The birthplace of General Motors, Flint actually received the nickname “Vehicle City” prior to producing cars. The city was known for its carriage making in the 1880s before William Durant incorporated GM in 1908 and the city, and rest of the country, began to migrate from carts to cars. Today, sports fans flock to Flint to watch the only PGA tour stop in Michigan, the Buick Open at Warwick Hills Golf and Country Club. It was in Flint this past weekend that Tiger Woods delighted the fans and captured the tournament for the third time in its 51-year history. All the attending golf pros seem to all appreciate the tournament.
“It’s a small, kind of intimate atmosphere. That is one of the reasons I like playing here,” said Woods.
Flint is certainly smaller from its heyday, but as GM reinvents itself, Flint continues to do the same. The city center continues to see a slow revival with new restaurants opening and an increase in residents, both permanent and university students. The main downtown drag, Saginaw Street, will host its 5th annual ‘Back to the Bricks’ starting on August 11. From its origin of only 600 cars, the event last year brought out over 20,000 classic cruisers and more are expected this year
Not too far away from downtown, in its own version of the museum mile, you can find other Flint attractions such as the Sloan Museum, Buick Gallery and Research Center, Longway Planetarium, and the Flint Institute of the Arts. All on adjacent corners, you can explore the history of a 19th century fur trading town, view antique concept cars, investigate the origins of outer space in the state’s largest planetarium, or admire fine arts from all corners of the globe including an impressive 17th century French Tapestry exhibit. Fun for the whole family, the museums cater to visitors of all ages and also can serve as a backdrop for corporate events.
Flint’s iconic Citizens Bank weather ball lights up nightly to provide the next day’s forecast. From my quick visit, it seems Flint has plenty of sunny days ahead and continues to be a Michigan destination.
Tips: If you attend the Buick Open, you will want to spend some time on the 17, a par 3 hole. Labeled as one of the loudest and most ruckus holes on the PGA tour, the 17 provides a sense of what the tournament means to the local area. Even Tiger, overwhelmed by the excited fans, provided a rare treat as he tossed his golf ball into the stands on Sunday.
Flights: Many airlines service Bishop International (FNT) in Flint. You can find flights from American Airlines, Delta Connections, Northwest, Fun Jet Vacations, Midwest Airlines and AirTran with direct flights from Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, Minneapolis, Milwaukee and multiple destinations in Florida (coming soon). My flight from New York connected through Detroit and cost $199 round-trip
Hotels: Located just three miles from the airport you can find the AmericInn. A casual, comfortable, hotel option that puts you close to downtown Flint and the Warwick Hills golf course. Or for a different option you can try the Cinnamon Stick Farm B&B situated on 50 acres of land that includes its own organic chicken eggs and garden.
© Cheapflights Ltd Craig Zabransky
