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Belle Isle Park
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 9 am - 5 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
30 reviews for Belle Isle Park
30 reviews in English
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Review from Guillermo K.
Ann Arbor, MI
10/14/2011
Frickin' love this place.
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Review from Sam G.
After reading some of the reviews I was expecting discarded needles and corpses strewn across this park. I'm totally confused at the comments here - either people are exaggerating beyond belief or the city did a major cleanup right before I came, because this place was great. So much so that my friend and I drove out from Ann Arbor two days in a row.
So there's a little litter here and there - especially in one of the ponds that is overgrown with algae. But that is a very small part of the ample island. The lawns were all maintained as were the amenities (bathrooms clean and stocked with TP, soap, and paper towels).
I am so happy to find that this park isn't whitewashed and sterilized like most city parks (which, by the way, often remain empty and unused by anyone except bourgie runners and new moms with strollers, golden retrievers, and physical-trainer'ed bodies).
On Saturdays this place is bursting at the seams with activity - hard to find a place to park the car. Not a lot of dogs. Lots of people sit in their vehicles along the road and listen to music. There were at least three weddings and a few day camp outings there as well. Some large picnics and bbq's with dj's and joyous dancing.
Not to mention people kayaking, biking, running, and just lounging around enjoying the surroundings. But that's not to say you are elbow-to-elbow with people around you. There is so much space you can always find a place to call your own.
My favorite time is around 5:30pm in late August - the light is a stunning golden and streaming through the trees. That lasts until sundown. But if you want to partake in the activities, make sure to come by 3pm because the park's buildings shut down at 5pm.
The conservatory is amazing (open W-Sunday, 10am-5pm). It has individual rooms for: cacti, ferns, tropical, outdoor/pond, an intimate events room clad in plants and vines. The air is amazing and so is the fauna. You can easily spend an hour in here. Best of all, it's free!!!
There is a burlap sack slide that is crazy! I've never seen one of them before so I stared with curiosity - next time count me in for the ride. At least 4 sizable bumps down a 30ft structure?
The aquarium is shut down - but the building's exterior is still a sight to behold. There are little bridges everywhere to walk along and admire from afar. And goodness, the view of downtown Detroit from the island's NW shore is worth the trip on its own!
I know there's much more to do - there are paddle boat rentals but I didn't quite get to that area. There's the huge fountain that's great to walk around (maybe even wade in? didn't see anyone doing that - but the water is definitely clean and chlorinated).
Maybe a park does say a lot about the city it's in - in that case it's great to see that Detroit is vibrant and full of unexpected treasures, not to mention able to find beauty and community in its surroundings.Listed in: Hostess with the Mostest
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Review from John Q.
Phoenix, AZ
The park has some nice open spaces for walking and picnics. There are also a few attractions, like the zoo and conservatory (open limited days/hours). There is a great view of the city along the shoreline and lots of cute squirrels, ducks, and other animals to feed.
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Review from niquesha s.
Madison Heights, MI
11/13/2011 11 photos
I was on the fence on weather or not to give Belle Isle 3 or 4 stars. As a kid I loved this place in the summer time as an adult, not so much, especially the strip. Recently this past summer I drove through the park early in the morning and found out that's not so innocent anymore, there was a couple having sex underneath a tree across from the police station, REALLY. Anywho I'd rather go to Belle Isle during the winter when the ice tree is up.
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Review from Ricky P.
Rockland, MA
6/22/2011
This park is so sad. IMO there is no better sign that a city doesn't care about itself than people leaving their trash ALL AROUND THE PARK. People come to have lunch there, and I witnessed numerous people just tossing trash on the ground. There were trash cans everywhere, some of which were full, but still.
Get up off your lazy ass and throw that shit out.!
But it wasn't just one or two people, there was trash EVERYWHERE! All over the island, trash, trash, trash. And maybe this should be a review of the patrons and not the park, but a lot of those cans were pretty full, and it didn't look like anyone was going to clean it up.
I'd rather go find a quaint, clean park on the lake then have to deal with that garbage. -
Review from Athena K.
8/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
You travel across the MacAurthur Bridge (corner of Jefferson Ave and the Blvd) to reach Belle Isle, a 982-acre island park in the Detroit River, between the United States mainland and Canada. The part is managed by the Detroit Recreation Department and is the largest island city park in the United States.
