Oakland County

Oakland County is in Southeast Michigan.

Cities

Map of Oakland County

42.6875-83.2341671 Auburn Hills
42.546667-83.2113892 Birmingham
42.583611-83.2455563 Bloomfield Hills
42.733611-83.4188894 Clarkston
42.485278-83.3769445 Farmington Hills and Farmington
42.460556-83.1347226 Ferndale
42.52-83.3038897 Franklin
42.480556-83.4755568 Novi
42.646111-83.29259 Pontiac
42.680556-83.13388910 Rochester
42.658056-83.14972211 Rochester Hills
42.488889-83.14277812 Royal Oak
42.473333-83.22166713 Southfield
42.580278-83.14305614 Troy
42.702453-83.40251715 Waterford

Other destinations

West Bloomfield

Understand

Oakland County is diverse in its types of communities. These range from blue-collar to elite communities. It is ranked as one of the richest counties in the United States with over 1 million people.

Talk

English is the predominant language in and around Oakland county, and there are no dialects unique to this area.

Get in

There are many interstate highways leading in and through the county. Charter plane service is provided by Oakland County International Airport and commercial services are provided by Detroit Metropolitan Airport in Wayne County and Bishop International Airport in Genesee County.

Get around

Oakland County is huge! Do not depend on public transportation. A car is needed and if you do not have one, rent one. Also there is limited bus services provided by SMART, which has been expanding services in the region. This includes express routes on major thoroughfares like Woodward.

See

Itineraries

There are plenty of malls and concert venues located throughout Oakland County. Malls of note in the county include Great Lakes Crossings in Auburn Hills and The Somerset Collection in Troy.

Do

If shopping is your thing then head to Somerset Collection. This is a rather upscale mall; be prepared to spend and walk a lot. Somerset Collection is located on Big Beaver (16 Mile Road) and Crooks. North of Somerset in Auburn Hills is Great Lakes Crossing. This outlet mall offers a lot of shopping, a theatre, an aquarium, and plenty of dining. Great Lakes Crossing can be accessed via I-75 exits 83 and 84.

Woodward Dream Cruise. A car fanatic's paradise, this is an informal drive along Woodward Avenue from Ferndale to Pontiac, where anything imaginable can be seen, from Vipers to vintage cruisers to tricked-out garbage trucks. Happens every August at the height of summer.
The Detroit Zoo. The Detroit Zoo has 125 acres of naturalistic habitats for more than 2,000 animals from anteaters to zebras and features award-winning attractions such as the National Amphibian Conservation Center, Great Apes of Harambee and Arctic Ring of Life. The Polk Penguin Conservation Center is the largest facility for penguins in the world.
Michigan Renaissance Festival. Inside turreted gates, visitors enjoy the sights and sounds of a 17-acre village, complete with building reproductions of Renaissance shops, taverns and a magnificent castle. Continuous entertainment takes place on the streets and on 17 themed stages; featuring full-contact armored jousting, comedy and theater shows, music, games, and people-powered rides. Fabulous food and more than 300 artisans displaying their works.
Alpine and Cross Country Skiing. State parks throughout the county offer numerous cross country skiing trails which in the warmer months double as excellent hiking trails. Alpine skiing can be done at several small hills across the county as well. Notable ski hills in the county include Pine Knob in Auburn Hills, Alpine Valley in White Lake, and Mt.Holly in Holly.
Golf. Oakland county offers excellent locations for golfing including driving ranges, numerous public 18 hole courses, as well as numerous private and country club courses. Notable public courses include Glen Oaks in Farmington Hills and Lyon Oaks in Lyon Township. The Links of Novi, which is private has 27 holes, one full and one half course. Oakland Hills Country Club, in Bloomfield Hills boasts the most extraordinary history and future of maybe any course in the county. Oakland Hills has hosted 17 major championships since its founding in 1916.

Eat

There are many places to eat in Oakland County, however if you are into the non-franchise type restaurants try Oakland Grill. It is in Oakland Mall which is on the corner of I-75 and 14 mile Rd. The service is top notch, the food is excellent and the atmosphere is warm and inviting.

Sagebrush Cantina. In Lake Orion on Broadway, this charming restaurant has great atmosphere, amazing food and fantastic service.
Vinsetta Garaga. On Woodward in Berkley, just north of the Detroit Zoo. Fantastic restaurant owned by the same people who own the Clarkston Union. The food is delicious, service is amazing and the atmosphere is top notch.

Drink

If the club/bar scene is your thing then head to downtown Pontiac. Tiki Bob's Cantina, Tonic, Sevin, and Clutch Cargos are some of the popular destinations. There are lots of bars. If you like the more classy atmosphere go to Downtown Birmingham for Blue Martini or Royal Oak.

There are many breweries peppered throughout Oakland County, such as Griffin Claw in Birmingham, Rochester Mills Beer Co. in Rochester, Royal Oak Brewery in Royal Oak, Witch's Hat in South Lyon, and The Woodward Avenue Brewers (stylized The WAB) in Ferndale.

Stay safe

Oakland County is a diverse economic and social landscape, as with any destination, act with caution and understand the areas you are travelling within.

Almost the entirety of Oakland County is safe. increased precaution should be utilized when travelling on the southeast border of the county near 8 Mile Road.

The City of Pontiac has excellent food and recreation during the day and night but caution should be observed and belongings tucked away. Exercise common sense and be aware of surroundings at all times.

Go next

Detroit is pretty neat

This region travel guide to Oakland County is an outline and may need more content. It has a template, but there is not enough information present. If there are Cities and Other destinations listed, they may not all be at usable status or there may not be a valid regional structure and a "Get in" section describing all of the typical ways to get here. Please plunge forward and help it grow!