Play in the Snow
Bundle up and get outside to experience the best part of Michigan winters: the snow! Our Huron-Clinton Metroparks offer sledding hills, ice fishing, and cross-country ski and snowshoe trails. Strap on your winter boots to walk the windy Detroit riverfront or take in views of the downtown skyline from neighboring Belle Isle.
Catch a Film at a Historic Movie Theater
Detroit is home to several historic cinemas dating back to the 1920s and 30s, including Detroit’s Senate Theater and the Farmington Civic Theater. Some of these cinemas, like The Redford Theater, showcase classic films from decades gone by and y2k favorites like Clueless. The Maple Theater in Bloomfield Hills shows mostly current movies, but their special Secret Cinema screenings are hosted by local film critics and enthusiasts, complete with Q&A sessions following the film.
Day at the Museum
On frigid days, retreat into the great indoors at a Detroit-area museum. The Michigan Science Center and Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation are two local favorites. The Detroit Institute of Arts in is one of our nation’s top art museums, with collections ranging from European painting and sculpture to Islamic and African American Art. And with more than 65,000 works and rotating exhibits, there’s always something new and different on view.
Toast to Trivia
The cold winter months pass much more quickly when you have something to look forward to each week. #TriviaTuesdays are the perfect excuse to meet up weekly with friends, sample seasonal craft beers, and support your favorite Detroit brewpubs, all while partaking in some friendly competition. Check out Whiskey Tango Foxtrot in Clawson for themed trivia nights and Ascension Brewing in Novi for inventive sours and seltzers, and the best chili cheese fries.
Get Lost in a Bookstore
There’s no better respite some dreary winter’s evening than a cozy corner bookstore. Sidetrack Bookshop in downtown Royal Oak lights up the night with its welcoming window displays and colorful shelves of books. Browse their seasonal picks, staff favorites, and new releases. Or grab a seat to page through the first chapter of a title that catches your eye. It may be dark and snowing outside, but it’s always warm and cozy at your local bookstore.
Book a Staycation at a Detroit Casino Hotel
Beat the winter blues with a staycation at a Detroit casino hotel. MotorCity Casino and MGM Grand Detroit offer gaming, a variety of dining options, overnight accommodations, and live musical performances and comedy shows. Both properties have spas on-site where you can warm up with a hot stone massage or enjoy a body wrap, hydrating facial, or salon manicure.
Engage in Some Friendly Competition at The Hub Stadium
You want to get out of the house, but you don’t know what you’re feeling? Text your friends to meet up at The Hub Stadium in Novi. The Hub is a full-service restaurant and bar, social space, and indoor amusement center, all rolled into one. Entertainment and games include axe throwing, football bowling, and a nightclub. Groups of eight also have the option of booking a curling reservation, and The Hub provides coaches to walk you through the game.
Hit The Ice
Is it even winter in Michigan if you don’t get out on the ice at least once? Check the schedule at your local ice arena to see if they have open skate, drop-in hockey, or curling lessons. The Rink at Campus Martius Park is open to the public for drop-in skating now through March. Novi Ice Arena offers open skating, Sticks & Pucks for all ages, and drop-in hockey for adults only. After dark, check out Arctic Edge in Canton for glow skating on the weekends.
Make Your Getaway at an Escape Room
If you’re looking to get away this winter, you don’t have to book a flight or even a hotel. An escape room will totally transport you, if only for an hour. Escape rooms have themed story rooms for you to choose from, each containing a series of puzzles you have to solve in order to ‘escape.’ Choose from haunted carnivals, bank heists, alien encounters, and more. Check out Escape Room Novi, Breakout Escape Rooms in Royal Oak, and Escape Room Zone in Madison Heights to plan your escape.
Dine Under the Stars in a Heated Igloo
This fun seasonal twist on winter dining creates the illusion of dining outdoors, while inside the igloo it’s toasty warm. Deadwood Bar & Grill in Northville has four winter-themed igloos to choose from, and each sits up to 10 people. Book a two-hour reservation and enjoy a hot homey meal finished with their warm and gooey chocolate chip cookies. Other igloo dining options include Lumen in Detroit, Detroit Fleat in Ferndale, and Blake’s Tasting Room in Armada.
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