Visit the city of Pontiac, the seat of Oakland County, for an entertaining glimpse into a lesser-known part of Metro Detroit. The historic town was once the destination for pioneers heading west in America and still bears the hallmarks of those first explorers. Today it is a compact city offering varied attractions for families exploring the Detroit region.
Get a sense of Michigan’s rich history as a frontier state at the Pine Grove Museum. This sprawling, 4.5-acre (1.8-hectare) museum consists of several smaller attractions, including the Governor Wisner Historical House, a Greek revival-style mansion built in the mid 1800s.
Learn about the region’s first European settlers at the Pioneer Museum, which displays farming artifacts from the early 19th century. Farmers first established homes here in 1818, marking Pontiac as one of Michigan’s first inland settlements.
Discover the city’s artistic spirit in the Pontiac Creative Arts Center. The center hosts changing exhibitions dedicated to the work of painters, sculptors and photographers from Oakland County.
Enjoy active fun with the whole family at Waterford Oaks County Park. Hike along scenic trails or take part in BMX racing and volleyball matches. Nearby, Planet Rock offers thrilling climbing walls at different heights to suit climbers of all abilities.
Pick up fresh, seasonal groceries at the Oakland County Market. This vast shopping space hosts more than 100 vendors and welcomes over 300,000 visitors every year.
Brave the terrors of the Erebus Haunted Attraction, a four-story building that is said to actually be haunted. The fun, fear-filled attraction is a 0.5-mile (0.8-kilometer) journey with creatures jumping out, grabbing and terrifying visitors.
Drive north of downtown Detroit for 30 minutes to reach Pontiac or take a train to the centrally located Amtrak station. Oakland County International Airport is a 20-minute drive west of the city center. For cooler and less humid weather than in summer months, visit the Detroit metropolitan area in late spring and early fall.
