Every great city deserves a great escape, and Detroit’s floats right in the middle of the river. Belle Isle Park, a 982-acre island park designed in part by Frederick Law Olmsted, has been Detroit’s beloved backyard since the 1880s — close enough for skyline views, peaceful enough to feel a world away.
A single visit can fill a day: stroll the grounds of the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory, meet the fish at the Belle Isle Aquarium, learn Great Lakes stories at the Dossin Great Lakes Museum, and watch freighters glide past from the James Scott Memorial Fountain. Families spread out on the athletic fields, kayakers launch into the canals and lagoons, and sunset over the downtown skyline from the island’s western tip is a Detroit rite of passage.
Belle Isle is a Michigan state park, so a Recreation Passport is required for vehicle entry. The island is reached via the MacArthur Bridge from East Jefferson Avenue.