It is the third largest island in the Detroit River after Grosse Ile and Fighting Island.
Some of the best parts of this park include the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory, the Dossin Great Lakes Museum, a Coast Guard station, and a the city run nature center. There is also an 800 meter swimming beach. -
Review from Kelly P.
Greencastle, PA
9/27/2010 5 photos
I wasn't sure what to expect of this park. I have always been intrigued so when I spotted an article about it online I decided a visit should be planned. This weekend was perfect for it. A beautiful beginning of fall warm sunny morning.
The entrance from Jefferson is easy to miss because the sign is just PAST the turn, Dad my tour director pointed me in the right direction.
I was pleasantly surprised, although we were much too early to enjoy some of the exhibits since most opened around 10am, we had a beautiful drive through the parking enjoying the sights, river and the people.
This appears to be a park which has past its glory days but yet has a huge potential for greatness. As it is I'm shocked there isn't more people taking advantage of such a wonder City spot.
You have the following, although most not pristine all free and available for use.
Playground Structures - Several, new and HUGE!
Tennis Courts
Hand Courts
Walking Paths
Fish Ponds
Fishing Ponds & Piers
Beach Areas
Picnic Areas
BBQ Grills
Boat Facilities & Personal Water craft docking
The views through the park are lovely. Gardens and a few pieces or art along with a view of the Detroit water front were all enjoyable.
Plenty of trees and quiet space along with many open restrooms and picnic pavilions. We spotted many hikers and bikers, walkers and family's with kids. Several closed buildings hold much potential and are architecturally a sight to see. Sad that the aquarium is closed and standing forlorn. There were park attendants and police through the park.
There is a conservatory here which is open daily and has some very pretty but simple gardens to stroll.
We also too a peak at the following:
- The floral clock as you enter the park
- The Scott Fountain (wasn't working?)
- The carillon tower - Very cool
- The nature zoo
- A water slide
- Golf (WHO Knew?)
If you haven't enjoyed this park ~ go there. You'll be pleasantly surprised. -
Review from Dil F.
8/8/2010
Free public park, tons to do, easy to host casual events, super meeting place.
You can't live in Detroit and not love this free public space. People come here to swim and beach (there's also a one-slide water park for a small fee), to play baseball, racquetball, squash, and tennis, to picnic and BBQ, to quinceanera, to take fotos, to fish, to cruise their low-riders, to get ice cream and lemonade, to stroll through the Belle Isle Botanical Garden (which is just as amazing in winter as in summer, maybe more so for the balmy respite from the cold), to see the white deer at the Nature Zoo, to swing some clubs at the driving range (at the very top of the island), and to simply gather and have fun.
I'm here two or three times a month, all year round. Love it. The recent official talk about instituting an entrance fee is a monstrously evil idea. Come get your relax on while its free, and if you can, voice your opposition to the fee proposal. So few cities have as brilliant a leisure/public space as we do. We should be proud of its publicness and accessibility. -
Review from Brian S.
Detroit, MI
6/13/2010 6 photos
Ah Belle Isle, the jewel of Detroit. It is still holding its own and a place worth visiting. Combined with a coffee at Tim's on East Jeff or a meal at the "Sunday Dinner Company", Belle Isle is a nice place to visit in Detroit with panoramic views of Detroit's skyline and Canada.
From a Cycling perspective, Belle Isle is hard to beat in the Detroit area. The pavement going around is in good shape and quiet smooth. There is glass and debris, but with a pair of "Specialized Armadillo Tires", there are no flats to be had on Belle Isle or out ghetto cycling Detroit's streets. Belle Isle has a lot of wind which can either make you ride like a train or suffer like a dog. Many times I ride Hines Drive too, but Belle Isle's pavement is much smoother. Combining a Belle Isle ride (its 5.1 miles around) with a ride up Jefferson to the Edsel Ford House and back is a nice ride. Or riding a loop of downtown, midtown with a ride down Atwater is nice too.
Riding Belle Isle before 2 pm is nice on the weekends and anytime during the week, sometimes its a popular place weekend nights that make riding too crowded.
