If you have never fed a giraffe, then this is your opportunity: there is a special raised-platform feeding station at the Binder Park Zoo, and most visitors find it irresistible. Ride a carousel where wild animals replace the usual horses, take an African safari and check out the swamp creatures. Just be sure to bring bug repellant with you. While you are in the area, check out the Binder Park Golf Course. Its 27 holes are a delight to any golfer, but the surroundings will please anyone: appearances by turkeys, egrets, hawks and even the occasional fox make this as much a nature adventure as it is a round of golf. Tune up your game on the driving range, the three practice holes and the putting greens and sand bunkers before starting play. This is considered one of the best public golf courses in the country.

Perhaps after all this outdoor activity you are ready for an indoor attraction. If so, head over to the Firekeeper’s Casino, where you can play all day … and all night, if you are so inclined. The casino offers the usual fare: slot machines, bingo and table games from blackjack to Ultimate Texas Hold’Em. There are several restaurants, including a popular buffet, as well as nightly entertainment by musicians, band and comedians. You knew you would get around to those breakfast cereals eventually, so don't miss the the Dr. John Harvey Kellogg Discovery Center. Kellogg, who ran a sanitarium and advocated holistic healing and vegetarianism, invented corn flakes as an alternative to the traditional meat-based breakfast, as well as creating an early recipe for peanut butter. You will see (and can try out) exercise equipment from the sanitarium along with learning about various treatments used by Dr. Kellogg.

While you are still in learning mode, stop by the Kingman Museum, a small but comprehensive natural-history museum and planetarium in a beautiful arboretum setting. There is a scavenger hunt for your kids to do, and the “living-room laboratory” will teach them about experiments they can perform once you get home. Planetarium shows are included with the cost of admission. Note that during the school year the museum is only open to the public on weekends. Take your kids to Full Blast waterpark, but be sure to inquire if both areas (indoor and outdoor) are open before you pay for admission. There are lots of water slides in both areas and, outside, a great view of trains going in and out of the adjacent Amtrak station. There is a fitness center attached with cardio equipment, free weights, circuit weight training equipment, an indoor track and basketball and volleyball courts.

Offering the perfect blend of downtown vibe and natural scenery, the city is an exciting place to explore. Book today at one of the Battle Creek hotels below for the best in cozy and convenient overnight accommodations.