Outdoor Adventure and Natural Attractions

Michigan is the great outdoors. With more than 3,200 miles of Great Lakes shoreline, 11,000 inland lakes, 5,600 miles of snowmobile trails, dozens of downhill ski resorts and four national parks, there’s no need to miss out on a moment of outdoor fun.  Parks in the Madison Heights area include Hudson Mills Metropark, a popular destination for canoeing and kayaking; Lake Erie Metropark with a panoramic view of Lake Erie along its three-mile shoreline; Stony Creek featuring beautiful 500-acre Stony Creek Lake; and horseback riding in Oakwoods Metropark. Kensington Metropark in nearby Milford offers 4,400 acres surrounding beautiful Kent Lake.  The park features an 18-hole golf course, disc golf, a farm learning center, beaches, boat rentals, and a paved hike-bike trail.

Attractions

Michigan is flush with diverse natural, man-made, and cultural offerings that include everything from aquariums to zoos, museums, galleries, lighthouses, natural rock formations, and even award-winning wineries.

The Detroit Zoo, Detroit, MI - Visit the kangaroos and wallabies at the Australian Outback Adventure, take a trek to the North Pole at the Arctic Ring of Life Exhibit, or experience the country’s first zoo-based virtual reality voyage at the Wild Adventure Simulator.

The Hazel Park Raceway, Hazel Park, MI - Since it opened in 1953, Hazel Park has been the place to go on summer nights to bet on the horses. The towering green grandstand holds 9,200 spectators, and the large clubhouse seats 3,000, with good views of the track.

Viking Ice Arena, Hazel Park, MI - Viking Ice Arena’s facility has an Olympic rink and a NHL rink and open skating available to the public. The rink offers a variety of learn to skate programs and youth and adult hockey leagues.

Culture and the Arts

Detroit Institute of Arts has one of the finest half dozen or so encyclopedic collections in the Western Hemisphere. You can encounter works like Fra Angelico’s Angel Annunciate, Vincent van Gogh’s Self Portrait, Auguste Rodin’s The Thinker, the N’kesi N’konde Nail Figure from Congo, and Diego Rivera’s Detroit Industry murals in just one visit. The DIA is truly one of Michigan’s cultural gems.

Cranbrook Art Museum, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, is a non-profit contemporary art museum. The Art Museum is part of Cranbrook Educational Community, which also includes Cranbrook’s Academy of Art, Institute of Science, Schools and other affiliated cultural and educational programs.

The Science Center is located in the heart of Detroit’s Cultural Center. From Michigan’s only IMAX® Dome Theatre to the Dassault Systèmes Planetarium, family programs to field trips, live science demonstrations to hands-on exhibit laboratories, the Science Center has something for kids ages 2 to 92. Other area attractions include the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, Detroit Historical Museum and Detroit Public Library.

Sports to Watch

Detroit’s in the big leagues when it comes to sports! Cheer on our professional sports teams including the Detroit Lions of the NFL, the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball, the NBA’s Detroit Pistons, and the National Hockey League’s Detroit Red Wings. The Wolverines, the University of Michigan’s varsity football, track, basketball, ice hockey and tennis teams, are always a joy to experience in the Wolverines Den.

Sports to Play

Discover Michigan golf and see why Golf Digest selected Michigan as one of the top 12 best golf destinations in the world. Michigan is home to more than 1,000 golf courses and many world-class golf resort facilities.  Experience our breathtaking vistas, lush fairways and blue waters, which leave golfers anxious to play again and again.

Dining

Whether it’s a burger and fries in an authentic 50s diner or a gourmet evening at a five-star restaurant, you’ll never go hungry in Michigan.  Microbreweries abound in Michigan, from Keweenaw's Copper Country in the Upper Peninsula to a multitude of pubs in the Metro Detroit area. Fine cuisine and top-notch restaurants can be found throughout the state. Be sure to sample some of our Michigan specialties, such as planked Great Lakes whitefish with a glass of our prize-winning Chardonnay, delicious morel mushrooms, world-famous Michigan cherries and our heavenly fudge treats. Dinner cruises and dinner trains offer a unique experience that includes dinner and all the trimmings. Depart from one of many port cities for tours of the Great Lakes in both the Upper and Lower Peninsulas and enjoy sunsets with your companions.

Shopping

Whether you want a unique specialty store, an antiques mall, or a 100-store discount mall, you’ll find what you’re looking for in the Madison Heights area.  The Somerset Mall in Troy offers more than 180 stores, from Gucci to Gap, Cartier to Crate & Barrel, and four prominent department stores – Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom, and Marshall Field’s.  Other nearby shopping districts include The Village, Gross Pointe, The New Center, Detroit, Downtown Ferndale, and Royal Oak.

Central Location (Transportation)

Air travel to and from Detroit got a lot more convenient in 2002.  Detroit Metropolitan Airport opened the new Edward H. McNamara/Northwest World Gateway Terminal to much fanfare. The $1.6 billion facility is the new terminal and hub for Northwest Airlines. International carriers, including British Airways and Lufthansa, also have a presence here.

College/University (Education)

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor Area - Internationally renowned for research and education, the University of Michigan offers a wide variety of degree programs for undergraduate and graduate students. Outstanding and innovative academic offerings combine with a diverse campus community, the best faculty, and a central location in beautiful Ann Arbor to make it one of the nation's most desirable public universities.

Oakland University, Rochester, MI offers many cultural and entertainment venues to its students, faculty, staff and the public. The campus is home to many attractions such as Meadow Brook Theatre, Meadow Brook Hall, Meadow Brook Art Gallery, Meadow Brook Music Festival and The Golf & Learning Center. Oakland University celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2007.

Wayne State University in Detroit is Michigan's only urban research university, fulfilling a unique niche in providing access to a world-class education at a great value. Wayne State's 11 schools and colleges offer more than 350 major subject areas to 33,000 graduate and undergraduate students. WSU is located in the heart of Detroit's University Cultural Center, the home of renowned museums, galleries and theatres, most within walking distance.