Sunflower festival was really cute. Cute photo ops, cool new slide. Cons - expensive. They have…read morecertain weekends free for teachers, medical, and military. They also sell tickets 40% off a few weeks in advance. Under 23 months is free but there's still not much to justify a $20 ticket for any kid under 10. Concessions are also expensive but that lemonade was worth it .

All the employees we met and interacted with were fantastic…read more The wide array of activities was great! This is a great place to bring kids of all ages. There are enough activities to keep kids busy for a couple hours. The gardens of course were beautiful and well tended. We did have a couple drinks. Very reasonable alcohol prices. Just a side note, when at the ticket window if you are tall, make sure you duck. I slammed my head pretty hard into the eaves. Also, this was our first time but I expected there would be some kind of market. Fresh veggies and jarred goods. That would send the place over the top.

Welcome to the family owned Three Cedars Farm Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze! Three Cedars Farm was a…read moregreat place for a sorority outing! We reserved Bonfire No. 7 for a perfect fall night for four hours. Three Cedars Farm is definitely an attraction in Northville complete with bonfires, hayrides, a corn maze, and of course apple cider and donuts! The bonfire was a great spot to hang out, put up a tent, grill some burgers and hot dogs and make s'mores. The staff periodically would come by on a cart to drop off more wood. The hayride was a nice short ride from the front of the farm to the back of the farm where the corn maze is located. Tip: I recommend that you bring flashlights and/or lanterns for when the sun goes down to enjoy your bonfire area. There is no light in the corn maze and you will resort to using the flashlight on your phone to try to find the Christmas tree stations in the maze. Don't forget to keep track on the corn maze postcards to turn in at the Donut Hut to be entered into a drawing. The only drawback are teenagers hiding in the corn maze jumping out at people in the dark. I hope no one gets hurt and this continues to be a place for adults and children alike. Also note the Donut Hut closes at 8pm although we were at the bonfire until 10pm. So get your share of cider and donuts early. I think the value of experiencing fresh donuts with hot apple cider sitting around the bonfire was perfect and worth every penny. I would like to go back next fall. Their current attraction is The Country Store complete with photos with Mr. & Mrs. Clause in Santaland for a limited time.

Three Cedars Farm was voted #5 in this year's Vote 4 the Best in the cider mill category, and…read morehonestly, I am a bit baffled. First, this place seems very geared towards kids. Being here during the week was a blessing, as I could observe the almost Disney like nature of the farm. It's like a smaller version of Canterbury Village lol. While the service was very good, their apple cider is probably the worst I've ever tried. Too much like apple juice, lacking in flavor. However, their caramel apple? 20/10 legit the best caramel apple I've every tried, so fresh! They don't try to thwart the bees in the cute seating area, so I had to melt in my car to finish the apple. I'm surprised having lived in Canton for many years I never heard of Three Cedars, and now I am not surprised at all. If you do find yourself here, get a caramel apple!

Holy cow! Year two…read moreof Maker Faire here in Detroit was faboo! Despite the heat everything was just killer. From the outside with their great tents featuring the best local and national techy/creative/innovative organizations and hackerspaces, local businesses selling their wares (t-shirts, food, etc) and amazing things to see and do (like the giant mousetrap, the massive bikes, gokart races, Theatre Bizarre, and the huge ass dragon that spits fire and scared the bejeebus out of my 3 year old cousin) there was plenty going on to make your visit worth your while. Some local eats from Buddy's Pizza, Avalon Breads, and Treat Dreams rounded out the tastes and there were even tunes from local bands in case you wanted your socks rocked off. Adding to the fun was also the indoor displays in the museum. Tickets to the event included entrance to The Henry Ford Museum so not only did you have all that amazingness that they had to offer there were also great MF bits to check out like crafty spaces for kids, tutorials on how to knit/crochet, and the Handmade Detroit section featuring a craft fair from locals selling good from artwork to jewelry, make up and housewares. NEAT! Also loved the free app you could download for the faire. Made the event even more interactive. It included the schedules, maps, and a game wherein you scanned all the checkpoints to enter into a drawing to win some prizes. Totally sweet. Extra props to the cupcake car rolling around and the water swing which I was sincerely sad I didn't get to take a ride on. Next year! I'm already eagerly anticipating their return!

Have been to the Henry Ford Museum many times, but this is a first for the Maker Faire. Lots of…read moreinnovations, crafts for kids, new ideas, & lots of robotics. This year included a large Star Wars & Star Trek exhibition, which was a huge hit. Many people in costumes & photos could be taken with Star Wars characters. There were many outside activities as well: live music, rides, go carts, robotic competition, crazy bikes, etc. The only downside was not too many food places & the few that were there were crowded & only a few places to sit & eat. Also, it was sunny & hot. No water or drink vendors, except for the beer garden. It was fun & different. Would definitely recommend & will go again! Very nice elite event.