For me living around the corner, Belle Isle is a useful place to spin away some miles.Listed in: All things Detroit....
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Review from Dan R.
Chattanooga, TN
This year marks the 130th anniversary of the purchase of Belle Isle by the city of Detroit from the wealthy Campau family. The purchase price of the island was an astronomical-at-the-time $200,000. Was it worth it? You better believe it. This enormous public park has provided the backdrop for a lot of great Detroiter memories through the years. Courtships have bloomed (including mine and Tara's), children have played and urbanites have found refuge from the concrete jungle.
But it has also been setting for some of Detroit's most devastating tragedies. The bridge from the city to the island was the starting point of the city's violent 1943 race riot. In a metropolis so adept at forgetting its history, it's no surprise that you won't find any historical markers about this event. Relatedly, the Belle Isle aquarium, formerly the oldest continuously operating aquarium in North America, has been shuttered and remains in limbo due to budget constraints.
Still, this is one of the best urban spaces in the world to relax and catch some vitamin green. New trees have been planted in recent years. The island also has some of the only forested areas for many miles--with accessible trails.
The conservatory is my favorite--absolutely phenomenal in the winter. Here, even with 2 feet of snow on the ground outside, you can feel moisture and warmth in the air and breathe oxygen from live plants.
The views from the island are magnificent. Downtown Detroit shimmers in the sunset from the northern and western shores. Canada beckons to the south (that's right--Canada is south of Belle Isle). The fishing piers are top notch. Even if you don't want to cast for sturgeon, you should walk out and enjoy the views.
Other eye-catchers:
- The floral clock as you enter the park
- The Scott Fountain (please read the hilarious story of its construction)
- The carillon tower
- The Casino (not that kind of casino, dummy)
There are some downsides, of course. An ill-fated attempt to revive indy-car racing brought a lot of expensive and unnecessary concrete in recent years. Litter and goose poop are ubiquitous.
But there really is something for everyone--a nature zoo (should they have quarantined those wee dears?), water slides, a beach, a boat club (preserved by ardent rowers), a yacht club (preserved by stubborn elites), bike lanes throughout (but ride at your own risk, as Dea A. mentions), picnic facilities, statues and architecture galore, golf, and tons of fields for anything from cricket to kite-flying. Today, my friend bought me a Faygo from a friendly roadside vendor. One of these days, I'll have to hit up the Dossin Great Lakes Museum. Belle Isle is one-of-a-kind. -
Review from noah m.
Ferndale, MI
5/12/2009
It's difficult to describe Belle Isle. It's sort of like stepping into an alternate reality. It was designed by Fredrick Law Olmsted, the same man who designed Central Park in Manhattan. It's nothing like Central Park. In fact, it's nothing like any park I've ever been to. Weird stuff happens here. Anything goes. I think the park can only be explained through many anecdotes. I'll only share one.
In high school, Belle Isle was our number one hang out. I think we were seventeen when this happened. We bought a bunch of 40s, drove onto the grass, cranked up the stereo, and cracked open the beers. A few minutes later the cops pulled up behind us with their lights flashing. We knew we were fucked.
"Are those beers you guys are drinking?'' asked the officer.
"Well, ummm, it's actually malt liquor" replied my inebriated friend.
I wanted to punch him.
"You know you're supposed to have that malt liquor in a bag if you plan on drinking it here." says the officer.
"We don't have any bags sir."
"Well, I think we have a few in the car," says the officer "I'll grab some for you."
Honest to god, the policeman goes back to his car, grabs a few paper bags, brings them to us and says "party on boys." He gets in his car, drives away, and we proceed to get wasted with the Belle Isle deer. -
Review from Sarah R.
7/14/2009 ROTD 10/17/2009
I hear that Belle Isle today has slid from the peak of its glory, but it's still a really cool park. It's huge, so even on a sunny June day, there was enough room to host all the picnickers and plenty of open parking spaces. It wasn't a bad drive from Ypsilanti at all and was relatively easy to find and navigate once you're on the island.
We were meeting friends there for a picnic baby shower and had a really good time. We retreated from the sun under a pavilion, watched some folks playing cricket in another area nearby and enjoyed veggie burgers grilled on one of the park's grills.
