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Big House Tours

Want to experience the thrill of running onto the field of Michigan Stadium? Now you can, because we have the keys to the Big House.

Each Big House Tour takes you behind the scenes of the largest stadium in the Western Hemisphere. During your tour, you will get a chance to explore the Michigan locker room, visit the Jack Roth Stadium Club, and run (or walk) down the tunnel onto the field, where you can catch a pass in the end zone, kick a field goal, and take your picture on the 50-yard line.

Additionally, gain insight into the history of Michigan Stadium with a presentation by Dr. Robert Soderstrom, author of “The Big House, Fielding H. Yost and the Building of Michigan Stadium.”

2024 Tour Dates

All of our 2023 Big House Tours have taken place. Check back next summer for tour dates for the 2024 season.

Interested in a tour of Michigan Stadium on a weekday? Please contact Michigan Athletics for more information.

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Touring a home is an exciting part of the home buying journey. It’s an opportunity to see what the home offers, discover what you’d like in a second home, involve your whole family, and get all the answers you need.

As the leader in second home co-ownership, Pacaso makes it easy and enjoyable for you to tour one of our homes and get all the confidence you need to move forward. You can choose to take a 3D tour on your own or schedule a guided tour with a Pacaso crew member who can answer any question you may have. Get a true-to-life view of your dream home and imagine yourself there.

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Competitive financing is available for up to 70% of your purchase; homes come professionally designed and fully furnished. We'll walk you through each step of the process and schedule your first stays.

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We take care of furnishings, repairs, utilities and property management – you just show up and relax. Scheduling is easy and equitable with our app and SmartStay™ technology.

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Mansion Global's virtual home tours allow for the viewing of our luxury houses from anywhere.

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Welcome to Our House

Michigan Stadium, affectionately known as "The Big House" by University of Michigan students, alumni, and fans across the world, is one of the largest and most iconic athletic venues. It is the largest stadium in the United States and the third largest stadium in the world. The stadium exemplifies the Wolverine enthusiasm that surrounds the iconic phrases coined by Bo Shembechler in his legendary locker room speeches, “The team, The team, The team” and "Those who stay will be champions." 

Ready for the fall football season?  

• Get your U-M Football Tickets here
• Plan your FootballRide Shuttle route
• Purchase FootballRide Tickets in different mobile ticketing apps, such as Uber, EZFare, Moovit, and Transit.
• Tips from a U-M Super Fan: Your Game Day Guide to the Big House
• Game Day Q & A: Insider Tips from a U-M Super Fan
• Michigan Football Tailgating 101
• Beyond Game Day: Your U-M Football Weekend Itinerary

Just How Big is "The Big House?" 

The Big House boasts a seating capacity of 107,601, but it has hosted crowds in excess of 115,000. The Big House’s largest attendance record was 115,109, set on Sept. 7, 2013 in Michigan’s 41-30 night-game victory over Notre Dame.

Keith Jackson, the retired, legendary broadcaster for ABC Sports, is credited with popularizing the term “Big House." 

What can I bring into the U-M Stadium?

It is important to know what items you can and cannot bring inside of Michigan Stadium. Fans are encouraged to bring ONLY  necessary  items to football games at Michigan Stadium. All subjects and items are subject to search. Learn more about what is allowed inside of U-M Stadium  

Is the Stadium Used for Things Other Than Football? 

The stadium isn’t just home to the U-M football team – the International Champions Cup (ICC) soccer tournament has come to town four times, including the 2014 match between Real Madrid and Manchester United that set an American attendance record with over 109,318 people!

Michigan Stadium has even broken records for ice hockey attendance. The stadium hosted the NHL's 2014 Winter Classic , where a crowd of 105,491 saw the host Detroit Red Wings fall to the Toronto Maple Leafs in a shootout.

Michigan Stadium is also home to U-M’s spring commencement, special events, and movie nights throughout the summer. There’s even yoga in the Big House each year, which is an incredible experience, and uniquely Michigan. You can even rent Michigan Stadium for your wedding!

Can I Tour the Big House?

If you want to check it out for yourself, you’re in luck! The Big House has tours available , for an insider's view of the field, the locker room the press box and more. Make sure you schedule in advance so you don’t miss out on your chance to kick a field goal. Go Blue! 

How Do I Get to Michigan Stadium?

Michigan Stadium  1201 S. Main St. Ann Arbor, MI 48104-3722

From Detroit Metro Airport and points east:  Take I-94 west to Ann Arbor-Saline Road (exit 175). Turn right and follow Ann Arbor-Saline Road as it turns into Main Street, going north for approximately 1 1/2 miles. Michigan Stadium is on the northeast corner of Main Street and Stadium Boulevard.

From Chicago and points west:  Take I-94 east to Ann Arbor-Saline Road (exit 175). Turn left and follow Ann Arbor-Saline Road as it turns into Main Street, going north for approximately 1 1/2 miles. Michigan Stadium is on the northeast corner of Main Street and Stadium Boulevard.

From Toledo and points south:  Take U.S. 23 north to I-94 west. Follow directions from Detroit Metro Airport.

From Flint and points north:  Take U.S. 23 south to I-94 west. Follow directions from Detroit Metro Airport.

It's great to be a Michigan Wolverine! 

You will never experience anything like game day inside of The Big House. Prepare to have you mind blown.   Find out more about Michigan Stadium

• 315 W. Huron St. Suite 340,
• Ann Arbor, MI 48103

Phone: 734-995-7281   Toll Free: 800-888-9487

Email:  [email protected]

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Touring University of Michigan’s Big House

As the daughter of a high school football coach, football is just in my DNA. I was always a fun date in high school and college when it came to Super Bowl parties or other big game events. I was the girl that watched the game, yelled in outrage at the refs, and contemplated if the next play would be a pass or a running play. This was all while the other ladies stayed in the kitchen doing other things.

So anytime that the opportunity is presented to me to go behind the scenes of something football related, I jump on that opportunity.

