Sports & Recreation

Sports and Recreation

Downtown Detroit is home to three magnificent venues hosting four professional sports teams: the Detroit Lions (football), the Detroit Tigers (baseball), the Detroit Red Wings (hockey), and the Detroit Pistons (basketball) — and stands as one of America’s greatest most passionate sports cities.

The sporting arenas and parks exist within the same 45-block hub, making downtown Detroit the premier place for sporting events, dining, and entertainment.

The city of Detroit hosted Super Bowl XL at Ford Field and the 2009 NCCA Men’s Division I Basketball Final Four Tournament. It’s no wonder that Detroit region has been voted “Best City for Sports” by USA Today and SportingNews.

Professional Sports Teams

Collegiate Sports

The University of Michigan Wolverines regularly rank at or near the top of the Big Ten Conference. Football ticket sellouts, exceeding 100,000 at every home game, testify to the love of the maize and blue football team. Eastern Michigan University, Oakland University, the University of Detroit Mercy, and Wayne State University are also NCAA colleges located in Metro Detroit with excellent athletic departments that provide exciting action. For game schedules or more information, contact the school athletic departments directly.

Amateur Sports

From thrilling soccer and roller derby matches to community rugby clubs, the Detroit region has opportunities to experience non-traditional sporting events for every type of athlete.

Detroit City FC (DCFC) is a Detroit-based soccer club founded in 2012 that plays in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL). DCFC plays its home games at Keyworth Stadium in Hamtramck. The club’s rapid growth in popularity is shown through its doubled operating budget for the 2015 season, its corporate sponsorships from Metro Detroit Chevy Dealers, Flagstar Bank, and Henry Ford Health System, and also through the $741,250 raised to renovate and rehabilitate Keyworth Stadium in 2016.

The Detroit Roller Derby is the premier roller derby league in the state of Michigan and offers a fun and meaningful experience for fans and participants. The league also prepares participants for national and international competitions. You can watch the Detroit Roller Derby at the Masonic Temple in Detroit.

Watch or participate in a rugby match with the Detroit Tradesmen or the Detroit Rugby Football Club, two programs dedicated to holding exciting events and giving back to youth and communities in Southeast Michigan.

Parks and Recreation Areas

There are hundreds of municipal and county parks in the Detroit region, in addition to 13 metro parks, 10 state parks, 14 state recreation areas and 17 state game areas. All of these parks offer a variety of facilities, including swimming areas, boating, golf courses and ranges, biking/hiking trails, fishing, skating and winter sports. The region is also home to four water parks, if you are looking to take a ride on a wave, swim in a pool, or slide down a giant water slide.

Located in the city of Detroit, Belle Isle Park is the largest city island park in the United States. Belle Isle offers a variety of facilities including the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory, Belle Isle Nature Center, and the Dossin Great Lakes Museum.

The metro parks are well-maintained and offer year-round outdoor recreation. Springtime offers trees and flowers in bloom while fall shows beautiful colors along the nature trails. Take a swim in a sparkling lake during the summer months and enjoy ice-skating and cross-country skiing in the winter.

For more information on the parks in regional Detroit, follow the links below:

Golf

Golfing

Michigan has more public golf courses than any other state in the nation. In the Detroit region, there are 170 public golf courses with over 2,600 holes and 59 private courses. For more information on Michigan golfing, visit www.michigan.org/golfing.

Boating

Boating

In Michigan, you are never more than six miles from a lake or stream. Michigan has 3,121 miles of Great Lakes shoreline (more than any other state except Alaska), 11,037 inland lakes and 38,575 miles of rivers and streams. Michigan has more than 1,406 public access sites, 758 marinas, 684 marine dealers, 41 boat manufacturers and 85 Great Lakes recreational harbors.

More than 40% of all Michigan residents boat. Boating offers something for everyone, including fishing, skiing, cruising, family fun, and entertainment or overnight trips. Michigan currently has 973,690 registered boats, more than any state for more than 15 years running.

Festivals

The Detroit region is home to many festivals and community events that improve resident quality of life. Listed below are some of the most prominent festivals.

  • Arts, Beats, and Eats: The festival is a celebration of the quality of life in Oakland County, featuring family entertainment at low cost with presentations of musicians, artists and culinary exhibits in downtown Royal Oak. The festival offers over 200 performances on 10 stages, a fine arts show and cuisine presented by local restaurants.
  • Detroit River Days: Held along the banks of the Detroit River, the festival celebrates summer with music, family activities, great food, the boat Parade of Lights, a carnival, Pooch-A-Palooza and fun on the water.
  • Hart Plaza: Located in downtown Detroit, the Plaza features many festivals and activities throughout the year. To view the current events calendar, click here.
  • Michigan Renaissance Festival: The festival is held annually in Holly. Each weekend presents a different theme such as the Royal Ale Festival and the Harvest Huzzah; along with special events, the feast of fantasy, queen’s tea and others. The festival offers many attractions with an artisan marketplace, theater, and live music.
  • The Woodward Dream Cruise: More than 40,000 stunning cars cruise Woodward Avenue from Pontiac to Ferndale, through Bloomfield Hills and Royal Oak, during the Woodward Dream Cruise: a celebration of classic car culture attracting over 1 million visitors to the Metro-Detroit area. The cities of Berkley, Bloomfield Township, Ferndale, Huntington Woods, Pontiac and Royal Oak host events in honor of the Dream Cruise such as classic car shows, family activities and live musical performances.
State of the Region

Learn more about living in the Detroit region.

From sporting events to historical museums, the region has something for everyone to enjoy.

Learn More