops and convenient stores - great neighborhood.
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Reviewed by
10
/10
Neighborhood Rating
Tower Plaza Condominium
Lots of restaurants and bars! Also, pretty close to Skeeps and Necto!
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Reviewed by
8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
The Varsity
10 minute walk to Ross with restaurants, bars, and downtown nearby.
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Reviewed by
8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
City Place
Awesome restaurants and bars, 10 minute walk from campus
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Reviewed by
9
/10
Neighborhood Rating
350 Thompson St
Close to everything!
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Reviewed by
10
/10
Neighborhood Rating
Tower Plaza Condominium
Next to nothing near everything.
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Reviewed by
8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
324 E. Jefferson
Close to stuff, but loud
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Reviewed by
7
/10
Neighborhood Rating
414 S 4th Ave
Great!
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Reviewed by
8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
N/A
bars and restaurants within a block away!
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10
/10
Neighborhood Rating
Varsity
Close to everything
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Reviewed by
10
/10
Neighborhood Rating
322 S State Street


Getting to Know
Downtown

Neighborhood Boundaries
East to West Boundaries: S Slater St to S 1st St
North to South Boundaries: Huron St to E Madison St
dining
Mani Osteria & Bar
Pizza House
The Espresso Bar
Which Wich
grocery
CVS Pharmacy
fitness
Dance Revolution
The Barre Code
YMCA
parks
The Yoga Republic
coffee
Aventura
Mani Osteria & Bar
Which Wich
bus
28/5/6 (bus)
3/30 (bus)
parking
REPUBLIC Library Lane Garage
REPUBLIC South Ashley Parking Lot

Best Apartments
in Downtown

499 E Ann St
2 Beds $1,900

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Munger Graduate Residences
6 Beds $5,562
7 Beds $6,132
442 S 4th Ave

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Liberty Lofts Condos

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402 S 5th Ave

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207 W Mosley St

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Nearby Neighborhoods

Neighborhood Guide
West of State
Residential Area and Removed from the College Scene
Neighborhood Guide
Old Fourth Ward
Farmers' Markets and Walk-Able Streets
Neighborhood Guide
Yost
Residential Area with Plenty of Reasons to Get Outdoors
Neighborhood Guide
Bryant Pattengill East
Mainly Residential and Farther from Campus
Neighborhood Guide
South University
Couldn't be Closer to Campus
Neighborhood Guide
North Campus
Close to Kerrytown and University Hospital
Neighborhood Guide
Central Campus
Enjoy Campus While Being Close to Downtown
Neighborhood Guide
SoHill
Social Area and Close to Campus