Great view, free entry, pretty well kept up though a little rough around the edges, great sense of history. I'd like to go back and check out the Dossin Great Lakes Museum. -
Review from Chad C.
Ann Arbor, MI
4/18/2011
Being a fan doesn't mean I don't think Belle Isle has its problems. Litter is a huge one! Little ruins the natural beauty around you more than a bunch of plastic bags and empty liquor bottles strewn around. Still, it's a Detroit treasure!
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Review from Nancy S.
Ypsilanti, MI
7/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
Don't forget to bring water!! Pack a lunch, grab a couple of lawn chairs and sit back and enjoy!
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Review from Quinten C.
Detroit, MI
4/27/2011 4 Check-ins Here
I love Belle Isle being coming here since a young lad. Nice place to relax on a nice day. I just seen the sunset. Nice place to chill at.
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Review from Julie D.
11/15/2010
We didn't have much time in Detroit, but I really wanted to visit this park. Mostly, because some of the designs came from Frederick Law Olmsted, the gentleman that designed the grounds at Biltmore Estate. We visited off season, so I am sure that we didn't really get to see that park in it's full glory. Even so, it's so peaceful and a world away from downtown. Even though it's just across the river. Love Belle Isle.
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Review from dea a.
7/22/2008 3 photos
As a noob to Detroit, I really enjoyed Belle Isle to bike around. I stopped at the conservatory and enjoyed someone's amazing handiwork at seducing orchids.
But my god, whoever said more Detroiters need to discover this place is wrong! The traffic is crazy! I just biked around in the bike lane (which is so precious in Detroit) and nearly got hit at least 3 times. Um, hi? My line, you stay in yours! DON'T CUT ME OFF BECAUSE I'M ON A BIKE AND SMALLER THAN YOU!
It's such a nice change of pace than the rest of Detroit though. People are chill, holding picnics, and generally amiable.
Oh, and safe. It's a safe place if you aren't on a bike. -
Review from Deanna C.
Chicago, IL
12/5/2009
Bell Isle was completely deserted when we took the time to drive around, and honestly, it was quite depressing. There was litter everywhere, the roads weren't kept well, there were several decrepit buildings dispersed throughout the island... it just looked run-down which is sad because I can see so much potential here!
I wonder what Belle Isle would be like during the summer, but this is not a place I would come back to for a picnic. Maybe the locals find it charming, but as an out of town-er, I was quite disappointed. -
Review from Cherice J.
Detroit, MI
7/9/2008 4 photos
Belle Isle is a place you HAVE to stop through if you are visiting the Detroit area. It is really hard to explain what Belle Isle is to tourist. On this island you will find a zoo, aquarium, greenhouse, giant slide, picnic areas, beach, yacht club, and I'm sure I am missing about twenty other things. It's absolutely huge and the perfect place for family reunions and such. In fact, I guarantee if you go out there on any given day during the summer, there will be a family of a million wearing the same color shirts.
When I was younger this used to be the spot to hang out after the club, but now they have been much more tight and actually close it off after a certain time. Which is for the better, because a lot of crazy stuff used to happen out there. During the winter, there really isn't much to do...but if you want to go jogging, I guess its ideal.
Many of the facilities on the Isle are excellent. For instance, my father and stepmother was married at the Greenhouse (roughly 12 years ago) and my high school friend had her wedding reception at this lovely banquet hall. So definitely keep that in mind. -
Review from kelly w.
Brooklyn, NY
7/20/2008
Hip Hip Hooray for Belle Isle.
not so much a hip hip hooray for the "zoo." It's more of a nature center with some turtles, frogs, bees, and birds.
other than that, Belle Isle is perfection. Why more Detroiters don't take advantage of this place I have no idea.
What a great place to bike, rollerblade, people watch, BBQ-- you name it-- you can do it at Belle Isle. You can even rent a swan paddle boat for $5 per person for a half hour-- it's pretty amazing. The swans, the train and the big slide (think county fair) are all owned and run by Skyline Attraction (thank you skyline for bring such fabulous fun to Detroit) out of Philly.
