'Be a Tourist in Your Hometown' returns for sixth year

FLINT, MI--Flint area residents will have a chance this summer to learn a little bit more about their city. 

The Flint & Genesee Convention and Visitors Bureau is hosting the sixth annual Be a Tourist in Your Hometown event July 14.

The event will take participants on a guided tour to some of the areas best attractions. It runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., starting at the Chamber offices in the Mott Foundation Building on Saginaw Street in downtown Flint.

“Be a Tourist in Your Hometown is a great opportunity for individuals and families to see the popular attractions and hidden gems in their own backyard,” said Brandon Morgan, director of the Flint & Genesee Convention and Visitors Bureau. “The tours are not only fun, but also provide a significant cost savings. The $1 passport gives participants access to many venues that typically charge admission or are not usually open to the public.”

The Capitol Theatre, the Mott Park Recreation Area and Disc Golf Course, and the GM Mobility Research Center at Kettering University are some of the new attractions this year. 

Also new for 2018 are stops at the Flint River Watershed Coalition, Grace Emmanuel Baptist Church, and the Sloan Museum's dinosaur exhibit at Courtland Center Mall. The 30 stops will also include the Durant-Dort Factory One, Factory Two, the Ferris Wheel Building, Applewood estate, and For-Mar Nature Preserve & Arboretum.

The one-day excursion costs $1 and includes transportation between attractions. (Admission into Sloan’s dinosaur exhibit at Courtland Center is an additional $3, payable at location.) Attendance has continued to grow since its inception, with last year’s event drawing about 1,100 participants, the largest yet.

The passports are also valid for a 10-percent discount on food and soft drink purchases at select restaurants in downtown Flint.

Passports can be purchased in advance at FlintandGenesee.org/tourist. They also can be purchased on the day of the event at the Mott Foundation Building, Flint Farmers' Market, the Whiting, and For-Mar.