Livonia, MI

The original inhabitants of Livonia were Potawatomi Native Americans, who farmed the land until settlers from New England arrived. The name Livonia was likely brought to the region by European settlers as Estonia and Latvia house towns of a similar name.

The boundaries of the town were established in 1835, and the land was mostly forested with prosperous dairy farms and fruit orchards. The area was very rural until hard-surface roads were built in the 1940s. General Motors moved to the area after World War II and built a transmission plant, while Ford Motor Company established a parts depot.

The city acquired more than 103 acres of farm land to establish a museum preserving Livonia’s agricultural past at Greenmead Historical Village at 8 Mile and Newburgh Road.

Livonia has a robust number of restaurants cooking great food. Quite a few upscale establishments sit along Haggerty Road, but the majority of good eats cluster on 6 Mile or 7 Mile roads around Newburgh Road.

The Lebanese food at Green Cedar has worked its way into the stomachs of Livonia residents. It’s widely accepted as some of the best Middle-Eastern food in Metro Detroit. Along with enormous portions, residents claim the hummus’ creamy texture and smooth flavor shouldn't be missed. When matched with chicken shawarma, it easily ranks as the best meal on the menu. The restaurant makes its own fresh pitas as well. While Green Cedar has about six tables and service comes quick, many patrons order takeout.

If you don’t mind crowds, hit up the Old Mexico Restaurant on 5 Mile Road, considered the best Mexican restaurant outside of Mexican town in Detroit. It has amazing tamales and spinach quesadillas made with fresh ingredients. When paired with a margarita, the food becomes an experience. Vegetarian like the menu because of the delectable refried or black-bean dishes. The décor may be bland, but food lovers don't visit Old Mexico for the ambiance.

Many seemingly traditional restaurants serving American food always have an ethnic theme. Some cater to a Polish cuisine, while others Greek. Plymouth Road's Thomas’s Family Dining combines a few ethnic backgrounds. While Cobb salads and hamburgers appear on the menu, a patron can also find Greek salad, perogies, cabbage rolls and kielbasa. Thomas remains one of the few restaurants in the region that serves broasted chicken, a marinated chicken lightly fried. The meat always comes to your plate tender on the inside, while the outside tastes crispy and a bit salty.

Livonia has an active bar scene that includes a wide array of restaurants that turn into nightclubs once the eating concludes. Many of the bars hire DJs who start spinning around 10 p.m. MI Slingers on Farmington Road likes its patrons to make noise and dance on the bar stools. Its patrons consist of a young crowd, and the bar can be busy even on a weekday.

For the beer lovers, 1 Under Craft Beer and Eats has the best selection. This bar features 76 craft beers on tap, most from Michigan craft breweries but four come from a brewery in Alaska. The bar has a menu, and favorites include spinach artichoke dip and salmon tacos. Once it gets dark outside, the kitchen closes, and the music gets loude while the crowd gets younger. Most nights a DJ arrives by 10 p.m. and occasionally a band.

If drinking and loud music don't rank as your favorite things, more sedate activities do exist. Volunteers run Trinity House Theatre, on 6 Mile Road, which appeals to the music and live-play lover. Its schedule contains mostly weekend shows booked with plays and musical acts that vary in themes from folk to jazz to a strings-focused Irish quartet. Livonia’s Symphony Orchestra plays about five concerts a year in the auditorium at the Clarenceville High School.

Livonia, like most of Metro Detroit, has a driving culture. It’s rare to see walkers about except at designated trails or parks.

Livonia Community Transit provides shuttle service to workers who come to Livonia via the Smart regional transit system for communities around Detroit, or from D-Dot, the Detroit system of public transit.

The Livonia Community Transit system only takes workers to designated stops by workplaces and back to the hub, which is located on Grand River near Oxford Drive. This service occurs on a weekdays only. Cabs can be called available by phone, but Uber does not service the area.

