Free Things To Do in Flint, MI

Here at Applegate Chevrolet, we’re proud to be a part of the vibrant community of Flint, Michigan. Our city has a wide range of activities for residents of all ages, free of charge. Keep reading to find out about our top choices for free things to do in Flint, Michigan.

Visit the Flint Institute of Art

Greetings from Flint, Michigan by Mike Licht is licensed with CC BY 2.0

Our town is home to the Flint Institute of Arts, one of the largest collections of art in the state of Michigan. This museum is free for residents of Genesee County, as it’s supported by the Genesee County Arts Education and Cultural Enrichment Millage. The Flint Institute of Arts is a large museum with both visiting and permanent exhibitions. The museum’s size makes it worth a few visits to see everything. You can visit from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

The museum’s permanent exhibitions include works by pivotal American artists, like Mary Cassatt and John Singer Sargent, along with traditional African and Pre-Columbian American art. Young visitors might enjoy the museum’s scheduled baby and children’s programming. While some of these programs have a charge to cover materials, others, like the museum’s Baby Tours and storytime series, are free for visitors. You can check the availability of these programs on the museum’s website.

Walk Along Stepping Stone Falls

If you’re looking for a picturesque place to take a walk and have a picnic, then Stepping Stone Falls might be just the spot for you. This park, located where the Flint River flows into Mott Lake, has outdoor activities for the whole family. If you’re a fisher, you might enjoy fishing in Mott Lake, where you can catch bluegill and bass amid Michigan’s natural beauty. Cyclists, joggers, and walkers can head to the Flint River Trail, a 27-mile paved pathway that winds through the northern Flint area.

Like most parks in the Flint area, Stepping Stone Falls has seasonal hours and closes for the winter at the first snow. During the summer, the park is open from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Sunday through Thursday and from 8 a.m. to midnight on Friday and Saturday. The summer months feature a nightly light show, where multicolored LED lights illuminate the waterfalls. Starting on Labor Day, the park is open daily from 8 a.m. to sunset.

Grab Some Page-Turners at the Flint Public Library

Located on East Kearsley Street next to the Flint Institute of Arts, the Flint Public Library has been serving Flint residents since 1851. If you’re a Michigan native and you’d like to learn more about your family roots, the library might be able to help. The Flint Public Library hosts the second-largest collection of genealogical information in Michigan, with information about towns and families in Michigan, along with the New England area, some Southern states, and even parts of Canada.

Along with its genealogical information and collections of fiction and nonfiction books, the Flint Public Library hosts various free events for patrons of all ages. For example, young readers might enjoy the library’s weekly Drop In & Play Games event, where they can visit and play board games. The library also hosts storytime lunches and movie afternoons for young visitors. Patrons can visit the library from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Learn About Local Species at For-Mar Nature Preserve & Arboretum

Located in Burton, about 10 minutes from downtown Flint, For-Mar Nature Preserve & Arboretum spans 383 acres of Michigan woodland and gardens. For over 50 years, the preserve’s staff have been educating residents about Michigan’s unique wildlife and preserving our natural habitat. You can stroll through the nature preserve’s wetland and forested areas, where you might see a wide range of native animals, including bluebirds, white-tailed deer, wild turkeys, and snapping turtles.

For-Mar is more than just a nature preserve, however. It hosts a butterfly house, where seven Michigan-native butterfly species can grow safely, fed with native plants. The Garden Exploration space features themed garden plots with educational features for children and adults. The preserve also hosts a variety of free events throughout the year, including themed hikes, like the Friends of Fungi at For-Mar, a guided tour through the mushrooms and other fungi in the nature preserve.

Discover Local History at Applewood Estate

Applewood Estate, the family home of the Mott family, is located in the heart of downtown Flint. This historic house and museum gives visitors a glimpse of life in Flint for the Mott family, who moved to the town in 1907. The family’s patriarch, C.S. Mott, helped form General Motors in the early 20th century, changing the economic landscape of Flint forever. Their Flint estate has been preserved by a nonprofit organization, the Ruth Mott Foundation. The estate features several buildings, including the main house, a barn, and large gardens.

The main house features original furniture, artwork, and appliances from the early 20th century. Applewood Estate is open for self-guided tours from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays. The gardens are open every day, while the house is only open on Sundays. You can also take part in one of the organization’s many events, like Storytime at Applewood, where children can listen to stories in the gardens.

These are just five of the great adventures you can have in Flint, and the team at Applegate Chevrolet is here to help you find the perfect set of wheels for your journey. Whether you’re hitting the trails at Stepping Stone Falls or finding your new favorite book at the Flint Public Library, we’ve got the inventory of new Chevrolets and quality used vehicles to fit your needs. Stop by our lot to find your next ride!