Greater Flint has some pretty great things to do … for FREE! Culture, history, outdoor fun – here’s a sample of fun things to do throughout the winter months and beyond.
Indoor Fun
Buckham Gallery
121 W. 2nd St., Flint
810.239.6233
Hours: Wednesday-Friday, 11am-6pm
Saturday 11am-5pm, Sunday 1pm-5pm
(closed the Sunday before 2nd Friday Art Walk)
Art Walk Hours: 6-9pm, 2nd Fridays
Open Mic: 7pm, 1st Fridays
Flint Institute of Arts (FIA)
1120 E. Kearsley St., Flint
810.234.1695
Hours: Monday-Saturday, 10am-5pm
Sunday 1-5pm
Flintarts.org
Enjoy Free Saturdays Sponsored by Huntington!
Kettering University Archives
Durant-Dort Factory One
303 W. Water St., Flint
810.777.5101
Hours: Monday-Friday, 10am-4pm
Gmfactoryone.com
Housed within a nearly 10,000-square-foot, climate-controlled space on Factory One’s first floor, this new research library is available to the public. It is also open for tours and other outreach programs (reservations required).
Whaley Historic House Museum
624 E. Kearsley St., Flint
810.471.4714
Tours: 1st & 3rd Saturdays, 10am-1pm
(Also by appointment)
Visitors get a look back into the lives of Flint residents of a bygone era at this Victorian home. On the one-hour tour, you are transported to America’s Gilded Age and learn about the Whaley family, American culture, politics and the city of Flint during the final decades of the nineteenth century.
Sloan Museum at Courtland Center
4190 E. Court St., Burton
While the facility in the Flint Cultural Center is renovated (re-opens late 2021), Sloan Museum is located inside Courtland Center, accessible through the Court St. entrance, right next to El Cozumel Mexican Grill. Genesee County residents receive free general admission to the play area and historic vehicles exhibit. To receive your discount, present your driver’s license or ID with your address on it.
Durand Union Station / Michigan Railroad History Museum
200 S. Railroad St., Durand
989.288.3561
Museum Hours: Tues-Fri 1-5pm,
Sat. 10am-5pm, Sun. 1-5pm
durandstation.org/
This 114-year-old historic building is one of the most photographed train depots in the United States and the home of the Michigan Railroad History Museum, an educational and entertaining source of Michigan’s rich railroad history. The museum gallery features new exhibits several times per year to pay tribute to the colorful heritage of the railroader and to the contribution of Michigan’s railroads to lumber, mining, agriculture and industry.
Kids Bowl Free Program @ Richfield Bowl
5340 Richfield Rd., Flint
810.736.4880
kidsbowlfree.com
Registered kids receive 2 FREE games each day of the KBF program all summer long, valued at over $500 per child!
Rollhaven Skating Center
5315 S. Saginaw Rd., Flint
rollhaven.com
810.694.4533
kidsskatefree.com/rollhaven
Passes valid for children 12 years old and younger. Skate/Blade Rental included for Friday 4-6:30pm & Saturday 10:30am-12:30pm sessions, October thru May. (Saturday session is for ages 10 & under only.)
Outdoor Fun
Community Skating
UM-Flint Ice Rink
Through February 28, 2020
Hours: Wednesdays 6-9pm, Fridays 5-8pm,
Sat/Sun Noon-4pm
Weather permitting – call 810.762.3441 to confirm rink status and hours. Rink is cleared periodically for resurfacing. Grab your skates (if you have a pair) or skate rental is available for $3 inside University Pavilion (limited sizes and quantities).
Barrier-Free Boating on Otter Lake
810.793.1674
barrierfreeboating.org
Available May 15-September 30
This 501(c)3 organization provides the use of a pontoon boat, free of charge, for physically disabled individuals and their families, veteran’s groups, group homes and youth organizations to enjoy the activities of boating and fishing. The custom-made, barrier-free, 22-foot South Bay watercraft is designed to accommodate up to three wheelchairs and a maximum of 1,550 pounds.
Flint Bike Share
Trips under 1 hour are FREE ($2/hour, $16 max)
Bikes can be found via the free Zagster Mobile App (available for iPhone and Android) or online at zagster.com/flint. Each bike has a unique number which riders enter into the app to obtain a single-use code to open the lockbox on the back of the bike. (Alternatively, riders can obtain unlock codes via text message.) A key, stored inside and tethered to the lockbox, allows the bike to be locked and unlocked throughout a ride. Riders return the bikes to a designated Zagster bike station, the rental ends and the bike is available for the next person to enjoy. Locations include: Flint Cultural Center, Flint Farmers’ Market, Genesee County Parks, MTA, UM-Flint, University Pavillion & Rec Center.
Disc Golf
Goldenrod Disc Golf Course
6405 Irish Rd., Davison
810.736.7100
Managed by Genesee County Parks and Recreation, this course is open year-round! Play this 18-basket course and see who on your team can complete each basket in the fewest number of strokes or throws. Players must bring their own equipment. Check website for hours of operation.
Mott Park Recreation Disc Golf Course
2701 Nolen Dr., Flint
Email: mpraa@comcast.net
This 18-hole disc golf course opened in October 2017 on the grounds of the former Mott Park Golf Course. The course layout was designed with input from the city’s local disc golf association, the Flint Town Flyerz, and built by Kettering University students and the University Corridor Coalition.
For The Nature Lover
For-Mar Nature Preserve & Arboretum
2142 N. Genesee Rd., Burton
810.736.7100
Hours: Daily 8am-5pm
When you need to lose yourself in nature’s beauty, there’s nothing quite like the 383 picturesque acres of For-Mar Nature Preserve & Arboretum. This former dairy farm was donated by Forbes and Martha Merkley to create For-Mar, which opened in 1970. Scattered throughout the grounds are meadows, wetlands, ponds and plenty of trees. Hikers enjoy numerous miles of trails and a collection of gardens. The expansive, 116-acre Arboretum is Level II Accredited by ArbNet and contains over 1,800 woody specimens representing 157 species (as of 2015). In the Visitor’s Center, get a hands-on experience with live animals and learn how flora and fauna coexist in a healthy ecosystem. Rich educational experiences can be had all over the grounds.
Sutherland Nature Sanctuary
3960 Diehl Rd., Metamora
248.627.5815
Doris Sutherland bought this 75-acre property in the 1960s and had trees planted to help nature begin to heal itself after a century of logging and farming. The mission of the Sanctuary is to provide education, enjoyment, and outdoor nature experience for the public. Managed for 16 years by the Lapeer Land Conservancy, the habitats include many forests, a wet forest with Red and Silver Maples, maturing Spruce, Red and White Pine tracts, cattail marsh, sedge, dogwood and willow wetland, two ponds, a small stream and prairie.
Robert Williams Nature & Historical Learning Center
10069 Atherton Rd., Davison
810.214.1810
Hours: Daily, 7am-5pm
The original 100-acre parcel of land was donated to Davison Township by Robert and Jill Williams to be used for the enrichment of the Davison community to preserve nature, history and provide educational opportunities for residents. Visit the Davison Township Historical Museum and Karen Miller Event Center, which houses the Department of Parks and Recreation events, and outdoor education programs.