Instead of having the full Detroit Symphony Orchestra on a big stage where the base ball games are…read moreplayed while they let about 10,000 watch (tight fit and one I would only do by buying the higher price ticket that comes with a seat and a much closer parking place after doing the field seating ONCE), they had small groups set up around the village. There was also other musicians playing a range of music set up around the village. Some had seats set up, but others you had to bring their own. A few of houses and most of the crafts (glassblowing, pottery...) were open so you could learn about them. They also had a few special exhibits like 1940s home front and 1950s yard mowing. The playground and carousel was open and busy. Since the whole village was open, it didn't feel crowded until you wanted to eat. Very long lines at almost all of them even with the fact they had every one open except the Eagle Tavern. They even had a few pop up stands. While I like the idea and the fact they could still play baseball games on the 4th of July weekend, I did miss seeing the concert and the cannons being set off as part of it. I left before it got dark since I have seen lots of fireworks over the years. That is when I noticed many families that only came for the fireworks parked along the road to the Southfield freeway. Picnicking while they wait. Not sure if the management likes this, but I know those kids in those families do. I will be back next year since it's one of my new traditions so I celebrate instead of mourn. EBS and I spent the 4th at the Village.

We're at Salute to America. Too bad you can no longer bring a picnic dinner. The line for anything…read morebesides a hot dog was two hours long. We were unable to stroll through the village and listen to the various music groups. We didn't get our food int it was time for the concert to begin. I'm hoping they correct that before next year.

Had a great time at this festival. Great music on 2 separate stages. Lots of merchandise to look…read moreat. A few food trucks. Satisfactory alcohol choices. Lots of smiling faces. Plenty of dancing. Biggest downside was the 15 bucks a person to get in. I know I know , not really a bad price if you are hanging out for awhile. Probably won't keep me from going next year so I guess this is a go to place in my book.

I love it. The Irish focus on entertainment and history. With two "tents" of entertainment you…read morealways have a choice of what you wish to see, whether it be bands, Irish dancing, contests, etc. Plenty of "culture" set up all around the place and, of course, plenty of beer. The only nit? They need to get someone there who can serve some traditional Irish fare. It's a bit disappointing to go to an Irish fest and have to choose between pizza, burgers, fish and chips, etc. Where's the Irish fare? Bands are excellent, parking is free and admission is reasonable. We were there from noon to 7 PM on a Saturday and had a great time just walking and watching and listening.

I've attended the Michigan Brewers Guild Summer Beer Festival in previous years and always enjoyed…read morethe experience--but this year was a total letdown and felt deceptive. The event was advertised from 3:00-10:00 PM, but beer service ended abruptly at 6:00 PM, something only mentioned in small print on their website. I had two tasting tickets left and no way to use them. Even vendors we know personally were unaware of the early cutoff and were forced to stop serving. Instead of the usual token system (which could be reused), they switched to dated paper tickets to prevent carryover--making leftover tickets worthless. After 6 PM, there was a massive line at a single tent charging 5-7 tickets for a can of beer, and the rest of the event was just a concert most people weren't there for. The crowd quickly left, including us. To top it off, the event organizer was hiding behind a fence in a trailer rather than being available at the main entrance/exit to address concerns--where guests and even volunteers were openly expressing their disappointment. When I raised my concerns afterward, I received an incredibly unprofessional and personal response from someone on staff who actually insulted me in writing rather than take feedback seriously. Bottom line: If you're expecting a beer festival experience like years past, you may be disappointed. What used to feel like a fun, community-focused event now feels like a cash grab concert series with poor communication and little concern for the guest experience.

Summer Beer Fest is my favorite of all the Michigan Brewer's Guild Festivals and has become a…read moresummer tradition. The weather is great, and the delicious craft beer is plentiful. All of your favorite Michigan craft breweries in one place bringing their A-game! What's not to love?! The atmosphere is great in Ypsilanti's large Riverside Park which is perfect for the event. You are allowed to bring in lawn chairs and people set up "camp" along the Riverfront. Tickets bought in advance online are $45 with $5 service fee for Friday night and $50 with $5 service fee for Saturday. Ticket prices go up the day of the event by $5 but are only sold until around 3 pm online. You can also buy your ticket at the gate, the day of the event for $50, fee free. Tickets often sell out but more likely will sell out for Saturday. Friday night runs from 5-9 pm and Saturday runs from 1 -6 pm giving you an extra hour to taste beers. A large line runs around the park as gates open. You can bring in bottled water and snacks and trust me you will want to stay hydrated so definitely bring water. Every year someone makes everyone in our group pretzel necklaces which are not only a great snack but also a palate cleanser, lol. This year we added Payday candy bars to our pretzel necklaces. There is plenty of parking in lots nearby and parking usually cost $5-$10 With admission to the fest, you receive 15 tokens, a cup, and program listing all the breweries, beers, and map. The program is also posted early online so you can map out which beers you want to try and believe me, as a pro beer snob, I always scope out the program early to strategize which beers I'll try. I even downloaded a beer fest app. All the breweries bring their best, highly sought after and often hard to find beers, to the fest. Founder's CBS, KBS, and almost every variety of New Holland's Dragon's Milk is there. There are also experimental beers just for the festival. There are over 145 breweries and over 1,140 varieties of beer on tap ranging from your tried and true faves to interesting unusual flavors. Over the years I have tried a taco flavored beer, key lime pie, Thai peanut, blueberry pie, maple pancake, French toast, peanut butter bacon, s'mores, and a lot more interesting flavors. Batch usually has beer slushies which I would highly recommend. Their raspberry lemonade gose beer slushie is super refreshing. They had two varieties of beer slushies last year and only tap them at certain times and run out quickly. Another brewery made a porter ice cream beer float. Bell's always has lots of free swag-stickers and buttons and in past year breweries have given out lots of free swag like frisbees and sunglasses and koozies but it seemed like most breweries were only selling merch this year. In past years each brewery had a box where you placed your coin for your beer but this year each brewery had us hand a coin directly to them. Usually the breweries never even ask for a coin but they were very adamant about collecting coins this year. Most beers are one coin, while some beers are two coins and the program specifies which ones. If you need a break from the beer, there is live music. Stone Clover and other bands have played there, and there are bleachers near the music stage. They also have great food there. There are a bunch of tents with food vendors and lots of seating. I love their tacos and the street corn is amazing! I get it every year. Food vendors vary, some are cash only and some will take cash or credit. We also saw contortionists, stilt walkers, and of course the infamous Hop Man who we definitely had to take a picture with. The MBG Summer Beer Fest is a blast! Don't be fooled by other beer fest imitators, the MBG fests are the real deal, and a definite must if you are a beer connoisseur.