Livonia remains easily accessible by highway as there are two in the city. To go north or south, Interstate 275 runs very close by, as does Interstate 96 for drivers who want to go west or east. Public parking remains available at restaurants and shops.

Two main bike routes exist for cyclists to take. The 33.2-mile Interstate 275 Metro Trail allows cyclists to safely commute to work. It runs perpendicular to the highway with some interruptions. No barriers separate the road from the bike path except a ditch in some areas. Also, cyclists who commute and runners favor the most northern portion of Hines Drive travels through Livonia and the 15-mile slow-speed road with wide paved shoulders.

Livonia has 36 developed parks, and six have trails for jogging. Many parks have 0.5-mile trails, while the path in Mies Park runs 0.75 of a mile long. The city owns three 18-hole golf courses and an archery range.

Depending on your interests, you could get a thorough workout in Livonia parks. If you like tennis, 32 courts await, and if you play a lot of baseball, your team has its pick of 43 ball diamonds. The town has 25 soccer fields, too.

If you like to get fit skating in the summer heat, seven in-line skating courts and one skateboard park service the area. While no beach exists, the municipality built 10 sand volleyball courts. Three fitness clusters exist where a person can test their strengths and skills, while 22 parks have play structures for children.

Water lovers enjoy three outdoor pools and an indoor water oasis at the Community Recreation Center.

Ford Field at Farmington and Lyndon roads becomes the hub for Livonia Spree during a week-long festival at the end of June celebrating the town’s birthday. Each day, visitors enjoy a carnival and music, which culminates on the last Sunday with a spectacular fireworks show.

On Thursdays in July and August the Livonia Arts Commission holds Music From the Heart, a series of concerts on the green in front of city hall on 5 Mile and Farmington roads.

Livonia remains a middle-class city that doesn't cost residents too much in living expenses, but it can't be called a frugal place to live either. The cost of living sits at 6 percent higher than the rest of Michigan, but 5 percent lower than the rest of the country.

The average rent for a one-bedroom apartment is $761, slightly higher than the Michigan average. Livonia has a mix of rental properties from 10-unit complexes to gated, luxury-living apartments.

For the most part, food costs in the region sit below the national average, and residents can see big savings on wine, fried chicken, potatoes, orange juice and a frozen meal. Beer lovers save, as a pint of beer costs about 4 percent less than the national average, while gas come in at 2 percent above the national average.

Livonia has few independent shops because it's main shopping venue is Laurel Park Place on 6 Mile Road.

Bill & Rod's Appliance was formed in 1963 when the founder used to sell appliances door-to-door from a flatbed trailer pulled by a mule. He used to lend customers appliances for trial periods. Eventually the business moved to a storefront, and started selling Maytag, Amana, KitchenAid and Estate appliances for kitchen and laundry, as well as mattresses. The staff consists of knowledgeable salespeople selling competitively priced appliances. They also deliver and install the appliances.

Ever wanted to go to Ireland? Colleen has done it for you, and returned with a store full of gifts and collection items. Colleen's Gaelic Gifts on Farmington and 5 Mile roads has an interesting collection of Irish china, crystal, Celtic wedding rings and Irish perfumes. Surprisingly, quite a bit of the themed merchandise is made in Michigan. Colleen's has a robust Internet business, but likes customers to come to the store for a ring sizing.

My Hobby Place appeals to the educational toy market. On Plymouth Road east of Farmington Road, the store stocks quality wooden toys and educational activities to inspire a child's creativity. For the hobby lover, microscopes, kits to make airplanes and boats, as well as rockets fill the shelves.

Livonia has a lot of grocery stores to serve its population, including a Busch's on 6 Mile Road, a Kroger on 5 Mile Road and Joe's Produce Gourmet Market on 7 Mile Road.

The historic Wilson Barn on Chicago Street hosts the Farmer's Market. Shoppers can have easy access to locally grown vegetables, honey and baked goods. The market opens Saturdays from late June to mid-October.