Here’s a Detroit family adventure with no car required once you’re downtown: rent bikes (or bring your own) and ride the loop the city built for exactly this. Start at the Riverwalk near Cullen Plaza, roll east past Milliken State Park’s lighthouse and wetlands, then climb the Dequindre Cut — the sunken greenway whose bridge walls burst with murals — straight into Eastern Market.
The route is mostly flat, separated from traffic and stroller- and training-wheel-friendly, with plenty of bail-out points for ice cream and playground stops. Refuel at the market or in the district’s family-friendly cafes before coasting back downhill to the river.
The Detroit Riverfront Conservancy maintains the trails and posts conditions at detroitriverfront.org. Helmets on, water bottles filled — this is Detroit at kid speed, and it’s glorious.