I'm not much for haunted houses but I have to say- I really enjoyed myself here. The pumpkin patch…read moreis a nice edition.

We are from California. A couple of friends and I had booked the Ohio Reformatory for a private…read moreinvestigation, and wanted to look for another place nearby. We'd heard good things about Eloise, and attempted to contact them in regards to booking a private investigation. My friend and I both called on a Fri/Sat, and left 3 messages each, on voice mail. Also emailed. Didn't hear back until the following Thursday, via a voice mail. It took them almost a week to get back to us. By this time we had given up, and booked somewhere else. They need to get their act together, and reply to people in a timely manner.

What a cool experience! I like these small yet interesting museums and the Michigan Firehouse…read moreMuseum fit in my wheelhouse. This one was recommended by a firemen in the City I work and I'm glad he suggested it. If you are intrigued by loud and screaming mostly red but sometimes yellow fire trucks like I am coming here was pretty good. The building is a mix of new and old. The new part of the building is a modern looking building and contains most of the apparatus. The older portion is an old fire house that has everything from the pole the firemen came down on to the horse drawn carriages used in the beginning. There are quite a few apparatuses to look at as well as badges and patches of Michigan fire departments. Back in the corner there is a portion of the wall dedicated to the manufacturers of fire trucks (name plates) that I thought took some time and effort. Definitely worth a visit, cost was cheap.

Can I gush, just a little bit, about how well my adopted hometown does with its historical museums?…read moreIn the last few weeks, I have been bowled over by first the Ypsilanti Automotive Heritage Collection, followed by the Ypsilanti Historical Museum in the Asa Dow house, and now the Firehouse Museum. All three are fan-freaking-tastic, at least if you're geeky in that way, which I am. The Michigan Firehouse Museum is housed partially in what was once an Ypsilanti Firehouse, though there's a larger expansion attached to it now. The main showroom contains fire trucks from a variety of eras from all over Michigan. Most of the examples are from southeast Michigan, but I was also enchanted to find an example of a 1950s or 1960s-era firetruck that was originally used in the Upper Peninsula town of Escanaba where I was born and raised. In addition to the firetrucks, there are displays of fire men's caps, badges, and other paraphernalia. The main room also contains a collection of firehouse bells, both full sized and smaller salesmen models. You or your kids can ring them with a wooden mallet so you can hear the different tones. This brings me to the coolest aspect of the museum- there are a variety of hands-on displays. Most museums have a "Look but don't touch" policy, and while that's understandable, it's really fun to be able to touch at least some of the exhibits. The Firehouse Museum has at least four exhibits that I noticed with a hands-on component. In addition to the bells, there are a couple of places where adults or kids can try on firemen's gear, and in the basement, there's an area where kids are invited to learn to tie knots. In addition, the basement also houses one firetruck that's available for touching. You can climb right into the driver's seat if you like. Upstairs in the larger building, there are several auxiliary displays featuring firefighter kitsch, a tribute to firehouse dogs, and a small Smokey the Bear display. There's also a video on a loop and chairs if you want to see a guy explaining the various parts of the fire engines and how they work. The part of the museum that was once an old firehouse holds really old gear, including horse-drawn hose carts. Upstairs, you can see how the firefighters of old lived. There's a restored kitchen and a sleeping quarters, in addition to the firepole. Almost the entire museum is handicapped accessible. The sleeping quarters at the very top of the museum is up a short flight of stairs, but the rest of the building is accessible by elevator. As if all that wasn't enough, there's an extensive collection of firefighter and Dalmatian merchandise that can be purchased, and there's even a Brave Fireman videogame and a firefighter-themed pinball machine in the lobby. This place would be absolutely fabulous for kids. The next time I have my nieces and nephews for a day, I plan to suggest an outing here.