College Visit Guides

Fly-in guide · 2 days, 2 campuses

Oakland University and Detroit Mercy in 2 Days: A Metro Detroit College Trip

A parent-first plan for seeing Oakland University and the University of Detroit Mercy in two days: how each school's visit works and where to sign up, free visitor parking at Oakland and the visitor lots at Detroit Mercy, four hotels from budget to upscale, drive times from Detroit Metro Airport, Detroit Mercy's $4,000 Visit Grant, sibling stops like Meadow Brook Hall and the Detroit Zoo, and Detroit weather by season, every fact sourced and checked Oct 29, 2026.

A tall red-brick carillon tower with a white stone arched base, a clock face and a pointed slate spire, standing at the end of a shoveled walkway between snowbanks under a blue sky streaked with thin clouds, with bare trees and campus buildings behind it
Elliott Tower on the Oakland University campus in winter (February 2015). Photo: Local hero · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped

Last checked Oct 29, 2026. Every fact comes from the pages listed in Sources at the bottom. Some hotel and tour links are affiliate links (disclosure).

The short version

Trip at a glance

Schools
Oakland University (Rochester, MI) · University of Detroit Mercy (Detroit, MI)
Days
2 days: Oakland on day 1, near the hotel base, and Detroit Mercy on day 2 on the way back to the airport (about 35 minutes apart by car).
Fly into
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW), about an hour from the Auburn Hills hotels and about 40 minutes from Detroit Mercy with no traffic.
Best base
Hyatt Place Detroit/Auburn Hills, an Oakland University Athletics preferred hotel about 7 minutes by car from Oakland's Wilson Hall.
Car or no car
Rent a car. The two campuses are about 25 miles apart, and Oakland offers free visitor parking.
Registration
Book each visit on the school's own registration page. Oakland runs student-led tours nearly every weekday, and Detroit Mercy's Freshman Campus Visit is a weekday visit.

1. Who this guide is for

This plan is for parents bringing a high schooler, and maybe younger siblings, to see two Horizon League schools in metro Detroit: the Oakland Golden Grizzlies and the Detroit Mercy Titans.

Oakland University is in Rochester, north of Detroit, and Detroit Mercy's McNichols Campus is in northwest Detroit, about 25 miles south. The photo in this guide shows Elliott Tower on Oakland's campus.

Why this order

  • Arrive the day before: Detroit Metro Airport is about an hour by car from the Auburn Hills hotels.
  • Day 1: Oakland's visit, a brief admissions presentation and a 90-minute student-led walking tour, then Meadow Brook Hall, the historic estate on Oakland's campus.
  • Day 2: Detroit Mercy's two-hour Freshman Campus Visit, an admission presentation and a student-led walking tour, then about 40 minutes to the airport.
Plan ahead: registration and timing
  • Oakland offers student-led tours nearly every weekday; pick an available date and time on its Daily Campus Tour calendar.
  • Detroit Mercy's Visit Grant: make an official visit before May 1 of your student's senior year and receive $4,000 over four years when they enroll at Detroit Mercy.
  • For other appointment times or a one-on-one with a Detroit Mercy admission counselor, text 313-429-0110, call 313-993-1245 or email admissions@udmercy.edu.
  • Oakland also runs Discovery Series tours focused on areas of interest (listed on the tour calendar), Go for the Gold events in spring and fall, and academic days hosted by its schools.
  • Can't make the trip? Both schools link virtual tours from their visit pages.
Tour availability varies by season.
  • Detroit winters are cold and snowy: January averages about 32°F highs and 19°F lows, with about 14 inches of snow.
  • Oakland may declare a snow emergency when 3 or more inches of snow fall or are forecast, and all vehicles must then be moved off surface lots, so check before a winter visit.
  • Both tours are mostly or partly outdoors, so dress for the weather and wear comfortable shoes.
  • Check each school's athletics calendar for home games on your dates, since game days bring extra traffic and parking demand.

2. The suggested 2-day plan

  • Drive times are no-traffic estimates from OpenStreetMap routing, and walking times use OpenStreetMap foot routing, with addresses geocoded by OpenStreetMap Nominatim. Times to Oakland are to Wilson Hall at 371 Wilson Boulevard, and times to Detroit Mercy are to 4001 West McNichols Road.

