A 25-minute drive north of Michigan city is Farmington Hills, a city teeming with nature reserves, recreation areas, creative restaurants, and outdoor activities.
Although Farmington Hills is categorized as a city, it’s dominantly a suburban community.
It has its own life outside of Detroit, making it a nice escape from the city’s hustle and bustle.
It has a plush and upscale lifestyle, making it a nice place to settle down.
From a visitor’s perspective, it means that this small city is a nice weekend destination or a short vacation.
If visiting this small city is on your list, here are the 20 best things to do in Farmington Hills:
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This outdoor green open space in Farmington Hills boasts excellent outdoor recreational facilities, like trails, sports venues, playgrounds, and a water park.
It’s not surprising that the Heritage Park Farmington Hills is a trendy outdoor destination for the city’s locals and visitors because of its nice features.
If you’re seeking an outdoor venue in Farmington Hills to do activities like hiking, jogging, or sports, this park has it all.
It has a 4.5-mile trail that leads you to the adjacent local attraction, the Farmington Hills Nature Center.
Aside from being a popular outdoor recreational park, Heritage Park Farmington Hills is also one of the top venues for local activities.
So, chances are, you might witness free concerts or festivals happening at this park during your visit.
Marvin’s Marvelous Mechanical Museum is a vast interactive museum located in Farmington Hills, which offers visitors of all ages a one-of-a-kind experience.
It features various video game machines, from the old-school coin-operated arcade machines to modern games today.
Aside from these incredible machines, the museum also has vintage movie posters, toys, mechanical dummies, and other oddities you won’t see anywhere else.
Furthermore, Marvin’s Marvelous Mechanical Museum lets visitors interact and play with their featured attractions.
If you and your family are done enjoying the museum’s features, head to its on-site cafe, which offers delicious food and drinks.
Farmington Hills is one of the cities worldwide with a memorial for the Holocaust victims in the 1930s to 1940s.
Aside from being a historically-significant museum, the Zekelman Holocaust Museum has more to it than meets the eye.
It is the only museum you can find in Michigan.
At the same time, it is filled with relevant and very interesting photos, informative displays, and exhibits that will tell you the atrocious events that occurred against millions of Jews and other minor ethnicities under Nazi rule in Europe.
It’s a place to pay tribute and remember those who perished during that very dark time.
It’s also an excellent place to get inspired by learning the different stories of hope and courage from Holocaust survivors.
For 30 years, the Zekelman Holocaust Center has been a very important learning institution and memorial for the current and future generations.
The Sunrise Cafe in Farmington Hills is considered a local favorite because of its famous fluffy egg-white omelet.
Sunrise Cafe even claimed that this famous breakfast meal originally started in their kitchen.
For many years, Sunrise Cafe has served locals in Farmington Hills of all ages with their hearty breakfast meals and omelets.
If you’re looking in Farmington Hills for the best place to eat breakfast, Sunrise Cafe has an extensive menu of delicious food.
They serve fully-loaded breakfast meals for those with a great appetite.
It’s loaded with ham, sausage patties, toasts, eggs, bacon, hash brown and paired with their freshly-brewed coffee.
They also serve different styles of their famous egg-white omelet like their classic American, Hawaiian, Mexican, meat lovers, asparagus, chicken, and chili cheese.
Furthermore, the restaurant’s vintage and homey interior make it an excellent place to eat your first meal of the day.
The Farmington Hills Golf Club boasts an 18-hole par-72 golf course that you should visit when you’re in the city.
Even if you’re not a golfer, the entire golf course is beautiful enough to convince you to stay there for a while and take photos.
If you’re looking to play golf, this is your go-to place because of the course’s features, such as rolling hills, ponds, treelines, and perfectly manicured grass.
Once you’re done playing, you can head to its plush clubhouse, which has a full-service restaurant as well as an overlooking patio and a pro shop.
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In Farmington Hills, you can discover a wide array of flora and fauna at the Woodland Hills Nature Park.
This nature-themed park serves as a sanctuary for endemic plants and animals in the Michigan region.
One of Woodland Hills Nature Park’s main goals is to serve as a haven for these endemic plants and animals.
This natural attraction in Farmington Hills offers visitors scenic trails filled with native trees like Black Cherry, Maple, Beech, and Oak Trees.
It is also teeming with hawks, owls, waterfowls, amphibians, and ducks freely roaming the park.
