For those students who choose to move off-campus, they tend to rent apartments that are north of campus; particularly between Route 43 North to E Saginaw Street and from Route 127 East to N Hagadorn Road. Students tend to rent in four popular neighborhoods near campus: Meridian Charter Township, The Stadium District, Downtown, The East Side.

Meridian Charter Township is located east of Michigan State University's campus. It is a quiet residential neighborhood where students can live without the hustle and bustle of living in a more crowded and commercial area. It is perfect for students who must study for many hours of the day and need some peace and quiet.

The Stadium District has several restaurants and is, as the name implies, close to Michigan State University's stadium where the Spartans play. Students will be close to all the athletic action when they live in this neighborhood. One of the most popular residences is the Stadium District Apartments, which offers one and two-bedroom properties with high-end features and finishes.

Downtown is a neighborhood that offers a lot of excitement and activities for students who choose to live off-campus at Michigan State University. There are plenty of restaurants, cafes, bars, and shopping options. Not only is it a great place to live, but it is a great area to take friends and family who come to visit the campus. Students can choose between living in an apartment complex or a duplex residence in this neighborhood.

The East Side neighborhood is also a popular option for off-campus living. It is not as busy as Downtown and is not quite as residential as Meridian Charter Township. The two most popular apartment complexes here are Avenue Flats and Riverwalk Apartments. Along with residences, this neighborhood offers numerous restaurants, bars, and cafes.

Restaurants

There are many restaurant options for students to enjoy while living both on and off-campus at Michigan State University. A number of these restaurants can be found Downtown or along Route 43. Some of the most popular restaurants among students in the area include the Eastside Fish Fry and Grill, Swagath Indian Cuisine, MSU Dairy Store, and Woody's Oasis.

Of course, students can also find chain restaurants such as Qdoba and McDonalds for a quick bite to eat.

Coffee shop culture is popular in East Lansing and provides great and quiet spots for students to catch up with friends, study, or work on school projects. Some of the most popular cafes in the area include Chapelore, Grand River Café, Espresso Royale, Red Cedar Café, Strange Matter Coffee, and Avenue Café, which turns into a bar at night and is open until 2 am.

As with any college town, there are several bars that students love to frequent. These include Rum Runners, Tavern on the Square, The Black Rose, The Green Door, and Avenue Café. For a memorable 21st birthday celebration, Rick's Great American Café is one of the best spots near Michigan State University to go.

Transportation

Getting around East Lansing is very convenient thanks to multiple modes of transportation.

Michigan State University has implemented a bus system, Capital Area Transportation Authority (CATA), which has multiple routes around campus and additional routes to off-campus neighborhoods and apartments. CATA is free to use for students who are traveling around campus and offers an additional fee to go off-campus.

The university has a rental car service for its students at competitive prices. With a fleet of 400 cars, students can choose to rent a car for a day or for a month and are charged a flat rate per mile.

The university promotes eco-friendly transportation such as bicycles. With over 20,000 spots to park bikes across campus and bike lanes on the streets, students can easily move around East Lansing.

For out of town transportation, there is an Amtrak stop close to campus and bus terminals for Megabus, Greyhound, and Indian Trails.

Parking

During Freshman year students are not allowed to have a car on campus unless they are a commuter. Students must have at least 28 credits to keep a car on campus. There are multiple parking lots and metered parking either on or close to campus. Michigan State University has parking permits available for students. The cost of these permits varies depending on where the student would like to rent a space and if they are living in an on-campus apartment or not.

As for parking in off-campus neighborhoods, street parking is available, and most rental properties have spaces that are either included in the rent or available to rent separately by the tenants.

Safety

Michigan State University has 80 police officers from the local police department who patrol, and answer calls on campus. While there is crime present on campus, it is mostly disciplinary actions for students.

The university has installed 24-hour emergency phone stands on campus that are always available to students. They have also implemented a walking escort program for students who spend late nights at the library and do not want to walk home alone.

For those who do not wish to walk home, there is the Night Owl bus that starts at 2:30 am and runs throughout the night with both on and off-campus routes.

Off-campus neighborhoods are safe and not many major crimes are reported. However, it is still important to always be aware of surroundings and stay safe.

Shopping

There are multiple shopping centers around Michigan State University's campus. The most popular and closest centers are Trowbridge Plaza, Hannah Plaza, and Brookfield Plaza. There are multiple stores with great shopping available in these plazas. Meridian Mall is the place to go for well-known brands and stores.

Students have a variety of supermarkets to choose from including Whole Foods, Target Grocery, Foods for Living, Kroger, and Sparty's. For fresh produce and ingredients, Fresh Thyme Farmers Market has a great variety to choose from and is locally grown.