That’s where Michigan Stadium, in Ann Arbor comes in. Most often referred to as The Big House, this behemoth of a stadium is currently the largest college football stadium in the country.

How many seats does The Big House have?

The Big House has a seating capacity of 107,601. That’s a lot of your closest friends sitting together and watching the University of Michigan take on whomever they are playing that week.

What you need to know about the Michigan Stadium Tour:

The tour is between 60 and 90 minutes long, depending on the size of your group and the number of questions those in your group may have.

How much is the tour of The Big House?

The tour costs $20 per person (or a minimum of $100 total), so grab 5 of your friends and check out the stadium.

To schedule a tour, contact the Special Events Office at (734) 764-4599 or [email protected].

Ok, enough of the details, let’s talk about my experience touring the iconic stadium.

The Michigan Stadium Tour Experience.

First, I need to note that the tour I was on was part of a media tour so our time was limited, as we were on a tight schedule.

We started by pulling right up to the stadium and driving through the area where you normally walk, and wait in line for what seems like forever to grab a pretzel or a snack. When (not if) you go on this tour, this will also be your experience as well. This may seem insignificant to you but, to me, I was struck by how still the normally packed stadium really was.

From this point, we took an elevator up to the club/press box level. The nickname “The Big House” originated when announcer Keith Jackson was opening a game and said “Welcome to The Big House” and the name stuck from that point on. I tell you this now, because when we stepped off the elevator, we were greeted by photos of the iconic announcers in Michigan history and Bill, our extremely knowledgeable tour guide shared this nugget with us.

The next stop on the tour included a peek into the press boxes and the spaces where network TV does their show. It is quite awe inspiring to take a moment and think about the folks that have sat in these seats and watched nail biter games. Plus, these seats offer some pretty fantastic views.

Next we got to look at the door that holds the secrets to the plays that get reviewed. Our tour guide shared with us that they don’t share the same angles with those watching TV as the group of officials who are reviewing the calls. Bill told us that there are about 10 retired refs that are on hand just for these important review moments.

From there, we were shown an example of the luxury suites that are available for lease. Ranging from $60,000 to $90,000 these suites aren’t exactly going to be covered by your couch cushion change, unless of course, your couch cushions hold that sort of cash, in which case…let me know and I’ll help you scrape it up.

The yearly fee does not include food, so you’ll want to make sure that you budget for that. A point of interest, The Big House is a dry stadium, meaning they do not sell alcohol, including serving it in the suites.

Next, we got back into the vehicles and drove around to the rear of the stadium, to the section closest to the Crisler Center (the University’s basketball arena). It is a rather unassuming area, but behind two plain doors, was the game day locker room, and we got to go in!

I loved this part of the tour so very much. As we were in the locker room taking in the space, I thought a lot about the various players that had stood in the very spot that I was in. Desmond Howard, Tom Brady, Charles Woodson come to mind. I could imagine the fiery halftime speeches that were given along with the tears that fell after a hard fought game, players unable to bring themselves to change back into their street clothes and rejoin the general public.

Just as the players who were suiting up to take the field would, we left the locker room doors and turned to head down the tunnel and on to the field. Again, another surreal moment. Not to mention the tunnel was long and very sloped. Which I found out was due to the fact that the playing field actually sits about four stories below street level. So those seats that seem like they are so very high about the field, they are actually right about street level.

The walk onto the field was so very cool as well. I know I keep saying that about every part of the tour, but it really was. The field was very awe inspiring, especially imagining what it must be like to look up into the stands as a player and hear the roar of the crowd.

They shared with us some other very interesting tidbits about the field, but I will save them for you to discover on your tour.

If you are ever in Ann Arbor, I can’t recommend a tour of The Big House enough. It just might turn you into a Wolverine fan, or at the very least, restore your love of college football. Make sure you keep your eyes open, you may just see Sasha Obama in the University of Michigan student section.

For more information you can visit their website, here.

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The 12 Best Clever Home Tours of 2022

By Zoë Sessums

All products featured on Architectural Digest are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

At the end of each year, when I take the time to look back on all the homes we’ve featured on Clever, it never ceases to amaze me (and impress me! and inspire extreme jealously in me!) what people can do with their homes. There are renters who have figured out how to turn less than 600 square feet into a breezy oasis. There are minimalists who will make you want to give away all your clutter. There are homeowners who truly know how to pick a perfect paint color . From Australia to France, Rome to Rotterdam, the incredible spaces keep on coming. 

We dug into our archive of home tours and found 2022’s fan favorites. From a sleek duplex in Long Island City to a handful of gems in Brooklyn and LA, these homes highlight the best of design and space. Get inspired by 12 of the best Clever home tours from 2022.

This 592-Square-Foot Sydney Home Shows Off Compact Functionality

Yasmine Ghoniem (right), founder of design studio YSG, and her husband, Tom Swanson.

“At its core, my outlook is nourished by the layers of my culture and travels,” says Yasmine Ghoniem, founder and principal of YSG Studio . Yasmine, who has an Australian mother and an Egyptian father, grew up between Kuwait and Saudi Arabia—with a few years in-between in Australia—and almost a decade in America for postgraduate studies and work. “Like all YSG spaces, everything in my home is interconnected and there is no hierarchy.”

After renting a place in another Sydney suburb for some time, Yasmine and her husband, Tom Swanson, were ready to take the big leap toward home ownership. “Several months of online searching [brought us to] this golden find,” Yasmine says. Situated on a building’s upper level in the city’s iconic oceanside neighborhood of Bondi, the compact 592-square-foot apartment immediately seduced Tom—who is “a mad surfer,” according to Yasmine—with its beachside location. It didn’t take much more to convince the interior designer, who loved the sensible layout. “It shares no common walls and has no internal corridor, meaning absolutely no space is wasted,” she says. “Tall ceilings were the added kicker. Original timber-framed windows were also a requirement.” — Karine Monié

This Long Island City Duplex Is Its Own Hidden Gem of Beautiful Objects

A Charlotte Perriand coffee table for Cassina is surrounded by Olivier Mourgue’s Djinn ottomans upholstered in a wool bouclé. A Ron Rezek green table lamp sits beside the sectional, and a Sergio Mazza’s Alfa lamp is on the coffee table.