Arrival: fly into Detroit Metro and check in near Oakland

  1. Detroit Metro Airport (DTW) → Hyatt Place Detroit/Auburn Hills

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~59 min, 47.5 mi
    Driving
    Rental car, rideshare or taxi

  2. Detroit Metro Airport (DTW) → MainStay Suites Detroit Auburn Hills

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~58 min, 47.5 mi
    Driving
    Rental car, rideshare or taxi

  3. Detroit Metro Airport (DTW) → Royal Park Hotel (Rochester)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~60 min, 43.8 mi
    Driving
    Rental car, rideshare or taxi

  4. Detroit Metro Airport (DTW) → Courtyard Detroit Downtown

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~31 min, 22.4 mi
    Driving
    Rental car, rideshare or taxi
  • Detroit Mercy notes that rideshare apps like Uber and Lyft are a popular option for families arriving at Detroit Metro, and rental cars are at the airport.

Day 1: Oakland University and Meadow Brook Hall

  1. Hyatt Place Detroit/Auburn Hills → Oakland University (Wilson Hall)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~7 min, 2.6 mi
    Driving
    Drive

  2. MainStay Suites Detroit Auburn Hills → Oakland University (Wilson Hall)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~7 min, 2.6 mi
    Driving
    Drive

  3. Royal Park Hotel (Rochester) → Oakland University (Wilson Hall)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~14 min, 5.4 mi
    Driving
    Drive

  4. Oakland University (Wilson Hall) → Meadow Brook Hall

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~7 min, 2.1 mi
    Driving
    ~40 min walk, 1.8 mi
  • Oakland's visit starts with a brief admissions presentation, followed by a 90-minute walking tour that is partly indoors and partly outdoors.
  • Meadow Brook Hall tour tickets must be bought online in advance, and tour availability varies through the year. Parking there is free.

Day 2: University of Detroit Mercy, then fly home

  1. Hyatt Place Detroit/Auburn Hills → University of Detroit Mercy (McNichols Campus)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~35 min, 25.5 mi
    Driving
    Drive

  2. Royal Park Hotel (Rochester) → University of Detroit Mercy (McNichols Campus)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~38 min, 22.5 mi
    Driving
    Drive

  3. Courtyard Detroit Downtown → University of Detroit Mercy (McNichols Campus)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~16 min, 8.9 mi
    Driving
    Drive

  4. University of Detroit Mercy (McNichols Campus) → Detroit Zoo

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~18 min, 6.8 mi
    Driving
    Drive

  5. University of Detroit Mercy (McNichols Campus) → Detroit Metro Airport (DTW)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~40 min, 25.8 mi
    Driving
    Drive
  • Detroit Mercy's visit lasts about two hours, and most of the tour is outdoors, so check the forecast.
  • Driving toward the Detroit Zoo? It warns of construction near the zoo, including a full closure of eastbound I-696 between Lahser Road and I-75, so allow extra time.

3. Campus by campus

A tall red-brick carillon tower with a white stone arched base, a clock face and a pointed slate spire, standing at the end of a shoveled walkway between snowbanks under a blue sky streaked with thin clouds, with bare trees and campus buildings behind it
Elliott Tower on the Oakland University campus in winter (February 2015). Photo: Local hero · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped

Campus

Oakland University (Rochester, MI)

Where visits start
  • The visit is a brief admissions presentation followed by a 90-minute student-led walking tour. Choose a date and time on the Daily Campus Tour calendar.
  • The tour covers academic and student service buildings, the Recreation and Well Being Center, Kresge Library, the Oakland Center and residential spaces with model student rooms.
  • Undergraduate Admissions is in Wilson Hall, Room 2000, at 371 Wilson Boulevard. Office hours are Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and adviser appointments run weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Visitor parking
  • Visitor parking is free on a first-come, first-served basis, except in metered spots. Park in a legal space with parallel stall lines on both sides of your car to avoid a citation.
  • In a snow emergency (3 or more inches of snow), all vehicles must be removed from surface lots.
Getting there
  • Wilson Hall is about 7 minutes by car from the Auburn Hills hotels on North Opdyke Road and about 14 minutes from the Royal Park Hotel.
  • From Detroit Metro Airport it's about an hour by car with no traffic.
What to know
  • The Oakland Center houses the gearshop, a coffee shop, a food court and student organizations.
  • Meadow Brook Hall, a National Historic Landmark, is on Oakland's campus at 350 Estate Drive.
Contact
Undergraduate Admissions: Wilson Hall, Room 2000, 371 Wilson Boulevard, Rochester, MI 48309, (248) 370-3360, text (248) 712-3361, visit@oakland.edu.

