Exploring Perry, Michigan: For the Small Town Tourist

Are you a small town explorer? Are you someone that sees a random freeway exit and decides to dive for it just to see how lost you can get? If so, here is a town that may not get you as lost as you like but has a few interesting things to offer.

Perry, Michigan (48872) is a small town located approximately two centimeters(or less) from exit 105 on I-69. You can see just about all of it from the overpass if you have good eyesight and don't count the houses off the main road. Coming down off the overpass, southbound M-52, you will find yourself immediately stopping at the corner of M-52 and old Lansing Road. This is where the fun begins, off to the west lies the beloved truck stop, the Glitzy Ritz.

This Sparkling perveyor of trucker toys, petrol, and other gas stationesque finery also includes, a Subway and a diner called Ruth Annes. Directly accross the street to the south is a thriving splotch mall. Why call it a splotch mall? Mainly because it is an entire block of parking lot containing a 7-eleven, Gas station, Mc Donalds, Hungry Howies, The Mosaic Cafe, two separate car washes and a semi that for some reason is always parked there but seems to change make and model at a moments notice.

Were you to turn west onto lansing road you could also find a Dollar General roughly a mile down within sight of the local doctors office and a Ford dealer about two miles after. However, personally I wouldn't go that way first without seeing the rest of this noble little town. Directly east of the intersection is the local Burger King. Across the street to the south is yet another gas station, this one housing a Dunkin Donuts. It used to have a Taco Bell incubating within it's walls but that little cherub of fine dining fledged to be a full grown Taco Bell that moved right down the road to the east. Across the street from the new Taco Bell, is the local "toy store". This is not a Toys R Us. The retailers name is "The Lions Den".

Moving on east down old Lansing Road you pass The Lions Den and the Taco Bell and find yourself at the Family Dollar, which is yet another dollar store for the financially impared. Further on from here you will find a couple repair shops and various other businesses that stretch out of town but for the most part it's all grass and fields. You don't wanna go that way first anyway though, do you?

Perry itself lies directly south down M-52, this nice little town straddles the road for about a mile or two and has a great deal to offer. There is the sports club on the west side of the road just past the corner, the inside of which is very clean and well kept. The food is excellent and the waitstaff is very courteous. Make sure you leave a tip they deserve it. Continuing down you will find the Mosaic gift shop and the local Rite Aid to the west and the Perry Masons to the east. Beyond that we have a very nice Paragon realtor who will help you find that perfect house (and there are alot recently it seems.) Then the VFW hall, can't miss it, look for the cannon. There is the local IGA and an actual stone monument manufacturer across the street from them. So if your looking for that perfect monument now you know where to find one.

Across the tracks is the old business district featuring the hardware store, post office, local emergency and fire dept, a pizzaria, Charlies bar and grill, the National City bank another gas station for the freeway shy residents. There is also the town library, a dune buggy store, an H&R Block, the craft peddlar and a candle store with beautiful metal glass and wax designs. They have scented candles galore in an unimaginable array of scents and colors. Further down is the church and funeral home followed lastly by the local wrecker service and an ice cream parlor shaped like a giant cone.