Alan Eckstein has mastered the art of the search. As the founder of Somerset House, a Brooklyn furniture store that’s cultivated from his collection, Alan has the type of knowledge for chairs, consoles, and tables that any professor would have for a subject.

Alan and his wife, fashion stylist Haley Loewenthal , lived in a one-bedroom apartment when the pandemic hit. And though it felt like home, it was missing one detail that suddenly took on a profound amount of importance. “We didn’t have any outdoor space,” he says. “We also wanted to start a family, and there wasn’t room for an extra person to join us there. We knew that in order to grow, or to even have somewhere to exhale, we needed to move.” So, Alan began to do what he does best: search.

The 2,500-square-foot duplex in New York’s Long Island City had two bedrooms and two floors, providing more than enough space for the couple to spread out. It was almost as if Craigslist, a long-beloved treasure chest for Alan, had come through for him again. “I think it was available because of the pandemic,” he notes. “My wife and I were looking for an interesting open space with character. This apartment has that, and the best part about it is that it also has a private roof deck.” — Kelly Dawson

This 800-Square-Foot Brooklyn Apartment Is Full of Smart Storage Solutions

Noah Venezia (left) and Megan Hershman in their Brooklyn apartment.

When Megan Hershman, a design director at Common Living, and her husband—Noah Venezia, a graphic designer and adjunct professor at Pratt Institute—stumbled upon the top floor of this two-story town house in Carroll Gardens , it was the abundance of natural light that instantly hooked them. “The unit is north and south-facing, and gets direct sun for most of the day,” Megan says. “We immediately knew it was right for us.” In addition to good lighting, the couple appreciated the old-world charms of the building, like the tin ceilings, cast-iron built-in kitchen sink, and original hardwood floors. “We also loved the old-school charm of the pink bathroom, which felt so playful and one-of-a-kind,” Megan adds. — Monica Mendal

This 594-Square-Foot Apartment in Silver Lake Is a Modernist Jewel

Fanny Singer in her Los Angeles apartment.

By Audrey Lee

By Leonie Rolinck

By Jasmine Lynn Seales

Not much more than 600 square feet, Fanny Singer ’s Rudolph Schindler apartment is housed in a 16-unit complex from the 1920s that has a semi-commune feeling with its interconnected living spaces and garden walkways. As each apartment was given its own identity, Fanny has loved figuring out how to live in this vision. “There is a vast array of different apartments in the building,” she says. “The one across the way is a double-height apartment with an incredible wall of windows. Mine is oriented toward the Hollywood sign—a perfect painting studio.”

The writer and cofounder of design brand Permanent Collection thinks that even though Schindler was an iconic LA architect, the space doesn’t have a particularly local feeling. “The shapes are very Russian Constructivism.” This idea rings true in the wood features, the fireplace, and the shape of the ceiling. “Schindler was very specific with his work. He designed with an idea of exactly how people should live,” Fanny says. “I haven’t become one of those people who are totally obsessed with Schindler, but he becomes part of your psyche.” — Zoë Sessums

Taking Rustic Vibes to New Heights in This Stunning California A-Frame

Bringing things right back up to date, a large floor rug from Cold Picnic injects a sense of modernism to the space. Vintage pieces, including a 1960s dome floor lamp, glass coffee table, and chairs by Marcel Breuer , are judiciously situated, layering the spaces and echoing the home’s midcentury history.

A serene rural setting where you’re surrounded by towering trees, rugged mountains, and shimmering lakes is the perfect antidote to the hustle and bustle of city life. So naturally, when SoCal dwellers Gloria Noto , founder of organic cosmetics line Noto Botanics , and her partner, designer Ash Owens , first set eyes on the arresting 1,900-square-foot rustic hideaway that they now own, they knew it would reshape their lives. And not just in its triangular A-frame form, but by providing both a personal refuge and workspace.

Located in the remote wilderness of Crestline, California, with its cozy cabins and quaint cottages, their 1964-built midcentury marvel is the first home the creative couple have bought together. “I was in LA and Ash was commuting between there and New York, so we really wanted to find a home for all of us,” Gloria says. She shares a dog, Mio, and cats, Holly and Benny, with Ash. “I still keep a loft in the Arts District so we can go back and forth, but it’s nice having the option to step away from the city now, and to submerge ourselves into this sanctuary we’ve created.” — Kate Lawson

Patrick Janelle Transforms a Rundown Rental Into a Chic New York City Loft

When Patrick signed his lease, he thought the fireplace was functional. As it turns out, he can’t use it, but it still adds character to the place.

Patrick Janelle always dreamed of living in a downtown Manhattan loft . The lifestyle influencer, who also runs the talent agency Untitled Secret , fantasized about an airy and industrial home as he spent the past decade climbing the rungs of the New York City housing ladder. So when he grew out of his most recent abode, a compact yet curated SoHo apartment, he knew it was time to actualize his goal.

“I’m very romantic in my ideals about how I envision things for myself and my life in New York,” Patrick shares. “I’ve always made a point that I wanted to be in Manhattan—as cool as I think Brooklyn is—and I never have had this quintessential loft moment.”

Since Patrick couldn’t afford to buy the type of spacious loft he’d been lusting after, he focused his hunt on rentals that would allow him to renovate. After a handful of viewings, he found exactly what he was looking for: a generous three-bedroom in an early 20th-century factory building with a very lenient landlord. He adored the prime Flatiron location too. — Morgan Goldberg

A Charming 200-Square-Foot Apartment on Paris’s Left Bank

The beautiful 19th-century floor tiles and the fireplace were original to the building. Throughout the loft, discreetly integrated storage is present, sometimes highlighted with bronzed brass details.

