Ypsilanti, 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.

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.

The Links at Whitmore Lake challenges seasoned swingers and golf greenhorns alike with 18 diverse holes spanning meticulously manicured fairways. The picturesque course, designed by William Newcomb, boasts arbor-lined greens, five boardwalks, and scenic water hazards along 254 acres, nearly one-half of which is protected wetlands. Golfers can hone their skills while chipping out of pesky sand traps and tremor holes, and masterfully avoid stepping on cracks that break mothers' backs by rolling over them in the included golf cart.

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

Designed in 1989 by architect Harley Hodges, Pine View Golf Course sends golfers weaving through forests of towering Michigan pines, attempting a variety of shots using most of the clubs in their bags. Players choose from five sets of tees, varying the Championship course from as short as 4,101 yards from the green tees up to 6,490 from the blues. Golfers first traverse wide fairways that forgive slight errors in the front nine, then take on the back nine—known as "Rolling Pines" because of the large tree trunks that regularly roll across the course at incredible speed. Difficulty intensifies noticeably after the turn, as players must flex their par 5 prowess on the 10th and 18th holes.

Though only one body of water rests on the front nine of the Championship course, Pine View's third nine, known as "Little Pines," features water much more prominently. This relatively short par 30 test makes for a great introduction to the game, as players lob shots over ponds and streams or fit golf balls with goggles and send them to explore the depths.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 72 course
• Total length of 6,490 yards from the back tees
• Course rating of 71.6 from the back tees
• Course slope of 126 from the back tees
• Five sets of tees per hole
• Scorecard