West Bloomfield is a township in Oakland County. The area of the township along Orchard Lake road between 14 mile and a quarter mile north of Maple road (15 Mile), forms the “downtown” or the central economic artery of the township. There are a number of places in the area, from restaurants to leisure that cater to local tastes and preferences, it is an excellent place to spend your time if you happen to be in the area.
Understand
[edit]
West Bloomfield, like other places in the area, is of note for having a significant Jewish population. It also has a large Chaldo-Assyrian population. The community is incredibly culturally and religiously diverse, with religious and private institutions which reflect this.
It mostly consists of neighborhoods and the necessary infrastructure to support those neighborhoods, so it can seem rather unassuming at first glance.
Get in
[edit]By car
[edit]Because of the storied history of the automobile industry in the larger Detroit metro area, and because the township is a smaller community, a car is by and large the simplest way to get around. Many streets run into the township, and the nearby area has roads constructed in a grid manner. The southern 1/3rd of the township follows the standard metro Detroit grid pattern, however the many lakes north of Walnut Lake Road cause this pattern to be abandoned.
If you're in the area without a car, however, there are Lyft and Uber drivers who work in the area. They tend to be fairly costly, though.
By bus
[edit]Buses take much longer and may require a good deal of walking. The SMART bus route 851 goes directly from downtown Detroit to West Bloomfield.
However, the timetables are often extremely unreliable, and there are no bus routes coming from any direction other than southeast.
Get around
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By bus
[edit]There are several SMART bus lines that run through the area, including the 400, the 405, the 780, and the 851. These three buses can take you along two of the larger roads in the area, West Maple Road and Orchard Lake Road. The trip will take much longer by public transportation, and likely supplemented by a good deal of walking.
By car
[edit]West Bloomfield's location lends itself to car travel: there are many interesting locations that you cannot get to by bus. While you can walk in the area, sidewalks are common but they don't go everywhere. You may have to walk on the side of the road for several blocks.
See
[edit]- 1 Art Leaders Gallery & Custom Framing, 33086 Northwestern Hwy, ☏ +1 248-539-0262, [email protected]. M-Sa 10AM-6PM, additional hours by appointment.
- 2 Temple Israel, 5725 Walnut Lake Road, ☏ +1 248 661 5700, [email protected]. A synagogue that claims to be the largest in the U.S.
- 3 Dodge #4 State Park (Cass Lake), ☏ +1 248-682-7323.
- 4 Chaldean Cultural Center, 5600 Walnut Lake Road (Located inside Shenandoah Country Club), ☏ +1 248 681 5050, [email protected]. M-Sa 10AM-5PM, advance reservation is required. Children under age 5 free, $5 per child ages 5-12, $10 to $15 per adult.
Do
[edit]- 1 TreeRunner Adventure Park, 6200 Drake Rd, ☏ +1 248 419-1550, [email protected]. Mar 23 - Jun 9: F 3–10PM, Sa 9AM–10PM, Su 9AM–8PM; Jun 10 - Aug 31: M–Th 9AM–8PM, F 9AM–10PM, Sa 9AM–10PM, Su 9AM–8PM; Sep 1 - Nov 2: F 3–10PM, Sa 9AM–10PM, Su 9AM–8PM; Nov 3 - Nov 23: Sa Su 11AM–6PM and other group openings & special days. Put on a harness and climb up in the trees on an aerial ropeway course. Also some ground activities including mini golf. $8-350.
- True Martial Arts West Bloomfield, 6363 Orchard Lake Rd., ☏ +1 248 706 0000.
- West Bloomfield Parks, West Bloomfield Township operates 9 parks of varying size across the township, including two sports parks with baseball diamonds and soccer fields, as well as a splash pad, senior center, and dog park.
Buy
[edit]Eat
[edit]West Bloomfield offers top quality food in almost every genre imaginable. Specifically of note are the large number of middle eastern and Mediterranean restaurants, as well as Jewish Deli’s.
Many of West Bloomfield’s restaurants have been featured in Hour Detroit Magazine, or have received awards and recognition from other outlets.