Last checked Oct 29, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.

Official pages: Oakland University: Visit Oakland University · Oakland University: Prospective Student Events · Oakland University: Group Visits · Oakland University: Parking Services

Campus

University of Detroit Mercy (Detroit, MI)

Where visits start
  • The Freshman Campus Visit is a weekday admission presentation and a walking tour led by a current Detroit Mercy student, covering academics, campus life, scholarships, financial aid and admission. It lasts about two hours.
  • The Admissions Office is on the first floor of the Student Union on the McNichols Campus.
  • Detroit Mercy also hosts open houses, academic program days and virtual information sessions; see the visit page for options.
Visitor parking
  • Visitor parking on the campus map is in Lot B (Visitor/Staff and Visitor/Student), Lot F (Student/Visitor) and Lot H (Visitor/Student).
  • Lost on campus? Public Safety can help at (313) 993-1234.
Getting there
  • The McNichols Campus is at 4001 West McNichols Road, on the southeast corner of McNichols and Livernois Avenue, reachable from the Lodge (M-10), Chrysler (I-75) and Jeffries (I-96) freeways. Enter from McNichols Road.
  • It's about 35 minutes by car from the Auburn Hills hotels, about 16 minutes from downtown Detroit and about 40 minutes from Detroit Metro Airport with no traffic.
What to know
  • Dining Services is on the second floor of the Student Union, and the bookstore is on its lower level. Calihan Hall is on the McNichols Campus.
Contact
Office of Admissions: 4001 West McNichols Road, Detroit, MI 48221; text 313-429-0110, call 313-993-1245 or email admissions@udmercy.edu.

Last checked Oct 29, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.

Official pages: Detroit Mercy: Visit Detroit Mercy's Campus · Detroit Mercy: Location · Detroit Mercy: McNichols Campus Map (PDF) · Detroit Mercy: Accommodations

4. Where to stay: Auburn Hills and Rochester near Oakland, or downtown Detroit

Price tiers (Budget, Mid-range, Upscale) follow each hotel's star class on Expedia. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.

Hotel · Our pickMid-range

Hyatt Place Detroit/Auburn Hills

1545 N. Opdyke Rd., Auburn Hills, MI 48326

Why here

  • It's an Oakland University Athletics preferred hotel, about 7 minutes by car from Wilson Hall and about 35 minutes from Detroit Mercy.
  • Expedia lists this hotel as a 3-star property, so we place it in the Mid-range tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.

Good to know

  • Expedia lists a free buffet breakfast, free self-parking, an indoor pool, an on-site restaurant, pets for a fee and a minimum check-in age of 21. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.

Check rates on Expedia →

Expedia link is an affiliate link

Hotel · AlternateBudget

MainStay Suites Detroit Auburn Hills

1650 N. Opdyke Rd., Auburn Hills, MI 48326

Why here

  • Expedia lists this hotel as a 2.5-star property, so we place it in the Budget tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
  • It's also on North Opdyke Road in Auburn Hills, about 7 minutes by car from Wilson Hall.

Good to know

  • Expedia lists in-room kitchenettes, free self-parking, pets for a fee and a minimum check-in age of 21. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.

Check rates on Expedia →

Expedia link is an affiliate link

Hotel · AlternateUpscale

Royal Park Hotel

600 E. University Dr., Rochester, MI 48307

Why here

  • Expedia lists this hotel as a 4-star property, so we place it in the Upscale tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
  • It's in Rochester, about 14 minutes by car from Wilson Hall and about 12 minutes from Meadow Brook Hall.

Good to know

  • Expedia lists the PARK 600 restaurant, breakfast for a fee, self and valet parking for a fee, a resort fee, pets for a fee and a minimum check-in age of 21. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.

