Things to Do in New Baltimore

Each year on the shores of Lake St. Clair, massive bash Hottiefest celebrates the art of looking good with a weekend of professionally DJ’ed parties. Spinsmiths such as DJ Captn20 and DJ Godfather select dance-friendly jams that evoke all the beachy fun, sun, and camaraderie of a snowman that reincarnates in sand form to be near you again. In addition to dancing until body temperatures rise, guests can lounge in outdoor cabanas and take home goody bags full of neon-hued party favors; VIP visitors earn the added perks of bypassing the entry line and mingling in the waterfront VIP tent.

The Murder Mystery Company's talented troupe of improv actors performs live-action murder mysteries at public and private events to sharpen guests' latent detective skills. Throughout the play, the cast drops hints and misdirects blame, inviting audience members to get involved in a web of intrigue and hilarity. Besides public dinner parties, murder mysteries can unfold during corporate events, team-building exercises, and birthday parties for aging Sherlock Holmes impersonators.

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.

Home to the state's largest freestanding bouldering island, New Jersey Rock Gym houses 12,000 square feet of vertical terrain to climb as well as 41 top roping stations. Armed with either day passes or membership, guests scamper up the gym's synthetic summits, hoping to ask questions of the learned ceiling light sequestered at the top of the mountain. While gear is included with some membership options, guests can opt to bring their own materials or rent the individual shoes ($5), harnesses ($4), or chalk bags ($2) they need from the pro shop. New Jersey Rock Gym offers a collection of educational course work in the vertical arts, teaching belay technique to beginners or advanced skills to adults. Children can also take advantage of youth climbing programs, mini camps, and birthday parties before retiring to private refreshment chambers to absorb bottles of electrolyte-infused refreshment. The nearby pro shop outfits climbers with name-brand gear for purchase, while a WiFi lounge transmits terabytes of data into nearby electronic devices or unsecured cyborg brains.

At Extreme Fun’s inflatable playland, kids bounce, climb, and slide across 27,000 square feet of springy tunnels and obstacles. With feet snug inside socks or thumbless mittens, young ones can explore the climate-controlled play area’s collection of sturdy inflatables, which include Nickelodeon characters, Superman–theme obstacle courses, and Finding Nemo stations that take kids through the cushy mouth of a great white shark. Extreme Fun also features a collection of interactive video games as well as a 550-square-foot inflatable basketball arena. Parents are welcome to join their young ones during bouncy basketball games to teach them basics of the game, such as defensive plays or how to stick out their tongue like Michael Jordan while dunking.

An award-winning special-event venue, Infinity and Ovation Yacht Charters ushers guests across the waters of Lake St. Clair aboard the 138-foot, three-decked Ovation yacht. At 7 p.m., partiers climb onto the watercraft to enjoy a menu of gourmet edibles and DJ-spun sounds. As eyes feast on the bobbing Detroit skyline and watch the orange sky drench ripply waters in its juicy rays, stomachs stuff themselves with an array of edibles and two complimentary drinks, with more available from a full-service cash bar. Engage in friendly dinner conversation while relaxing on the ship’s imported Italian furniture, or devise a plan with friends to stage a UFO hoax with life preservers. After dinner, cruisers are invited to kick off their sea legs and engage in hearty fun-having at the no-cover, no-line after-party on the boat’s very own dance floor, accommodating numerous dancers or a few big, red Clifford dogs.