Indoor Sports and Outdoor Adventures Make Flint & Genesee a Unique Destination

As a four-season destination, things get a little chilly here come winter. But a little snow can’t stop sports in Genesee County. The region boasts plenty of indoor facilities equipped to host a variety of sporting events. And alongside that, there are plenty of outdoor winter adventures that make your next sports event or tournament one to remember. 
 

Hockeytown might be an hour south in Detroit, but Flint & Genesee still boasts hockey fun with the Ontario Hockey League team, the Flint Firebirds, whose home is the Dort Financial Center – a sports, entertainment and events center located in Flint. 
 

The center can host a variety of events, including hockey, figure skating, gymnastics, boxing, basketball and even motocross. It is a world-class venue with a capacity of 4,000-5,000, depending on the event. 
 

Located near Dort Financial Center in Burton, Michigan, is For-Mar Nature Preserve & Arboretum. With 383 acres of picturesque landscape, this 50-year-old arboretum has year-round programming, including snowshoeing workshops with snowshoe rentals. Pairing experiences like this along with a sports tournament or event creates a weekend your participants will never forget. 
 

Another sports venue that can host your winter tournament is the 810 Sports Complex. This ice rink is located in Flint Township near Flushing, Michigan. The complex features an ice rink, pickleball courts and indoor turf perfect for lacrosse, baseball, softball and soccer.
 

To enhance the experience, Flushing County Park is a great place to explore in winter, with beautiful trails ideal for hiking or cross-country skiing. Both For-Mar Nature Preserve and Flushing County Parks are part of the Genesee County Parks system, the largest county parks system in Michigan. 
 

Another sport popular in Flint & Genesee is bowling, and there are a variety of alleys to host your next tournament. A popular locale is Richfield Lanes in Flint Township. Other nearby lanes include B’s Bowling and Grand Blanc Lanes, and combined, they can accommodate a large tournament. 
 

Close by, Grand Blanc features Physicians Park near downtown, which offers an outdoor skating rink in the winter, ideal for families. The park is right next door to the Garden Building in Grand Blanc, which features Irene’s Craft Kitchen + Biergarten, a German-inspired restaurant and bar with a large beer garden facing the park. 
 

South of Grand Blanc is Fenton, Michigan, which features a unique outdoor sport known as ice climbing. Known more familiarly in places like the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Pebody Ice Climbing in Fenton has two freestanding ice-climbing towers — one 45 feet tall and another at 72 feet. 
 

According to the facility, Peabody is the only permanent mixed climbing/dry-tooling training facility in the United States and is open year-round for experienced climbers and those looking to learn. Ice climbing competitions are also hosted on-site.
 

Thanks to major universities such as Kettering University and the University of Michigan-Flint, esports and robotics are emerging in Genesee County. Flint & Genesee has the capacity for both high school and college esports and robotics competitions. 
 

Both universities are located near downtown Flint, which offers plenty to do and explore. With over 100 murals, going on a self-guided mural tour is a great way to spend a warmer winter day. 
 

There are also many cultural attractions in the Flint Cultural Center, including the Flint Institute of Art Museum + Art School, the second-largest fine arts museum in Michigan, and Longway Planetarium, the largest and most digitally advanced planetarium in Michigan. 

 

With the wide range of sports, our facilities can accommodate and the region's unique, playful attractions, the best part of hosting a sports tournament or event in Genesee County is the quality concierge service you receive when you work with Explore Flint & Genesee.
 

From negotiating with venues and hotels, to volunteer support the day of your event and everything in between, you are in good hands when you partner with Explore Flint & Genesee.
 

Genesee County is centrally located in Michigan, within hours of major cities in the United States and Canada. With Flint Bishop International Airport, travel to and from Flint & Genesee is a breeze. 
 

Learn how you can work with our team to make your sports event a success at ExploreFlintandGenesee.org. You can also email Tony Sitko, sports sales manager for Explore Flint & Genesee, at asitko@flintandgenesee.org to get started.