You might assume that a 200-square-foot apartment would be the home of a student on a budget or maybe a short-term rental for travelers. This apartment, however, belongs to a successful businesswoman who lives outside of Paris and was in need of a small pied-à-terre in the capital. 

Pauline Lorenzi-Boisrond was commissioned to renovate the studio on the rue du Cherche-Midi. “She comes to Paris regularly for work, but she had grown tired of impersonal hotel rooms where she can’t leave her things from one visit to the next,” Pauline, the interior designer and founder of Studio Ett Hem , explains. “She wanted her own little suite in the Saint-Germain-des-Prés area.” Ett hem means “house” in Swedish. It is indeed a fitting name for a designer tasked with overcoming the limitations of the space to bring out its homey charms. — Nicolas Milon

This 400-Square-Foot New York Apartment Is Maximized With Custom Millwork

Eight-foot-long drawers offer storage beneath the bed.

Like most people with internet access, Corey Kingston is obsessed with scrolling through the real estate listings on Zillow . The New York–based architect could argue that this hobby doubles as valuable market research for Le Whit , the design studio she founded with Liza Curtiss, but its most fruitful reward was the discovery of a Lower East Side apartment she could actually afford.

The 400-square-foot residence popped up on Corey’s screen during a heat wave, so she quickly put in an offer while the city was a ghost town. It was accepted thanks to the lack of competition and her instant connection with the seller, who was giving up the place to enroll in a Philadelphia architecture school. They bonded over an appreciation for the early-20th-century building’s history as a tenement and then a squatter property. — Morgan Goldberg

This Enchanting Los Angeles Apartment Was the Longtime Home of Mae West

A visual centerpiece of the apartment is Kimberly’s “wall of kooks.” It includes portraits she’s picked up through the years. Here, the small black table next to the leather chair was owned by Mary Pickford, the red pen on the coffee table was owned by Zsa Zsa Gabor, and the perfume on the table was owned by Mae West.

Designer Kimberly Biehl ’s fascination with old Hollywood began as a child. That was around the same time that her quest to discover and bring new life to old pieces also began. She started shopping at estate sales, garage sales, and flea markets in her teens. “As soon as I could drive, that’s where I was,” she says.

It’s no wonder then that Kimberly’s own home is filled with old Hollywood relics and classic furniture pieces she’s breathed new life into. What is a wonder, though, is that it’s happening in a piece of old Hollywood itself. Kimberly lives in the former apartment of Mae West, in the historic Ravenswood apartment building. — Lauren Harkawik

Art Imitates Life in This Bauhaus-Inspired Brooklyn Apartment

Vicente (left) and Audrey pose in their living room.

Raised by two aesthetes in an historic 1899 house in Hartford, Connecticut, Audrey Rose Smith had an art-filled childhood. Her father was a preservation architect, and her mother ran an art gallery, so their home was constantly host to artists and their work. It’s only logical that Audrey later became a gallerist herself.

It also makes sense that she swiftly fell in love with a fellow creative. Only eight months after meeting Ecuadorian photographer and designer Vicente Muñoz , the pair jointly purchased their prewar Clinton Hill apartment in Brooklyn. They married soon after, partnering in matrimony as well as real estate without looking back.

Eight years later, the couple has cultivated a tight-knit and like-minded community in the neighborhood. Turn-of-the-century buildings by architects like William Tubby, Montrose Morris, and Ebenezer L. Roberts pepper the streets where they frequently run into friends and colleagues. “It feels like an art world sitcom,” Audrey quips. “The farmers market is really exciting.” — Morgan Goldberg

Jewel Tones Heighten This 700-Square-Foot Rome Apartment

Counter stools offer a space for guests to accompany the chef in the kitchen. Wood elements further reflect the forest-inspired colored choice for the cabinetry.

“I think of a house as a complicated machine in which something new breaks down every day: a lamp, a faucet, a lock, an electric socket, the boiler, the refrigerator …. But when we can forget about the responsibility of continuous maintenance, we feel happy. Then the other side of the coin, opposed to the responsibilities of ownership, is sheer gratitude.”

That was the thinking of Álvaro Siza, the great Portuguese architect who, at the age of 89, continues to inspire a younger generation. In their space, design duo Eugenia Rolando and Federico Patacchiola of Paros Architettura —a couple in life as well as at work—start from these very words to create subtly inventive places.

A prime example of their work is Casa Costantino, a small but elegant Rome apartment. The building, a 1960s structure in the Ostiense district , is a stone’s throw from the famous Garbatella area. The 700-square-foot apartment is all modern, and thanks to Paros Architettura, it’s been transformed from an old family home full of memories into a light-flooded environment with a contemporary feel. — Ludovica Stevan

A Rotterdam Apartment Is Filled With One Artistic Couple’s Many Vintage Finds

Jeroen (left), Stéphane, and their dog, Henry.

Stéphane Monnet and Jeroen Dijkstra either have good luck, good timing, or simply the good sense to know when something just feels right. When they were apartment hunting in Rotterdam, the Netherlands , Stéphane was seeking out distinctly European surroundings—since he was moving from Toronto—and they found them in a one-bedroom property, downtown. “With all of its flourishes, huge windows, and open spaces, it was a perfect fit,” Stéphane says. “It was already snatched up, but that deal fell through at the last minute.”

Set inside a building from the 1880s, facing a busy street on one end and a verdant courtyard on the other, their home had been recently restored to reflect what existed way back when. Intricate crown molding sprawled across ceilings while wainscoting lined the lower half of the walls, and that artistry was painted in shades of green to contrast the white in between. Windows stretched over their contrasting outdoor views, and plenty of light streamed in. The couple also had a private balcony to share, in case they ever wanted a closer look at the birds, whose pleasant song woke them in the morning. — Kelly Dawson

Busch Mansion Estate Tour at Grant’s Farm

There’s no doubt that Grant’s Farm is one of St. Louis’ favorite family attractions . For a mere $12 a carload, you can experience a deer park safari, pet a few goats, feed a sheep, watch animal shows and hang out with the world famous Budweiser Clydesdales. And since the whole shebang is hosted by Anheuser-Busch, you can also count on a few free samples of the brewery’s latest refreshments when you visit.

