Local Community
Oakland University is located in Oakland County located in southeast Michigan. One of the most prosperous counties in the United States, Oakland County is home to Fortune 500 companies, year-round recreation, entertainment, shopping, and cultural and social opportunities. Together, all this makes Oakland County a great place to live, work and go to school.
Attractions
Art Center
Paint Creek Center for the Arts is a nonprofit community art center that provides a variety of studio art classes for children and adults, a year-round exhibition schedule of contemporary fine art and the annual Art & Apples Festival.
Art Museum
The sixth-largest fine arts museum in the United States, The Detroit Institute of Arts, houses more than 60,000 works and is located in downtown Detroit.
Cider Mills
Goodson, Paint Creek, Rochester and Yates cider mills all are located in Oakland County and offer seasonal opportunities for outings.
Concerts
A variety of concerts and special events are held at the The Palace of Auburn Hills, DTE Energy Music Theatre and the Meadow Brook Music Festival.
Historical Museums
The Henry Ford, located in Dearborn, is the nation's largest indoor/outdoor history museum, which includes 88 acres of historic homes and buildings spanning 300 years of American history. The Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm, located in Stoney Creek Village, a 16-acre museum complex dating back to 1823, has exhibits that highlight the settlement, agriculture, industry and cultural evolution of the greater Rochester area.
Historical Sites
Besides Meadow Brook Hall on OU’s campus, there are a number of historical sites in the area including Olde World Canterbury Village in Lake Orion, which is the former farm of newspaper publisher Howard Scripps.
Sporting Events
You can attend sporting events on campus, or a short drive away is The Palace of Auburn Hills for Detroit Pistons men's basketball.
Zoo
The Detroit Zoo is located not too far away in Royal Oak.
Recreation
Downhill Skiing
Three downhill skiing resorts are located in Oakland County.
Golf Courses
Parks
Besides the many city and township parks, Oakland County has 11 different county parks and 8 state parks that offer year-round recreation including camping, hiking, swimming, boating, fishing, golfing, biking, picnicking, cross-country skiing, ice skating and ice fishing.
Recreation Trail
The trailhead for the 8.5-mile Paint Creek Trail, which is a non-motorized recreation trail for hiking, biking, cross-country skiing and horseback riding, is located in downtown Rochester.
Shopping
- Many close-by neighborhoods offer shopping districts such as Rochester, Birmingham and Royal Oak.
- The Village of Rochester Hills, an outdoor shopping center with several restaurants and upscale shops, is located next to Oakland’s campus.
- Four major shopping malls also are located near Oakland’s campus including Great Lakes Crossing, Lakeside Mall, Oakland Mall, and The Somerset Collection.
- Olde World Canterbury Village extends over 21 acres and contains the Kings Court Castle restaurant and 18 specialty shops, including Always Christmas, a 90,000-square-foot, year-round Christmas store.
Hotels & Motels
The Royal Park Hotel, 600 E. University Drive in Rochester, has partnered with Oakland University to serve as the university’s preferred destination for guest lodging and official conference center. This partnership provides OU guests and visitors with first class conference facilities and lodging, while increasingly drawing esteemed visitors to the region and broadening awareness of the Rochester community.
Preferred Partner Hotels
The following hotels are preferred partners of OU Athletics. Ask for OU discounted rates when making a reservation at these places:
Other Hotels Near OU
There are many other places near OU's campus to stay when you visit. See the Metro Travel Guide website for a complete list of places to stay.
Transportation
AirportLIMO
(877) APT-LIMO (278-5466)
Preferred Partner Hotels
The following hotels are preferred partners of OU Athletics. Ask for OU discounted rates when making a reservation at these places:
| Comfort Suites 1565 North Opdyke Road Auburn Hills, Michigan (248) 370-0200 | Hilton Suites 2300 Featherstone Auburn Hills, Michigan (248) 322-2305 |
| Courtyard Bloomfield Hills/Pontiac 3555 Centerpoint Parkway Pontiac, Michigan (800) 230-4134 | Holiday Inn Express 3990 Baldwin Avenue Auburn Hills, Michigan (800) 448-2296 |
| Courtyard by Marriott 1296 Opdyke Road Auburn Hills, Michigan (248) 373-4100 Use code O8I for discounted OU rate | Hyatt Place 1545 North Opdyke Road Auburn Hills, Michigan (248) 475-9393 |
| Crowne Plaza 1500 N. Opdyke Road Auburn Hills, Michigan (248) 373-4550 | Red Roof Inn 2580 Crooks Road Rochester Hills, Michigan (248) 853-6400 |
| Hampton Inn 1461 North Opdyke Road Auburn Hills, Michigan (248) 370-0044 | Sonesta ES Suites 2050 Featherstone Road Auburn Hills, Michigan (248) 322-4600 |
Other Hotels Near OU
There are many other places near OU's campus to stay when you visit. See the Metro Travel Guide website for a complete list of places to stay.
Transportation
AirportLIMO
(877) APT-LIMO (278-5466)
