Photo Credit: Hour Detroit Magazine

Utica is a small, walkable town approximately 40 minutes north of Downtown Detroit. It features a quaint downtown area, complete with co-working spaces and a variety of local restaurants, wineries, and bars.

Looking for something fun to do after work or on the weekends? Utica is home to Jimmy John’s Field, a United Shore Professional Baseball League, as well as Dave & Busters and Argentine Tango. The local food and drink scene is notable, including Vino and Vibes, a rustic wine bar in the center of Utica’s historic downtown; Host, featuring a rotating schedule of chefs and bartenders from Metro Detroit; Steampunk Tap Room, and more.

Its proximity to nearby suburbs, including Sterling Heights, Troy, and Rochester Hills, makes it a prime location for shopping, including Lakeside Mall and Partridge Creek Mall, an outdoor shopping complex with restaurants, a movie theatre, and boutiques.

Photo Credit: Aweome Mitten

Enjoy the outdoors in Utica’s Pioneer Park, which features canoe and kayak rentals in the summer, and a year-round dog park. Nearby cities feature recreation areas like Innovation Hills and Borden Park in Rochester Hills, the Burgess-Shadbush Nature Center and the River Bends Archery and Trap Range in Shelby, and more. Complete with hiking and biking trails, lakes and rivers, dog parks, splash pads, pickleball courts, and more, there’s something for everyone in Utica and surrounding communities.

For young professionals looking to start or expand their family, Utica offers a top-rated school district for both public and parochial schools. View a list of schools in the district here.