Detroit Golf And Entertainment In North Oakland County
The beautiful golf courses of northern Oakland County can make you feel as if you're
actually in northern Michigan, while offering up some of the best golf in the state. Extra nice: you don't have to pay steep dues to play them, either.
Fieldstone Golf Club, owned by the city of Auburn Hills, has received rave reviews since it opened 12 years ago. Golf Digest gave it four stars, and it consistently ranks at the top of regional "best of" lists. Eighteen holes, designed by celebrated golf course architect Arthur Hills, wind through rolling fairways, wind-swept meadows, wetlands and corridors of mature hardwoods. Other amenities include a bent grass practice range, practice bunker, putting green, pro shop and the Vista Grille, which serves up sandwiches, steak and after-golf cocktails.
Pine Trace Golf Club in Rochester Hills, also designed by Hills, is often compared to top northern Michigan courses. It has 18 holes nestled among 193 wooded acres and is known for the food at its Pine Trace Grille. Sister course Shepherd's Hollow in Clarkston, is built into a park-like retreat set aside by the Detroit province of the Society of Jesus, a Roman Catholic order of priests. With holes shoehorned into scenic ridges and valleys, and trees planted by the priests themselves, it could be argued that the 27-hole championship design is truly blessed. As with Pine Trace, it offers a driving range, practice center and pro shop, as well as the Restaurant at Shepherd's Hollow.
Of course, some visitors to Detroit are more interested in driving cars than driving golf carts. Whether you're a serious gearhead or just love your Jeep, you'll want to motor on over to the Walter P. Chrysler Museum. Located at the Chrysler headquarters complex in Auburn Hills, the museum documents the history and vision of local automaker Chrysler.
At 55,000 square feet with three floors, the museum is filled with more than 70 antique, custom and concept vehicles. Visitors are invited to get an up-close look at car bodies and engines as they explore the Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge brands, as well as predecessors such as DeSoto, Hudson, Nash, Plymouth, Rambler and Willys-Overland. The museum's lower level, Boss Chrysler's Garage, displays an eclectic array of historic vehicles, including performance and race cars as well as trucks and Jeeps.
The museum's permanent exhibit, Forward Thinking: The Chrysler Story Exhibition, highlights Chrysler milestones from its first vehicle, built in 1924, to the current age of advanced electronics and transistors. From January 11 through March 15, make sure to check out the Dodge Copperhead and Sidewinder concept cars in the special exhibit Muscle Machines.
If golf or cars don't meet your fancy, then maybe southeast Michigan's "Mountain of Fun" will do the trick. 25 tree-lined slopes, nine chairlifts, four rope tows, a magic carpet, and four terrain parks offer potential for big air. For a cozy warm up, stop by the Hornet's Nest Lounge for cocktails, dancing and entertainment - you'll feel like you're in the heart of the Rockies.
The last weekend of January each year is the Fire & Ice Winterfest in downtown Rochester. Events include a heated entertainment tent with live bands Friday and Saturday nights, dog sled rides, snowman building and children's activities, ice-skating, toboggan runs, horse-drawn trolley rides, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, ice carving demonstrations, geocaching, fireworks and more. A self-guided restaurant crawl hits some of downtown Rochester's finest dining spots.
For more fun-filled activity, Michigan's largest non-profit professional theater offers award-winning productions, incredible intimacy, excellent sight lines and superior acoustics. Of course, if you're a basketball fan, you won't want to miss your chance to see the Pistons play at the Palace of Auburn Hills. Before the game, stop by the Palace Grille, which is open two hours prior to tip-off, for a diverse selection of continental and Mediterranean dishes.
by: Kara Knapp
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