Things to Do in Farmington

The crack of the bat. The roar of the crowd. The smack of a well-caught fly. For more than a century, the sounds of baseball have heralded the return of summer. For the organizers behind Detroit's Opening Day Festival, there's no better reason to celebrate. Now in its fourth year, the beer-filled bacchanalia honors the American pastime's return to the Motor City with live bands, DJs, games, and food vendors. The festivities begin at 9 a.m. in the heart of Greektown. There, guests can fuel up in heated beer and food tents, test their fastballs at a pitching sensor, or batter each other during rounds of human joust. Musical acts including Killer Flamingos, Brena, and Detroit Kyro stalk the stage during live performances, and an able crew of DJs lays down a constant barrage of beats. Once the game starts, guests can catch every pitch on the enormous viewing screens scattered around the grounds. The fun doesn't end with the last out, though; the festival keeps the party going until 2 a.m.

In 1917, famed golf-course architect Donald Ross carved New Rogell Golf Course out of an urban plot along Grand River Avenue, adding yet another gem to a portfolio of courses that also includes Pinehurst No. 2 and Oakland Hills. Today, players enjoy the fruits of Mr. Ross’s labor as they cruise over a bentgrass path that stretches to 6,075 yards from the farthest tees. Two additional tee boxes start off each hole as well, allowing golfers to tailor rounds to their skill level or forsake tees completely and start in a bunker.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 70 course

• Total length of 6,075 yards from the back tees

• Course rating of 70.2 from the back tees

• Course slope of 129 from the back tees

• Three sets of tees per hole

Evolution Sportsplex’s dome structure houses 60,000 square feet of artificial turf, which doubles as an athletics field and an indoor driving range. There, as well as outdoors, a golfer can improve their swing, thereby eliminating the need for the pneumatic hammer taped to the end of their club. Visitors can also putt their way through a manicured miniature-golf course peppered with shady trees and refuel at the concession stand before hitting the indoor field, which can be converted for sports ranging from football to softball.

Since the 1950s, the Ford Drive In has invited audiences to enjoy double features from the comfort of their own automobiles. The alfresco theater’s five screens show back-to-back screenings of first-run movies throughout the whole year, with films paired based on their rating and genre. Viewers can stay warm with the heat flowing from the outdoor car heaters, which keep them comfortable during the winter and prevent popcorn kernels from freezing to their tongues.