Visiting this park offers everyone a nice experience to commune with nature, especially hiking along its trails while sighting animals in the area.
The La Marsa Mediterranean Cuisine Restaurant opened in 2006 to serve the locals in Farmington Hills and Detroit a one-of-a-kind gastronomic experience, featuring healthy and flavorful food, mainly specializing in fresh Mediterranean food, including vegan cuisines.
Since then, it has become a huge hit for locals and visitors.
What started as a small food joint turned into a bigger business, as La Marsa already opened up nine more locations across Michigan.
They take pride in their fresh ingredients, which are sourced locally, while their herbs and spices are imported from, of course, the Mediterranean region.
It would be best to try their bestsellers, such as the shrimp kabob, hommus, beef ghallaba, along with chicken and vegetarian dishes.
The Founders Sports Park covers more than 100 acres of land in Farmington Hills.
It boasts the Farmington Hills Ice Arena, the vast Riley Skate Park, a disc golf course, hiking trail, picnic areas, and other amenities that make up a great park.
It is your go-to place if you want to stretch your muscles and flex your athletic skills.
It has athletic fields where you can play sports such as basketball, football, frisbee, and soccer, while its ice area lets you do figure skating and play hockey.
It’s not just a wonderful place to sweat out, but also a place to meet with locals who play sports or perhaps exercise.
Nature enthusiasts will surely appreciate the beauty of the Farmington Hills Nature Center nestled within the Heritage Park.
The entire nature center spans 211 acres, where visitors can enjoy various outdoor activities.
It has a 4.5-mile hiking trail, a vast animal habitat, bird-watching area, aquarium, a nature library, and the Discovery Cove.
The place is perfect for nature enthusiasts and the entire family because of the exciting activities and sights waiting to be explored.
The Suburban Ice-Farmington Hills boasts two National Hockey League-standard sized ice rinks, making it one of the best places to play hockey or learn figure skating.
Well, if you already know how to do these two, then it’s your perfect chance to test the ice sheets of this vast facility.
It’s also a must-visit place for people eager to learn these two popular sports since the Suburban Sports Group, the owner of this facility, offers everyone an excellent training and educational program.
Furthermore, you can even catch some local hockey tournaments or figure skating competitions if you want to unwind and enjoy some action on the sidelines.
Although Craft Breww City may appear to be a typical sports pub, it is not.
Craft Breww City offers one of the largest varieties of craft brews and beers available, along with a delectable restaurant menu.
From fantastic burgers to wings, they’ve elevated every meal to a new level.
In addition to a free pool, they provide affordable party and catering choices.
Visit Craft Breww City to watch a football game; there are TVs on every wall and in every corner.
They guarantee that you and your guests will love the assortment of gourmet cuisine, foreign craft beer, and unfailing service on any occasion, from cocktail parties and business events to banquets, birthday celebrations, and family reunions.
Do you wish to develop your golfing abilities?
The picturesque Glen Oaks Course is an 18-hole, par-70 course with par-3 holes that cross streams and have rolling terrain.
Golfers have access to a beverage cart service on the course and facilities such as a Clubhouse with a grill room and pro shop.
The beautiful clubhouse, built in the English style of the 1920s, offers a magnificent setting for weddings, parties, and golf trips, with catering provided by Oak Management.
The grounds’ formal garden is the perfect location for outdoor wedding celebrations.
Whether you’re searching for a great game of bowling, arcade, or laser tag, Perfect Game excites the whole family.
They offer the Farmington Hills attractions you are searching for!
There are 53 cutting-edge games, 32 lanes for bowling, and a sizable redemption center with a ton of rewards.
The brand-new redemption arcade will level up your evening!
The best way to spend your weekend is playing two stories of laser tag while enjoying some pizza and artisan beers.
Visit Perfect Game now to treat yourself, your friends, and your family to one of Farmington Hills’ finest attractions!
Authentic, traditional Italian cuisine is served at the family-run restaurant Antonio’s Cucina Italiana.
The soups, sauces, pasta, bread, and dressings are made in-house using traditional family recipes and cooked and served by a fantastic crew.
After a hearty meal, indulge in handcrafted cannolis or perfect Italian gelato.
The substantial portions and gluten-free menu ensure that you will leave satisfied.
Because of the big portions and availability of a gluten-free menu, you may anticipate leaving satisfied.
Antonio’s Cucina Italiana provides banquet facilities for nearly any gathering size for your special occasion.
