Discover the exciting and amazingly vibrant city of Novi, Michigan. From the safe atmosphere to plentiful job opportunities, quality schools, and even larger downtown districts offering boutiques, restaurants, and entertainment for any budget or preference, Novi has countless permutations of excitement. From the premier Twelve Oaks Mall shopping destination to annual festivals in the area, this city ensures a truly unique mix of pastimes to explore even during the pandemic.
Explore Novi’s Parks and Recreational Areas
Novi, Michigan is a great place to live with its low crime rates, employment opportunities, and quality schools. But there’s more to the city than just those stats – Novi has a rich culture and plenty of places to explore. In this article, readers will be able to get a deeper look into what life in Novi is really like, including some of its best parks and other fun activities. Get ready to discover everything that makes living in Novi such an exciting and rewarding experience!
Popular Downtown Areas Near Novi
Novi is centrally located in a few other cities with wonderful downtown areas that locals love to frequent. Just 15 minutes west is South Lyon, boasting a vibrant downtown area with its popular Lyon Grill Restaurant. Fifteen minutes east is Farmington with local shops, bars, and the beautiful Farmington Civic Theatre. Five minutes south of Novi is Northville, home to great local shops and excellent dining options such as Lucy & the Wolf. During the pandemic, they created the Northville Downtown Social District, a popular destination for food, drinks, and games that continues today. Year-round, there are many enjoyable festivals in this area.
Shopping at Twelve Oaks Mall
Novi is a great shopping destination, boasting the largest shopping mall in southeast Michigan – Twelve Oaks Mall. Spanning two floors and 1.5 million square feet of retail space, visitors will find 180 stores, 30 restaurants including The Cheesecake Factory and Sedona Taphouse, plus 7,000 parking spots. Located across the parking lot is Toasted Oak Grill & Market, which has become a local favorite. From special events such as photos with Santa to everyday shopping, Twelve Oaks Mall is the ultimate destination for any shopping enthusiast.
Shopping and Grocery Options
Novi, Michigan is a great city for families to enjoy. To start, Twelve Oaks Mall and Twelve Mile Crossing at Fountain Walk offer a great variety of restaurants, bars, stores, and entertainment options, including Emagine Theater, BATL Axe Throwing, Escape Room, and Full Throttle Adrenaline Park. The West Oaks Shopping Centers provide even more shopping experiences with stores like Kohl’s, Bed Bath & Beyond, Old Navy, Nordstrom Rack, and many more. Big box stores such as Kroger, Meijer, Walmart, Target, Sam’s Club, and Gordon Food Service are ideal for grocery shopping while local stores Busch’s Fresh Food Market, Better Health Market, Pande Indian Grocers, Sangdoe Korean Market, and One World Market offer unique international fare. Trader Joe’s, Meijer, Aldi, and two separate Costo Wholesale markets are just outside the city border.
Furthermore, Michigan State University’s Tollgate Farm and Education Center provides 160 acres of managed land and offers wonderful programs for kids like summer and winter camps and activities such as farming, wildlife, beekeeping, and more. Special events are also hosted there, like seasonal night hikes, Maple Fest, Pumpkin Fest, Holiday Lights, and much more. Novi is truly an amazing place to visit and learn about the world around us.
Pavilion Shore Park
Novi offers an impressive Park System, with over a dozen parks and 1,400+ acres of parkland. Pavilion Shore Park is particularly noteworthy, as it sits on the site that was once the Walled Lake Amusement Park and Walled Lake Casino; under the protection of the Pavilion Shore Conservancy, this park boasts several trails for biking and walking, a picnic area, a pier for fishing and much more. Lakeshore Park offers sand volleyball, a beach with swimming, horseshoe pits, BBQs, picnic shelters, play structures, and over 10 miles of mountain biking and multi-purpose trails. Wildlife Woods Park features 50 acres of fields and wooded land, a picnic shelter that can be rented, an athletic space for soccer, softball, tennis, and basketball, open field space, and an outdoor exercise area with 8 equipment units, allowing up to 18 people to exercise at one time – including wheelchair accessibility and four pickleball courts.
Perfect Location for Soccer Enthusiasts
Bosco Fields is the newest addition to Novi’s parks, located at 11 Mile and Beck. It is a 13-field soccer park with exciting plans for a splash pad in the future. It is the perfect place for soccer enthusiasts to come together and have some fun on the fields. With its great location, this park is sure to be a favorite in no time.
The ITC Community Sports Park is one of Novi’s most cherished jewels. Located at the corners of Eight Mile and Napier Road, this park is renowned for its premier soccer and baseball tournaments, as well as its tennis and basketball courts. Visitors can enjoy the park’s one picnic shelter which is available to be rented for gatherings or to use all year round. Additionally, two play structures are located near each entrance of the park, making it a great destination for families all season long. The ITC Corridor Trail is another exciting feature of the ITC Park. This 4.5-mile trail connects the Ascension Providence Hospital campus to the ITC Sports Park and eventually will link regional facilities such as Maybury Park, the I-275 Corridor, and Hines Park in Northville, Livonia, and Westland with parks in Novi. It is an incredible way for people to explore the area safely by foot or bike.
Annual Community Events in Novi
Novi is a great place to live, not only for the beautiful parks it has to offer but also for the many annual community events that take place each year. Spring Palooza at the Novi Civic Center is an exciting, carnival-themed family event with live entertainment, police and fire demonstrations, outdoor games, food, and more. The Memorial Day Parade is another popular celebration in Novi. Additionally, the Michigan State Fair takes place over Labor Day Weekend at the Novi Suburban Collection Showplace, which is also home to various shows and conventions throughout the year, including the Motor City Comic Con in October. Fuerst Park hosts the Fuerst Festive Nights each December, complete with holiday light strolls, food vendors, carolers, visits with Santa, and more. For additional information on these and other parks within Novi, please see the interactive map below.
Novi is a great place to live and enjoy. Residents can explore its culture, shop at some of the area’s best malls, and enjoy entertainment options like festivals and the Northville Downtown Social District year-round. With its low crime rate and job opportunities, the city offers much more than what meets the eye. The combination of all these attributes makes living in Novi a unique and enjoyable experience for all.
