Looking for free things to do near Detroit, Michigan? If you’ve got a library card, you can checkout a Michigan Activity Pass – and we’ve found dozens of FREE places you can go with that pass!
Have you heard of the Michigan Activity Pass?! If you live in Michigan, this one printable pass can get you FREE admission (or cheap tickets) to over 400 venues across the state, including museums, cultural destinations, National Parks, state parks, campgrounds and more!
You can print the Michigan Activity Pass from the comfort of your own home. Click here for detailed, step-by-step instruction guide that will show you how to check out these passes.
To organize the 440+ locations you can visit with a Michigan Activity Pass, we’ve organized our list by nearest major city. There may be some overlap between regions, since I’m somewhat unfamiliar with Michigan geography. If you’re looking for something fun to do in another area of Michigan, please click here to see our complete Michigan Activity Pass list.
This list includes free stuff to do in Napoleon, Northville, Onstead, Ortonville, Pinckney, Plymouth, Pontiac, Port Huron, Rochester Hills, Royal Oak, Saline, Tipton, Troy, Waterford, Wayne, West Bloomfield and Ypsilanti.
Click here to view our list for other Michigan cities!
Napoleon
Skydive Tecumseh – $20 off
Skydive Tecumseh is Michigan’s #1 longest running drop zone! They realize that skydiving is intimidating and they endeavor to make everyone feel welcome whether they’re flying for the first or 500th time!
Michigan Activity Pass holders receive a $20 discount on the regular price of a Tandem Skydive or Accelerated Freefall (AFF) First Jump Course.
Northville
Maybury State Park – FREE
Outdoor recreation is a blast at Maybury State Park! With 1,000 acres of varied landscapes, including a lake, open meadow, mature forest and rolling hills, there’s something for everyone!
Mill Race Historical Village – FREE
This historical village features an inn, blacksmith shop, school, church, gazebo, rustic wooden bridge, interurban station and several historical homes. You can get FREE admission and a 10% discount on the two Northville History books sold at the general store!
Onsted
Hayes State Park – FREE
In the heart of the Irish Hills, Hayes State Park is an ideal location for fishing, boating and other outdoor recreational opportunities. You can spend the day here for free with your MAP pass!
Ortonville
Ortonville Recreation Area – FREE
Explore 5,430 acres with wooded hills and river access at Ortonville Recreation Area! You can visit free for the day with your MAP pass!
Pinckney
Lakelands Trail State Park – FREE
Lakelands Trail State Park provides 13 miles of linear trail. Hiking, bicycling and wheelchair use is authorized for the north side and horseback riding is authorized on the south side. Motorized vehicles and hunting are prohibited. Enjoy one free day on the trail with your Michigan Activity Pass!
Pinckney Recreation Area – FREE
Welcome to backpacking paradise! The 11,000 acres of Pinckney Recreation Area provide ample opportunities for backpacking, mountain biking, angling and other recreation. An extensive trail system and chain of fantastic fishing lakes make this a wonderful place for a remote back-country experience! Visit all day FREE with your MAP pass!
Plymouth
Michigan Philharmonic – 2-for-1 tickets
The Michigan Philharmonic has won 19 ASCAP Awards! Enjoy two tickets for the price of one to select events with your Michigan Activity Pass.
Plymouth Historical Museum – $2 off
Travel back in time and explore th growth of American industry, the advent of the railroad and the invention of the automobile. With your Michigan Activity Pass, you’ll get $2 off adult admission and free admission for children 12 and under with an adult!
Pontiac
Art Experience – FREE
Michigan Access Pass holders can receive one free open studio visit! At the Open Studio, visitors of all ages are invited to paint, draw, collage or otherwise create with basic fine-art materials. Skilled and knowledgeable staff are on-site to assist you. These visits usually cost at least $5, depending on materials used.
Oakland County Pioneer and Historical Society – 50% off
The former estate of Governor Moses Wisner is now the Oakland County Pioneer Museum. Explore the Wisner mansion, outdoor summer kitchen, outhouse, smokehouse, root cellar, Dayton Plains One Room School House, Carriage House, Research Library and Pioneer Museum. With your Michigan Activity Pass, you’ll get 50% off admission to any lecture or event.
Pontiac Creative Arts Center – 20% off
Get 20% off any eight week class during PCAC’s Fall, Winter or Spring terms! You can also get 20% off one week of the PCAC’s Summer Confetti Camp program.
Port Huron
Huron Lady Tour Boat Cruises – $2 off
The Huron Lady Tour Boat Cruises offer public narrated sightseeing tours, special event cruises and charters. With a Michigan Activity Pass, you’ll get $2 off your cruise tickets. Children four and under sail for just $1!
Knowlton’s Ice Museum of North America – 2-for-1 admission
Ice harvesting was one of America’s 10 largest industries at one time! At Knowlton’s Ice Museum, you’ll see one of the largest collections of ice tools and implements from the early 1800’s to the early 1900s. With your Michigan Activity Pass, you’ll get one free admission with one paid admission!
Rochester Hills
Meadowbrook Hall – $5 off
Visit the historic home built by Matilda Dodge Wilson, one of the automotive aristocracy’s most renowned ladies. This home cost $4 million to build in the 1920s and it showcases one of the best examples of Tudor-revival architecture in the entire United States. With your Michigan Activity Pass, you can get $5 off admission for up to four people.
Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm – 2-for-1 admission
The Rochester Hills Museum is located in the historic Stoney Creek Village. It includes the 1840 Van Hoosen Farm House, the 1848 Stoney Creek Schoolhouse, the 1850 Red House, the 1927 Calf Barn, the 1927 Van Hoosen Dairy Barn and 16 acres of landscaped grounds. An award-winning Children’s Garden is also on site. With your MAP pass, you can get one free admission with the purchase of one admission.
Royal Oak
Stagecrafters Baldwin Theatre – 25% off
Stagecrafters provides award-winning shows at the historic Baldwin Theatre in downtown Royal Oak. These Broadway-quality shows are provided at affordable prices, especially to Michigan Activity Pass holders! You’ll get 25% off the ticket price to the first Thursday performance of any Main Stage, youth Theater or 2nd Stage production. There’s a limit of 5 tickets per MAP Pass.
Saline
Rentschler Farm Museum – 10% discount
Visit a functional family farm dating back to 1930! With live sheep, pigs, chickens and geese, you’ll enjoy the livestock and the unique architectural styles of the farmhouse. You’ll get a 10% discount in the gift shop with your MAP pass!
Saline Railroad Depot Museum – FREE
Enjoy FREE admission to the Saline Railroad Depot, including the freight house, telegraph, passenger facilities and more!
Tipton
Hidden Lake Gardens – 2-for-1 admission
Wander 755 acres of gardens and arboretums in the Irish Hills. Impressive collections of dwarf conifers, hosta, bonsai, and other flowers, trees and shrubs are interspersed with six miles of paved roads and 15 miles of hiking trails. With your Michigan Activity Pass, you’ll get one free admission with one paid admission.
Troy
Stage Nature Center – FREE
Explore 100 acres of pristine Michigan native lands for FREE! There are nearly two miles of hiking trails available in four separate loops. The interpretive visitors center features a Mastodon Dig Site, children’s activity area and a reptile wall! A thriving beehive is also available for observation. Visit FREE with your Michigan Activity Pass!
Troy Historic Village – FREE
Kids get in FREE with paying adults! Experience the thirteen charming buildings of the Troy Historic Village, including the Settler’s Cabin, Caswell House, Poppleton School, General Store, Print Shop, Wagon Shop, Old Troy Church, Town Hall and Village Store. All this can be found on the five acre Village Green with large trees, flower gardens and picnic tables.
Waterford
Dodge #4 State Park – FREE
Summer and winter activities abound here along Cass Lake’s one-mile shoreline. Enjoy the sandy beach and other opportunities just one mile from Waterford Township!
Pontiac Lake Recreation Area – FREE
Pontiac Lake Recreation Area includes marshes, ponds, forests, farm fields, river bottoms, lakes, and a shooting range. You can visit all day FREE with your MAP pass!
Waterford Historic Village – FREE
Travel back in time to the early 20th Century at this replicated village. Get free admission and a 20% discount in the gift shop with your Michigan Activity Pass!
Wayne
Wayne Historical Museum – FREE
Transport yourself back to horse-and-buggy times with FREE admission to the Wayne Historical Museum! The museum is tucked inside a historical two-story building built in 1878.
West Bloomfield
Adventure Park at West Bloomfield – $5 off
The whole Adventure Park is basically an obstacle course in the trees! It is basically a network of platforms and challenges throughout the trees. Zip lines, climbing, challenge bridges and more are organized into 10 different aerial challenges. The most difficult is 55 feet in the air!
Michigan Activity Pass holders receive $5 off the regular admission price. The discount does not apply for special events or holidays.
Berman Center for the Performing Arts – Discounts
Attend a performance at the Berman, a world-class theater that showcases the Jewish Community Center’s events and programs! With your Michigan Activity Pass, you’ll receive the Jewish Community Center member rate on all applicable performances.
Chaldean Cultural Center Museum – 15% off purchases
Explore over 5,000 years of Chaldean history, from ancient Mesopotamia to today! The Chaldean Cultural Center Museum invites Michigan Activity Pass holders to save 15% on purchases in the museum gift shop.
Ypsilanti
826michigan – FREE
This learning center helps school-age children learn how to write confidently and skillfully with the assistance of adult volunteers. All students between the ages of 6 and 18 years old can participate. Please contact the location for details regarding their Michigan Activity Pass deals.
Michigan Firehouse Museum – FREE
Appreciate firefighting history with engaging exhibits. Limit one free admission per family. Not valid on holidays.
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Nicole Thelin
Nicole is the founder and lead researcher of Low Income Relief. After a personal experience with poverty and homelessness following her husband's sudden medical discharge from the U.S. Army, Nicole discovered the life-changing impact of community resources. This experience ignited her passion for empowering others to navigate similar crises. Nicole launched her writing career at age 16, working for various newspapers and publications. Her commitment to in-depth research and accessible content has been recognized by Google for Publishers and other industry leaders. For over 20 years, she has applied her investigative skills to uncover the most helpful, up-to-date information on benefits programs and community resources, ensuring Low Income Relief maintains the most extensive resource databases available.