Numerous family-style cuisine options are ideal for birthdays, showers, rehearsals, or business parties.
Ideal for bringing your children, Jungle Java is a facility for parents and children.
When Jungle Java debuted in Farmington Hills, Michigan, in December 2006, it wasn’t like other kids’ play areas.
In addition to providing a peaceful environment for adults, it features an indoor playground and restaurant where kids may play actively.
They provide a variety of meals and drinks, including sandwiches, specialty coffee drinks, and other items.
Parents may relax on a comfortable sofa while listening to tunes and drinking espresso while their children actively play in the massive indoor play areas.
Jungle Java hosts private parties and after-hours events so that you may reserve the full space for yourself.
Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Over at Livonia, a small city south of Farmington Hills leads you to the Greenmead Historical Village.
This historical attraction covers around a hundred acres and has been standing for nearly 200 years.
Furthermore, it is located just outside Farmington Hills’ city limits, making it a very accessible attraction to visit.
Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The highlight of visiting this historical park is learning the interesting backstory of Michigan’s rich agricultural heritage that flourished in the 1820s.
Pioneers in the area once own the 13 houses and outbuildings that make up the entire village.
Interestingly, these buildings are still in great condition, thanks to the efforts of the city of Livonia, which purchased the property in 1976 to preserve its old beauty.
Aside from being a historical attraction, the Greenmead Historical Village is a popular events venue in Livonia.
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Join the exciting historical tours organized by the Greater West Bloomfield Historical Society in West Bloomfield Township.
To get there, you need to drive 7.2 miles north of Farmington Hills.
The group that started in 1974 is widely known for its fun-filled and highly-educational tour around West Bloomfield.
This non-profit organization also organizes annual and biennial events, such as the Apple Island Tours, Spring & Autumn Nature Walks, Pine Lake Cemetery Tour, Memorial Day Parades, and National Trails Day Walk.
If you’re looking for historical experts that can enlighten you about the interesting history of Michigan and West Bloomfield, you know exactly where to go.
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Over at Bloomfield Hills, which is about 10.6 miles north of Farmington Hills, takes you to one of the oldest cider mills in Michigan: the Franklin Cider Mill.
Built back in 1832, the Franklin Cider Mill has already been listed as a national historical site.
So, visiting there pretty much highlights the history and its famous freshly pressed apple cider paired with their freshly baked pies and donuts.
The Franklin Cider Mill maintains its traditional way of making refreshing apple cider amidst its immense popularity among visitors and locals in Michigan.
One of the attractions you can see is its famous waterwheel, still standing since the 1800s.
The mill continues to serve its fresh apple cider, caramel apples, apple pies, and warm spice donuts until today to continue the owners’ rich tradition dating back to its early days.
Park West Gallery takes pride as the world’s most extensive art dealer, with more than thousands of fine art collections being housed at its location in Southfield, which is about eight miles east of Farmington Hills.
If you’re an art enthusiast, it is your perfect chance to buy various artworks, including paintings, sculptures, furniture, and jewelry pieces in different art genres.
If you want to buy one of its artworks, you can join its art auctions regularly at its facility and in other cities.
There’s a catch, though, as each artwork commonly pegs a very expensive price, but visiting its gallery is already a wonderful experience to take a closer look at dozens of masterpieces from famous artists worldwide.
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The Carpenter Lake Nature Preserve in Southfield will surely give you a great outdoor experience because of its featured attractions.
This nature preserve in metro Detroit boasts captivating sceneries from its lakeside boardwalk, forested areas, and trails.
The nature preserve is also teeming with local wildlife, so don’t forget to bring your camera to take photos of them.
You will likely come across small mammals, amphibians, and birds that freely roam the nature preserve.
Don’t forget to check out the unique boulder garden, where huge boulders and rocks are perfectly lined to create a patterned maze around the park.
Farmington Hills is a nice destination for the entire family because of its peaceful atmosphere and the natural attractions to visit amidst the fact that it’s situated within metro Detroit.
It’s one of the nearest places in Detroit where you can escape the city stress and treat yourself to a short relaxing excursion.
Furthermore, its nearby communities and towns have dozen other attractions to check out.
If you’re ready to head to Farmington Hills, make sure you visit and enjoy the places listed in this post.
See also: Best Restaurants in Farmington Hills, MI
Things to Do in Rochester Hills, MI
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