(FYI: I received a complimentary Estate Tour at Grant’s Farm. My opinions are my own, because you know I was just dying to visit here!)

Actually…Grant had nothing to do with beer. It’s just a coincidence that General Grant once owned the land that August A. Busch Sr. would purchase for his country getaway in 1903. He kept the “Grant’s Farm” nickname and made the property into a rustic retreat with an old world deer preserve and, just for kicks, cattle and a couple of elephants.  With a nod to his German roots, August A. built the Bauernhof, styled after old German farmsteads. It had space for 20 horses and 18 dairy cows. You’ve been to the Bauernhof, it’s the beer garden at Grant’s Farm where the kids eat ice cream while mom and dad have a few…samples.

But back to the story.

So, Gussie is the man we need to thank for Grant’s Farm. The only thing he loved more than horses and baseball was entertaining. And in 1954 he opened his gates to the public and millions of families have enjoyed his hospitality ever since.

Gussie and his family still lived on the farm at the time, so he held back 22 acres surrounding the family home. Just enough of a buffer to keep “The Big House” away from prying eyes. And so it remained, until long after Gussie passed away in 1989.

Gussie had many children, and he didn’t want to split up the farm that he so fondly shared with St. Louis families. It was put into a trust for his heirs and Grant’s Farm is still operated by his business, Anheuser-Busch. Just the way he wanted it.

Grant’s Farm now offers a walking tour of the Busch Estate, a.k.a. The Big House. It’s a small private tour–no more than 20 people at a time. It’s only offered in the mornings, and it’s not handicap accessible so strap on your good walking shoes.

The tour takes you up to The Big House and starts at cute little playhouse made for the Busch children. It has running water and a real fireplace. The family kept it decorated just as it was when Gussie’s children played there…with the exception of an Easy Bake Oven some modern grandkids play with when they drop by.

You’ll get to stroll around the lawn and check out the lawn ornaments–life sized bronze moose and baby elephants! There’s also several Bevo Fox statues hiding in trees–the fox was a mascot for a non-alcoholic brew Anheuser-Busch made during prohibition.

Next you’ll stop at little Swiss style chapel built in the 1960’s for Trudy Busch, Gussie’s third wife. If you’ve ever visited Grant’s Farm around noon and heard bells, it was probably from this tiny chapel.

There’s a couple neat photo ops in front of the house, and your guides are happy to help you get a photo. So please, leave the selfie stick at home. Here’s a fun bit of trivia: The front of house has no driveway or sidewalk, just a grand staircase leading to a big green lawn.

You’ll visit the pool house, added in the 1960s for entertaining. Our tour guides pointed out fun facts, like how the pool, no bigger than what any well off suburbanite might install, was quite a big deal in the 1960s. Of course, your pool never had Elvis drop by, I’m sure. We chatted about Gussie’s wild parties while our tour guide brought out ice cold Budweiser for the grown-ups and chilled water for the kids.

We also got to see a couple beech wood trees planted the Busch family, in honor their brewery’s famed beech wood aging process. The tour ends at the back door of The Big House, which looks for all the world like a grand hotel entrance. Which is fitting, since this is the only place cars can pull up to the house and drop off friends, family and invited guests.

The tour doesn’t go inside the house, so I’ll leave you with a link to a Life Magazine article from 1955. I wonder if they still have all the deer heads in there?

If you’d like to arrange your own private grounds tour, RSVP online here at Grant’s Farm . It’s $25 dollar a person, which includes a complimentary beverage and a private tram ride around the deer park. The tour is mostly over mulched paths, so it’s not exactly stroller friendly. My husband and I loved having a tour guide practically to ourselves, but the kids were eager to move on to the Bauernhof and a big bowl of Dippin’ Dots. The tour lasts 90 minutes, so it’s best for kids with a lot of patience.

Tour Information

The Big House Museum is open Thursday through Saturday from 11am – 6pm (gate closes at 5:15 PM) and Sunday from 11am – 4pm (gate closes at 5:15 PM).

The museum is located at 2321 Vineville Avenue in Macon, Georgia.

Macon native Steve Penley’s rendition of the Fillmore East Album cover is a focal point of this room as well as posters chronologically hung from all eras of the Allman Brothers Band’s history, as well as multitudes of Gold Records. This is also the room where founding guitarist Dickey Betts, although not a full-time resident here, slept on a pull-out couch quite often with his girlfriend Sandy Blue Sky. On the wall is an overview of the band’s history in concert posters, arranged chronologically from left to right.

the fillmore east room

If the walls in this room could talk, what a story they would tell. This is the room where the original ABB would jam and rehearse. One of the instrumentals from their At Fillmore East record, “Hot ‘Lanta” was conceived in this room. This room showcases instruments and memorabilia from the original band and memorabilia from before their days with the ABB. Gov’t Mule was also created and conceived in here.

the old dining room

The pool table in this room was once housed with Gregg and Cher. The display cases showcase items from the band from 1973 to present. See rare items such as Lamar Williams’ jacket that he wore while performing at a benefit for then-Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter’s presidential campaign in 1975.

the living room

Display cases show off instruments, phone books and hand written lyrics to many of the band’s work. Stand and gaze out the window where Dickey Betts wrote “Blue Sky” and you will see the church that is referenced in this iconic song.

duane allman's bedroom

See how Duane lived during his time here, including some of his personal belongings and his posthumous award for being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

brittany oakley's bedroom

The colorful wallpaper says it all. This was a cheerful place in the house as this is the area that Linda, Berry and their daughter occupied. Her room is full of toys, including her original dollhouse. Her closet includes the actual dress that she wore on the back cover of the Brothers and Sisters LP.

the "casbah" / music room

This was the getaway room that was enjoyed by all. It includes a stereo and LPs that everyone listened to. This room is also home to the infamous 7 head shower.