Check rates on Expedia →

Expedia link is an affiliate link

Hotel · AlternateMid-range

Courtyard by Marriott Detroit Downtown

333 E. Jefferson Ave., Detroit, MI 48226

Why here

  • It's on Detroit Mercy's own accommodations list, about 16 minutes by car from the McNichols Campus and about 31 minutes from the airport, if you'd rather spend a night downtown.
  • Expedia lists this hotel as a 3.5-star property, so we place it in the Mid-range tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.

Good to know

  • Expedia lists an indoor pool, an on-site restaurant, self and valet parking for a fee, no pets (service animals welcome) and a minimum check-in age of 21. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.

Check rates on Expedia →

Expedia link is an affiliate link

Stay on North Opdyke Road in Auburn Hills or in Rochester to be close to Oakland, then drive to Detroit Mercy on day 2 on your way to the airport. If you'd rather see downtown Detroit, the Courtyard is about 16 minutes from Detroit Mercy.

5. Meals between tours

Hours change, so check before you go.

At Oakland

The Oakland Center has a food court and a coffee shop, and the tour stops there.

At Detroit Mercy

Dining Services is on the second floor of the Student Union, the same building as the Admissions Office.

At the hotels

The Hyatt Place includes a buffet breakfast, the Royal Park Hotel has PARK 600, and the Courtyard has an on-site restaurant.

6. Things for siblings along the route

With siblings

Meadow Brook Hall

350 Estate Dr., Rochester, MI 48309

A National Historic Landmark estate on Oakland's campus. Tour tickets must be bought online in advance, grounds passes are required to explore the gardens, and parking is free. It's about 7 minutes by car from Wilson Hall.

Official page →

With siblings

Detroit Zoo

8450 W. 10 Mile Rd., Royal Oak, MI 48067

At the northwest corner of Woodward Avenue and 10 Mile Road (I-696); enter from either road and look for the zoo's water tower. It's about 18 minutes by car from Detroit Mercy.

Official page →

With siblings

Detroit Institute of Arts

5200 Woodward Ave., Detroit, MI 48202

The art museum in Detroit's cultural corridor is closed Mondays, and general admission is free for residents of Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties. It's about 14 minutes by car from Detroit Mercy.

Official page →

7. Practical tips

Getting to campus

  • At Oakland, visitor parking is free in legal spaces (not metered spots), first come, first served.
  • At Detroit Mercy, enter from McNichols Road and use the visitor lots B, F or H.

Flying in and out

  • Detroit Metro (DTW) is about an hour from the Auburn Hills and Rochester hotels and about 40 minutes from Detroit Mercy with no traffic.

Weather by season (1991–2020 NOAA normals: Detroit Metro AP station)

  • Spring: April averages about 59°F highs and 39°F lows, with about 3.3 inches of precipitation.
  • Summer: July averages about 84°F/64°F, with about 3.5 inches of rain.
  • Fall: October averages about 62°F/44°F, with about 2.5 inches of rain.
  • Winter: January averages about 32°F/19°F, with about 2.2 inches of precipitation and 14 inches of snow.

Parent checklist

  • Book an Oakland campus tour on the Daily Campus Tour calendar.
  • Book a weekday Freshman Campus Visit at Detroit Mercy, and visit before May 1 of senior year to qualify for the Visit Grant.
  • Buy Meadow Brook Hall tour tickets online in advance if you want to tour the house.
  • Book flights into Detroit Metro and plan a rental car.
  • Book a hotel in Auburn Hills or Rochester, or downtown Detroit.
  • Pack layers and boots in winter, and check for snow emergencies at Oakland.
  • After each visit, take five minutes to jot down what stood out to your student.

8. Student-athlete recruiting visits

For families whose student hopes to play a college sport. Rules below are the NCAA's; each school's links were checked Oct 26, 2026.

Coaches arrange the recruiting part of a visit, not the admissions office. The tour sign-ups in this guide are for the regular family visit. An official (school-paid) visit is offered by the school, and contact with coaches follows NCAA rules that vary by division, sport and grade level.

Start with your sport's questionnaire, then email the coaches. The NCAA suggests emailing coaches with your achievements, highlight videos and interest in their program, including your name, position, NCAA ID and graduation year.

