Westland, MI Outdoor Activities

Droves of Segways meander past historic homes, factories, and miles of parks during Seg Adventures's Plymouth Area tours. On the list of sites to see is the Wilcox House, whose scandalous history is revealed during guided tours. Segway riders can free roam as well, exploring the city's attractions, markets, and public restrooms with a self-guided tour that lasts up to 90 minutes. Free roam sites include the Daisy Air Rifle–headquarters or the Alter Motor Car–factory.

Birmingham’s Uptown Film Festival honors area filmmakers reaping the benefits of the Michigan Film Incentive, which—since it was passed in 2008—has stepped to the forefront of the film industry with the creation of more than 11,000 jobs. Comedies, dramas, and documentaries from the Mitten and beyond squeeze into the projector’s cylindrical glow at the Birmingham 8 and Birmingham Palladium 12 theaters, where several films will be debuting their Michigan premieres. Festive galas and postshow parties allow cinephiles to drop spec scripts in the drinks of their favorite filmmakers, each of whom longs for an award from a discerning crew of local professionals and film critics.

A lap around Skateland West’s sea-foam-green floor transports inline skaters back in time with psychedelic rainbow lights, arcade games, and music. Despite the retro-chic atmosphere, Skateland West keeps things modern with activities such as freestyle-skating sessions and inline-skating lessons. The center also has a staff of fitness instructors who run patrons through fun and challenging Zumba, kickboxing, kids’ dance classes, and yoga workouts to help patrons stay in better shape than a buff geometry teacher. The skating rink also hosts kids’ birthday parties and has a snack bar where skaters can refuel with sodas and pizza.

Vibrant colors coat walls surrounding the glossy rinks at ERDU Skate-A-Rama , where experienced staff members monitor skaters of all ages in a family-friendly environment. Equipped with rented wheels, skaters glide along smooth surfaces under colorful lights to the beat of lively music. Their family members, perched along the rink's perimeter, watch or take bets on who can do a figure eight the fastest.

Skaters can take a break from four-wheeled footwear to play arcade games at some locations or silence rumbling stomachs with bites of pizza or other snacks, such as cones from the ice-cream shop, at ERDU Skate-a-Rama, which serves up swirls of soft serve doused with fudge.

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.

The Polo Fields Golf Course & Country Club encompasses two locations—one in Ann Arbor and one in Ypsilanti—each with its own 18-hole course and refined clubhouse. Designed by renowned architect William Newcomb, the par 72 Ann Arbor course channels the blustery hillocks and grass-eating bagpipes of courses in the United Kingdom with a 6,828-yard layout featuring broad, links-inspired fairways and deviously slick greens. A community fixture for nearly a century, the Washtenaw course takes clubbers on a verdant voyage among native oaks and cedars, burbling streams, and tranquil ponds. Both sites house fully stocked pro shops, where guests can peruse the latest in on-course duds, clubs, hats, and remote-controlled golf balls from brands such as TaylorMade, Adidas, FootJoy, and Titleist.

Guests can bask in views of the splendid links while enjoying regionally inspired American fare and frothy drinks at the clubs’ two dining facilities, both of which feature settings for a variety of occasions. Swimmers can stroke through the outdoor lap pool at the Washtenaw location, and sunbathers can lounge by the colossal, resort-style pool in Ann Arbor. Within the Ann Arbor fitness center, hearts race on elliptical machines, muscles pump free weights, and calories melt during group fitness classes, before muscles soak in the warm, golf-ball-free waters of the hot tub.

Ann Arbor Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 72 course
• Length of 6,828 yards from the farthest tees
• Course rating of 73.3 from the farthest tees
• Slope rating of 141 from the farthest tees
• Four tee options
• Link to scorecard

Washtenaw Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 72 course
• Length of 6,524 yards from the farthest tees
• Course rating of 71.7 from the farthest tees
• Slope rating of 135 from the farthest tees
• Four tee options
• Link to scorecard