the roadie room

This room is sponsored by Craig Stevens’ family. The hardest working folks in the rock world are the roadies. And the ABB roadies are legendary. This room is a tribute to all of them, both past and present. Originally this was Duane Allman’s daughter Galadrielle’s nursery.

the kitchen

Proudly displayed here is an original vintage table from the famous H&H Restaurant, whose proprietor Louise Hudson became the band’s second mama: “Mama Louise”. Feel even more vibes as you stand in this, the very room that Dickey Betts wrote the Allman Brothers Band’s most commercially successful hit song, “Ramblin’ Man”, which references Vineville Avenue as Highway 41.

the walk-in closet

Formerly a walk-in closet, these walls contain promotional photos of every different Allman Brothers Band line-up from 1969-present. There are also colorful concert posters, magazine covers, and vintage photographs.

candace oakley and gregg allman room

Displays in this room include a rotating jewelry case full of rare ephemera, items from Sea Level, the one and only Twiggs Lyndon, Jaimoe, Buffalo Evans, Allen Woody, and others! Concert posters from every era grace the walls.

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Experience Chihuly at Biltmore while Biltmore blooms! Magnificent gardens brimming with nature’s masterworks… a new exhibition of Chihuly’s masterworks in Amherst at Deerpark®. Enjoy two breathtaking displays, only at Biltmore.

Exhibition-inclusive ticket options also include FREE next-day grounds access.

Spring's Glory

Biltmore in bloom, thrilling exhibition, chihuly at biltmore, stay overnight.

Biltmore Estate features three distinctive overnight properties, each promising gracious hospitality, exceptional service, the opportunity to fully explore our Blue Ridge Mountain oasis, and wake amid its stunning natural beauty.

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Summer at biltmore.

Picnics by the lagoon, leisurely strolls through gardens awash in summer’s colors, tastings at our outdoor wine bar… all this and more await your discovery at significant savings! All summer long, kids nine and younger are admitted FREE, youth tickets are just $10, and Chihuly at Biltmore tickets include FREE next-day grounds access.

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The World’s Biggest Bounce House & Much Much More!

The Big Bounce America is the largest touring inflatable event in the world! We’ve created an action-packed day out suitable for all ages and featuring some of the most unique and exciting custom-built inflatable attractions ever made. 

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“If you think this is your run-of-the-mill bouncy castle you are sadly mistaken”

“THE TAJ MAHAL OF BOUNCE HOUSES”

'World's largest bounce house': Big Bounce America 2024 tour coming to Greece park

Get ready to jump Rochester. The Big Bounce America 2024 tour , home to the World's Largest Bounce House, is on its way.

From Friday, May 31 through Sunday, June 2, you can experience the world's largest touring inflatable event with its seven massive inflatable attractions at Grace and Truth Sports Park in Greece.

Produced by XL Event Lab, the massive inflatable event is said to have gotten "a whole lot bigger, better and bouncier for 2024!"

Here are some inflatables you can expect to see:

The World's Largest Bounce House

This inflatable goliath now covers an area of over 24,000 square feet and stands 32 feet tall at its highest point. Inside it, you'll find giant slides, ball pits, climbing towers, basketball hoops, and a custom-built stage where the resident DJ will play music and games tailored to each age group. Sessions will be organized by age, ranging from tiny tots to adult-only sessions, so people of all ages are welcome to experience this massive bounce house.

Brand new for 2024, this inflatable is part bouncer and part foam party. Upon entering, this inflatable is said to be like jumping into a deep-sea world filled with colorful ocean creatures, colossal foam cannons and Live DJs spinning from a huge pufferfish stage. Get ready to jump, dance and sing around its giant Octupus's tentacles.

This customized sports arena will be filled with goals, nets, hoops and balls of every size. Compete against family and friends by racing up the climbing tower or taking them on in the ‘battle zone’ to see who can stay on their podium the longest.

If you're looking for a Ninja Warrior type of bounce house, this one is for you. The Giant is over 900 ft. long and includes 50 different obstacles to overcome as you make your way through the course to the grand finale monster slide.

Spreading across three different inflatables, the airSpace is said to be a unique, space-themed wonderland filled with friendly aliens, spaceships, moon craters and more. This immersive inflatable has a huge 5-lane slide, a 25 ft. tall alien at the center of three bottomless ball pits and a giant spaceman jumping around the moon space.

Tickets and Pricing

All-Access Tickets are available online and include a three-hour pass to the event, a timed session on The World's Largest Bounce House and unlimited access to OctoBlast, Sport Slam, The Giant and airSpace. Tickets start at $22 but are expected to sell out so advanced tickets are encouraged.

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'World's largest bounce house': Big Bounce America coming to Macomb County park

Bounce house lovers, get ready — the "world's largest bounce house" is coming back to Michigan, this time with an even bigger bounce house and new activities, according to organizers.

The Big Bounce America 2024 tour will make its metro Detroit stops later in May, coming to Steffens Park in Fraser in Macomb County.

"We need more fun in the world, and what better way to bring that into 2024 than with a 24,000 sq. ft. bounce house," said Noa Visnich, tour manager for Big Bounce America, in a news release. "The Big Bounce America is the perfect event for kids and adults alike to get out of the house and enjoy an outdoor event like they’ve never experienced."

This year, they say, the bounce house will be 24,000 square feet and 32 feet tall. Inside, there will be gigantic slides, ball pits, climbing towers and basketball hoops inside, as well as oversize figures of various colors, shapes and sizes.

The Big Bounce America is made up of attractions, including several new additions: the Guinness-certified World's Largest Bounce House; OctoBlast, a deep-sea themed bounce and foam inflatable with underwater activities and music; Sport Slam, which features a customized sports arena; a 900-foot-long obstacle course known as The Giant; and a space-themed attraction known as airSPACE.

