Is there anything better than summer in Michigan? I certainly don’t think so! I have a lot of love for all the seasons my home state offers, but nothing gets me more excited than spending the summer by water and relaxing around a bonfire at the end of the night.
I decided to come up with another BIG list of places for outdoor activities in Southeast Michigan. This is not sponsored by anyone, and none of the links you will click pay me. This is truly just meant to be a resource for you all, and of course myself, too! 😀
Since I live smack dab in the middle of the southeast section of the mitten, this list has places to go in the Ann Arbor, Detroit, Flint and Lansing areas.
Plan an adventure today, whether it be stand up paddle boarding, visiting a farmer’s market, swimming at a state park or kayaking, and enjoy the beautiful summer ahead!
For-Mar Nature Preserve & Arboretum {Burton}
Auto City Speedway {Clio}
Heavenly Scent Herb Farm {Fenton}
Heavenly Scent Herb Farm store on the garden grounds
Spicer Orchards with Playground {Fenton}
Silver Lake Park {Fenton}
Bluebell Beach and Splash Pad Spray Ground {Genesee Township//Flint}
Creasey Bicentennial Park & Splash Pad {Grand Blanc}
US-23 Drive-In Theater {Flint}
Crosssroads Village, Huckleberry Railroad and the Genesee Belle {Flint}
Linden County Park on Clover Beach with Playscape and Trail {Linden}
Lake Lansing Park South {Haslett}
Burchfield Park – Beach and canoe rentals {Holt}
Family Aquatic Center with Splash Park {East Lansing}
W.J. Beal Botanical Garden {East Lansing, MSU’s campus} Make sure to visit the MSU Dairy Store too!
4-H Children’s Gardens {East Lansing}
Baldwin Park {Lansing}
Cheer on the Lansing Lugnuts
Potter Park Zoo {Lansing}
Fenner Nature Center {Lansing}
Hawk Island County Park with a Splash Pad {Lansing}
Sleepy Hollow State Park {Laingsburg}
Woldumar Nature Center {Lansing}
Just outside Lansing is The Ledges of Grand Ledge — worth the drive for exploring!
Brighton Recreation Area and Bishop Lake
Brighton Mill Pond and Imagination Station Playground
Island Lake Recreation Area {Brighton}
Visit Hell & Screams Ice Cream {Hell}
Brighton Recreation Area Riding Stables {Howell}
Howell City Park at Thompson Lake with Beach
Genoa Township Park, Fields and Trail {Howell}
Hartland Township Hall Playground {Hartland}
Howell Nature Center {Howell}
Lakeland Trails State Park {Pinckney}
Oaken Transformations Poetry and Sculpture Park {Brighton – only open Monday – Friday}
Pinckney Recreation Area {Pinckney}
DeGroot’s Strawberry U-Pick {Gregory}
Hazen’s Farm for U-Pick {Howell}
Partridge Creek with Fountain and Play Structure {Clinton Township}
George George Memorial Park {Clinton Township}
St. Clair Shores Metro Beach Squirt Zone {Harrison Township}
Westview Orchards and Adventure Farm {Romeo}
CJ Barrymore’s {Clinton Township}
Stony Creek Metropark {Shelby}
Metro Beach {Mt. Clemens}
Macomb Orchard Trail {Sterling Heights}
Cranbrook Gardens {Bloomfield Hills}
Spraypark at Clintonwood {Clarkston}
Heritage Park & Nature Trail {Farmington Hills}
Highland Recreation Area {Highland}
Seven Lakes State Park {Holly}
Friendship Woods & Nature Center {Madison Heights}
Red Oaks Water Park {Madison Heights}
Kensington Metropark with Splash & Blast {Milford}
Heavner’s Canoe/Kayak Rental {Milford}
Biking on the Milford Trail
Bald Mountain Recreation Area {Lake Orion}
Clinton River Trail {Through Oakland County}
Ortonville Recreation Area {Ortonville}
Seymour Lake Park and Splash Pad {Oxford}
Upland Hills Farm {Oxford}
Paint Creek Trail {Rochester}
Yates Cider Mill – Ice Cream, Trail & Petting Farm {Rochester}
Meadow Brook Hall and Gardens {Rochester}
Meadow Brook Hall
Detroit Zoo {Royal Oak}
Dodge #4 State Park {Waterford}
Pontiac Lake Recreation Area {Waterford}
Waterford Oaks Waterpark {Waterford}
Indian Springs Metropark with Spray N’ Play Area {White Lake}
Argo Cascades {Ann Arbor}
The Petting Farm at Domino’s Farms {Ann Arbor}
Nichols Arboretum // Matthaei Botanical Gardens + Gaffield’s Children’s Gardens {Ann Arbor}
Delhi Metropark {Ann Arbor}
Leslie Science and Nature Center {Ann Arbor}
Gallup Park and Canoe Livery {Ann Arbor}
County Farm Park {Ann Arbor}
Buhr Pakr and Outdoor Pool {Ann Arbor}
Fuller Park Pool {Ann Arbor}
Veteran’s Memorial Park Pool {Ann Arbor}
Turtle Cove Family Aquatic Center and Water Park {Belleville}
Waterloo Recreation Area {Chelsea}
Hudson Mills Metropark {Dexter}
Dexter-Huron Metropark {Dexter}
Mill Creek Park North {Dexter}
Playing in the creek at Mill Creek Park in Dexter
Putterz Golf & Games {Ypsilanti}
Rolling Hills Water Park {Ypsilanti}
Rowe’s Produce Farm for U-Pick {Ypsilanti}
Independence Lake Blue Heron Bay Spray Play {Whitmore Lake}
Heritage Park Splash Pad {Canton}
Flodin Splash Park {Canton}
Greenfield Village {Dearborn}
Ford Drive-In Theater {Dearborn}
Belle Isle Park {Detroit}
Comerica Park to cheer on the Tigers {Detroit}
Diamond Jacks River Tours {Detroit}
Eastern Market {Detroit}
Riverwalk//Dequindre Cut {Detroit}
Wheelhouse Detroit for bike rental {Detroit}
Edsel & Eleanor Ford House – Gardens {Grosse Pointe}
Some of the gardens at Ford House
Maybury State Park – Hiking/Biking Trails, Riding Stable and Farm {Northville}
Mt. Elliott Park Splash Pad {Detroit}
Heritage Park Petting Farm {Taylor}
Northwest Park Pool {Taylor}
Midway Sports & Entertainment {Taylor}
H20 Zone Spray Ground {Westland}
Where are your favorite spots around SE Michigan for enjoying the great outdoors?
Heritage Park Petting Farm is a great place. The park is beautiful and there is a lot of other things to do. I love to take the kids and the dog there.
so many great places!
I bought a Groupon a while back for Cranbrook Science Center & can’t wait to check it out.
Great post!
The heritage park splash pad you have up there is in Oakland County in Farmington Hills not Canton. I wondered if there was another, but the link brings you to the FH one… For sure though Heritage Park in Farmington Hills with it’s park, splash pad, miles of trails, awesome nature center (borrow a nature back pack if you go for a hike!), lots of events…. A great place all year long!