2 Division I

NCAA basics for parents

  • Unofficial visit: any campus visit you or your family pay for. You can take as many as you like; in Divisions I and II each one has to come after the first permissible date for your sport.
  • Official visit: a visit paid for by the school. Each school can offer your student only one. Before a Division I official visit, your student must be registered with the NCAA Eligibility Center, be on the school's institutional request list, and the school must have their high school transcripts.
  • Division I (Oakland University and University of Detroit Mercy): on an official visit the school can pay for travel for the student and up to two family members, lodging, up to three meals a day for the student and up to four family members, and up to $60 a person in entertainment, including five home-game tickets. On an unofficial visit there are no free meals, but the school can give up to three home-game tickets. Division I uses recruiting calendars with contact, evaluation, quiet and dead periods; in a dead period, no in-person contact and no visits.
  • Rules change. Confirm with the coach, or check the NCAA's recruiting page and recruiting calendars, before you plan dates.

Planning around the season

  • Check each school's athletics schedule (linked above) before you pick dates, so a coach meeting doesn't land on a road trip or game day for your sport.
  • Our recommendation, not a school rule: ask the coach whether they can line up an admissions session or tour around your meeting. If not, book the regular family tour yourself through the official sign-up links in this guide, and leave time between the two.

Student-athlete sources

All checked Oct 26, 2026.

  1. NCAA, 2026-27 Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete (pp. 3, 21–25)
  2. NCAA.org: NCAA Recruiting
  3. NCAA: Division I and II Recruiting Calendars and Guides
  4. NCAA Directory: Oakland University
  5. Oakland University Athletics (official site)
  6. Oakland University Athletics: Staff Directory
  7. Oakland University Athletics: schedule of events
  8. NCAA Directory: University of Detroit Mercy
  9. University of Detroit Mercy Athletics (official site)
  10. University of Detroit Mercy Athletics: Staff Directory
  11. University of Detroit Mercy Athletics: schedule of events

Trip planner

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Sources

All checked Oct 29, 2026. Tour schedules change constantly, so always confirm on each school's official sign-up page. Photo credits are under each photo and on our About page.

  1. Oakland University Undergraduate Admissions: Visit Oakland University
  2. Oakland University: Daily Campus Tour Calendar (official sign-up)
  3. Oakland University Undergraduate Admissions: Prospective Student Events
  4. Oakland University Police: Parking Services
  5. University of Detroit Mercy Admission: Visit Detroit Mercy's Campus
  6. University of Detroit Mercy: Freshman Campus Visit (official sign-up)
  7. University of Detroit Mercy: Accommodations
  8. University of Detroit Mercy: Location
  9. University of Detroit Mercy: McNichols Campus Map (PDF)
  10. Oakland University Athletics: Preferred Hotels
  11. Expedia listing: Hyatt Place Detroit/Auburn Hills (star class and amenities, checked 2026-10-29 via same-id Hotwire listing) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Detroit-Hotels-Hyatt-Place-DetroitAuburn-Hills.h42072.Hotel-Information)
  12. Expedia listing: MainStay Suites Detroit Auburn Hills (star class and amenities, checked 2026-10-29 via same-id Hotwire listing) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Detroit-Hotels-MainStay-Suites-Detroit-Auburn-Hills.h101706.Hotel-Information)
  13. Expedia listing: Royal Park Hotel (star class and amenities, checked 2026-10-29 via same-id Hotwire listing) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Detroit-Hotels-Royal-Park-Hotel.h1159622.Hotel-Information)
  14. Expedia listing: Courtyard by Marriott Detroit Downtown (star class and amenities, checked 2026-10-29 via same-id Hotwire listing) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Detroit-Hotels-Courtyard-By-Marriott-Detroit-Downtown.h13591.Hotel-Information)
  15. OSRM routing (OpenStreetMap), driving profile
  16. OSRM routing (OpenStreetMap), foot profile
  17. OpenStreetMap Nominatim geocoder
  18. NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 Monthly Normals, Detroit Metro AP, MI (USW00094847)
  19. Meadow Brook Hall: Visit Meadow Brook Hall
  20. Detroit Zoo: Directions, Parking and Accommodations
  21. Detroit Institute of Arts: Plan Your Visit
  22. Oakland Golden Grizzlies Athletics: Calendar
  23. Detroit Mercy Titans Athletics: Calendar