Concerts galore: Long list of artists coming to metro Detroit venues this summer

Tickets are available online , starting at $22. All-access tickets include a three-hour event pass with a timed bounce house session and unlimited access to OctoBlast, Sport Slam, The Giant and airSPACE.

The Big Bounce America 2024 tour will visit metro Detroit May 18-19 and May 24-26. Advance tickets are encouraged as the events are expected to sell out.

The Big Bounce America tour will return to Michigan again later this summer, coming to Grand Rapids on June 28-30 and Frankenmuth on Aug. 8-10.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: 'World's largest bounce house': Big Bounce America coming to Fraser

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The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW Washington, DC 20500

The White   House Announces Public Tours and Media Preview of the White   House Gardens on Mother’s Day   Weekend

The White House will continue the tradition of welcoming members of the public to tour the White House Gardens and South Grounds. This spring the White House Gardens Tour will take place during Mother’s Day Weekend, with tours available to the public from 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM ET on Saturday, May 11 th and Sunday, May 12 th . 

2024 White House Gardens Tour The White House Gardens Tour is free and open to the public; however, a daily timed ticket is required for all attendees, including small children. The National Park Service (NPS) will distribute free, daily timed tickets at a tent stationed outside the White House Visitor Center (1450 Pennsylvania Avenue NW) each tour day (May 11 th and 12 th ) beginning at 8:30 AM ET, while supplies last. The tour entry point for all guests will be located on 15th Street, NW between E Street, NW and Constitution Avenue, NW. Advance reservations are not available. The ADA entrance will be located at 15th Street, NW and Alexander Hamilton Place, NW.

Media Preview The White House will host a media preview of the White House Gardens and South Grounds on Friday, May 10 th at 12:30 PM ET. This media preview will be open to pre-credentialed media. For interested media, please RSVP  HERE  by Thursday, May 9 th  at 3:00 PM ET. 

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Taylor Swift’s 2024 Eras Tour Setlist Features A Huge Change-Up

The singer resumed her record-breaking tour in Paris, France.

It’s me, hi, I’m the setlist, it’s me — and welcome to the Eras Tour , again . Taylor Swift resumed her record-breaking Eras Tour in Paris, France, on May 9, and it came with quite the twist. For the first time in the tour’s run, the singer significantly upheaved her setlist , rearranging the order of the show’s ten acts representing her landmark studio albums to squeeze in a new era.

As fans have suspected for months, Swift added a whole new section to the show including songs from her latest album The Tortured Poets Department , all of which are being performed live for the first time. Understandably, Swift had to cut a good number of songs, including “The Archer” and “Long Live,” to add seven Tortured Poets tracks into her show’s usual run time of three-and-a-half hours.

She’s also changed the running order of the eras significantly. While she started with the Lover era and transitioned into Fearless as usual, she then went into the Red era sooner than expected. ( Evermore usually had followed the Fearless act.) She even combined the Folklore and Evermore eras into one act. (They’ve always been called “sister albums” after all).

Swift has made the occasional change on the road, like switching out her Folklore track “invisible string” for “the 1,” adding “Long Live” to the Speak Now act, and performing “Nothing New” and “no body, no crime” at shows where duet partners Phoebe Bridgers and HAIM opened for her. But this is the first time she’s amended the setlist to this extent. Read on for Swift’s revised Eras Tour setlist.

Taylor Swift’s 2024 Eras Tour Setlist

• “Miss Americana & the Heartbreak Prince” (short)
• “Cruel Summer”
• “You Need to Calm Down”
• “You Belong With Me”
• “Love Story”
• “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together”
• “I Knew You Were Trouble”
• “All Too Well (10-Minute Version)”
• “Enchanted”
• “...Ready For It?”
• “Don’t Blame Me”
• “Look What You Made Me Do”
• “champagne problems”
• “illicit affairs” (short)
• “my tears ricochet”
• “Blank Space”
• “Shake It Off”
• “Wildest Dreams”
• “Bad Blood”
• “But Daddy I Love Him”
• “So High School” (short)
• “Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?”
• “Fortnight”
• “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived”
• “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart”
• Surprise Song #1
• Surprise Song #2
• “Lavender Haze”
• “Anti-Hero”
• “Midnight Rain”
• “Vigilante Sh*t”
• “Bejeweled”
• “Mastermind”

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The Unsettling Challenges of Selling an Inherited Home—Missing Paperwork, Overgrown Yard, and Big Delays

Homes go up for sale for a variety of reasons, but one of the most challenging is when the property owner has died—leaving family members scrambling to figure out what to do with the house.

This is how the story began for a recent listing represented by Kelly Provost , broker and owner of The Pros Real Estate Services near Worcester, MA . In June 2023, she was contacted by a home seller whose mother had died a year earlier, leaving him the home. While he had initially hoped to fix it up himself, he eventually realized the house required more work than he could handle. So he had decided to sell.

But selling an inherited home comes with distinct challenges. In this installment of “ Real Estate Confessions ,” Provost sheds light on all the things that can derail such a sale, and how to navigate these hurdles.

The challenges of selling a house as is

This two-bedroom, 1.5-bath, 912-square-foot, ranch-style home was built in 1953 in the neighborhood of Greendale , just outside Worcester . Provost knew the property was in a desirable location as the area is home to one of the city’s biggest industrial plants, Norton.

“It is considered a valuable neighborhood due to its close proximity to amenities, public transportation, and access to the highway,” says Provost.

Also, the home had a recently replaced roof, a paved driveway, and hardwood floors. The stone fireplace was updated and working.

(Kelly Provost/The Pros Real Estate Services)

Despite those great features, the house was a mess inside and it was being sold as is .

While homebuyers typically have the option to negotiate certain repairs with sellers, selling a house as is makes it clear to buyers that what they see is what they get. Any repairs they want to do will have to be on their own dime.

Such homes are typically not in great condition, but Provost was horrified upon entering the property, which was in various stages of being updated. Construction equipment and materials were strewed about, the plumbing had been turned off, and the basement had a leak that showed signs of mold.

“The basement had been finished at one time, but the water damage now there was severe and the basement needed gutting and mold remediation,” says Provost. “The smell was also pretty pungent and hard to overcome.”

The kitchen was another work in progress, with unfinished cabinets and walls. More puzzling were the two full-sized refrigerators.

“One was just in the middle of the room,” recalls Provost.

She persuaded the seller to clear out the home, which took about two months.

Once it was about 80% cleared out, Provost decided it was ready to be photographed. In the listing description, she called the property a “rough diamond in the right location.”

“When we finally got there for the photo shoot, we needed to be purposeful to show its potential, but also not be deceptive of its condition and the work needed,” says Provost. “The kitchen is a good example of the workarounds we did, trying not to focus the photos on the extra refrigerator in the middle of the room.”

Keep your lawn trimmed—or you may face a fine

While Provost was working with the seller to finalize getting the house on the market, another challenge cropped up after a neighbor complained to the city about the home’s overgrown yard.

“My client’s mother had been an avid gardener and had many wildflowers around,” says Provost. “But after a year of vacancy, the yard became overrun with high grass and weeds.”

The city warned the homeowner to clean up the yard, or else they’d send in a landscape crew to do it for him—at a cost nearly three times that of hiring a landscape company.

“Unbelievably they contacted us on a Tuesday and gave us a deadline of that weekend to complete the task,” says Provost.

“No one was available for over a week, so I hired a bunch of teenagers to help and we showed up with mowers, weed wackers, and hedge trimmers and saved the day. We even found a koi pond under all that brush.”

(Kelly Provost/ThePros Real Estate Services)

Keep financials in mind when considering offers

Once this house hit the market, Provost received multiple offers within three days. Because the home was being sold as is, it wouldn’t qualify for all types of financing. (For example, USDA loans require a home to be move-in ready.)

As such, finding the right buyer required getting the right offer—ideally all cash.

“It listed for $250,000 but sold for $241,000 cash,” says Provost. “The seller felt most comfortable accepting the cash offer with no contingencies from a buyer who was also a local Realtor®. We knew he would be able to navigate the hurdles without concern.”

It was a good thing they went with a cash buyer, because their challenges were far from over.

Two surprising things that can slow down a sale

After the offer was accepted, Provost learned that they couldn’t sell the house quite yet.

“We believed the probate was complete and the home was licensed to sell, but since a year had passed since my client had filed the paperwork to take control of the home, apparently some new requirements needed to be met,” says Provost. “The attorney handling the estate had to resubmit [paperwork].”

Then another problem reared its head in the form of solar panels installed by the deceased owner.

While solar panels can increase the value of a home, title or ownership of them must be transferred separately from the rest of the house.

“We could see there was solar, but we had no information on who the company was or anything about the purchase or lease program it was under,” says Provost.

Without that information, they could not finalize the sale of the house.

Provost had to find the name of the company on the solar junction box on the side of the house. Then the seller had to dig through items he’d cleared from the home to locate the necessary documents. Then they had to send the previous owner’s death certificate to the solar company. This delayed the closing yet again.

“Solar transfer doesn’t tend to be an easy process on any home, but this was the most complicated one the buyer and I had ever experienced,” says Provost. “It was a big mess.”

Why inherited homes take longer to sell

Once the home cleared probate, the solar panels were transferred, and the yard was fully tamed, the deal finally closed on Aug. 28, 2023—four months after Provost started working on the property.

While that might seem like a long time, it would have been much longer had she not been experienced in navigating the unique challenges of selling inherited homes.

“If you are working through an estate and need to sell a property, do not attempt this on your own,” says Provost, who advises home sellers in this position to work with a real estate agent specializing in such sales.

“They will be more of an asset than their cost paid at closing as they can create the roadmap you may be missing,” she says.

Kimberly Dawn Neumann is a multi-published journalist based in New York City. She's written hundreds of articles on home-related topics for major publications including Forbes, Real Simple, and Realtor.com. For more visit: www.KDNeumann.com or IG @dancerscribe.

Twitter Follow @KimberlyNeumann

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US Senate passes provisions to improve air tour safety, address air noise in Hawai‘i

The US Senate on Thursday passed the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, which included several provisions authored by US Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i). The bill contains measures to address air tour noise in Hawai‘i, improve air tour safety, help airports adapt to extreme weather, and establish a Senate-confirmed Assistant Secretary at the Department of Transportation’s Office of Aviation Consumer Protection. The bill now moves to the House of Representatives for consideration.

“These provisions will help make air tours in Hawai‘i safer and less noisy as well as help airports across our state become more resilient to disasters,”said Schatz, a senior member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. “We’re also making meaningful investments to empower the Department of Transportation to advocate on behalf of air travelers more effectively and strengthen consumer protections.”

Specifically, the provisions:

• Direct the FAA to participate in the State of Hawai‘i’s air noise and safety task force and recommend ways to reduce the disruption that air tours can cause residents. 
• Require stronger safety requirements for commercial air tours and helicopter operations through increased FAA oversight, equipment upgrades and flight data monitoring.
• Ensure airport projects that would improve resilience to sea level rise and extreme weather are eligible for funding under the FAA’s Airport Improvement Program, which will enable work to make Hawaii’s airports safer in the face of climate change.
• Authorize the Department of Transportation’s Office of Aviation Consumer Protection to be led by a Senate-confirmed Assistant Secretary and supported by $70 million over five years in authorized funding.

Hawai‘i has the highest number of fatalities from air tour crashes in the nation, totaling over 85 people since the National Transportation Safety Board began keeping records, according to Schatz.

Schatz originally introduced the Air Tour and Skydiving Safety Improvement Act and the Hawai‘i Air Tour Management Act with the Hawai‘i congressional delegation following multiple fatal helicopter crashes in the state in 2019. He also previously introduced the Natural Hazard Resilience for Airports Act with Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) following concerns that FAA programs were not set up well to allow Hawaiʻi’s airports to build resiliently.

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