Onto the deer. What the heck happened here?! It scared the bah-jeebers out of me. The Deer Fortress, as I like to call it, looks like Jurassic Park. It was closed (not sure if this is an "all the time" thing now or not.. check my thread about it-- coming soon.) when I was there so I don't know if feedings are available anymore.
The beach was really clean and sandy-- I almost attempted to join in on 5 different BBQ's it smelled so good.
My friends and I are planning an ultimate day here sometime soon.. you're welcome to join! -
Review from Brandi D.
Berkley, MI
6/24/2010
I ventured out to Belle Isle with a few children and kites. The whole ride bracing myself for the all the damage I may lay my eyes upon and the possibility of an island natural disaster. To my surprise the once scared city jewel lives and thrives again with the feel of the old motor city pride!!!!!!!!!!!! BBQ grills are spread across the entire park which eliminates the old need to b.y.o.g.(bring your own grill). Picnic tables and awnings have been painted or replaced, the conservatory is back open for flower lovers, and overall the grounds are being kept once again!!! Still waiting for the giant slide to reopen but their is a much needed change brewing in the city :-)
Detroit Wat!!! -
Review from Tiffany D.
Detroit, MI
11/8/2008
I love the park in the summertime, and so does the rest of Detroit. If it's nice outside, expect traffic, lots of horn honking and a little bit of cat calling if you're not in a car.
During the winter though, it's still a beautiful oasis. The water, the landscaping, the nature...it's a nice place to be. -
Review from Sara A.
Detroit, MI
8/21/2008
Located 3 miles east of downtown Detroit off of Jefferson, Belle Isle park is a perfect getaway from the hustle and bustle of the city. Opened in the 1800's Belle Isle has become a staple in many Metro Detroiters lives. And with so much to do here, its easy to see how so many people have fallen in love with the oasis.
This 1,000 acre park offers a variety of activities for people young and old including fishing, golfing on the Isle course, a playground for the little ones, a beach for those who wanna soak up some rays, and a multitude of picnic areas. During the bearable Michigan months Belle Isle is loaded with walkers, joggers, and in-line skaters getting a workout in the serene environment that is the isle. In the evenings, twenty somethings flock to the Isle to hunt for the oppose sex. it does tend to get rowdy, so be warned.
Personally, I enjoy sitting by the Detroit River with a good book and snacks for a few ours, enjoying the serenity of the park before going back into the craziness of the city. In addition, Belle isle is great for watching squirrels, deer(especially at winter, and pheasants every now again. Also, the Isle is home to a fantastic botanical house, with an array of mature plant life.
So, if you're exhausted from the bars and the high speed city life, pack a picnic, grab a book and a blanket and enjoy some good, laid back fun at Belle Isle. -
Review from shern d.
Detroit, MI
12/24/2010
I just about grew up on Belle Isle, my brother was the ticket taker at the Giant Slide in the 70's.. since we lived so close to the park it was not a big deal to ride our bikes over the bridge. But that was in the 70's and much has changed.
Belle Isle is a disaster and an embarrassment to the city. It's dirty, unkempt and it is well past it's glory days.
If you go early in the morning, it is peaceful, but the trash from the previous night ( plastic bags, bottles, condoms, fast food bags..underwear, bullet casings) are strewn about the island. Go at night at your own risk.
If Belle Isle were a Metro park, it would be a much better place to go... oh and the nature center....a mess.... cold outdated, and the staff is cold and unfriendly as well. The security guard was a better tour guide.
We go to Metro Beach. -
Review from Matt K.
Grosse Pointe Farms, MI
When uploading several hundred photography pictures to my Facebook this summer. I created an album specifically for Belle Isle. Several of my friends instate and out of state gave me overall the same question, "Where is this at?" When telling them Detroit some remembered "Oh yeah, I was there when I was 7 years old." Others mainly from out of state couldn't believe it. They just could not believe that the city of Detroit has something so beautiful, not only a park, but it's an island.
Belle Isle (beautiful island) was once the home of General Alexander Macomb whose memorial statue is on the island. In the 1880s the park was designed and landscaped by park designer Frederick Law Olmsted who also designed New York's Central Park. There are several picnic shelters and a variety of things to do and see on Belle Isle.
Two of Belle Isle's most impressive sights are the Belle Isle Aquarium and the Anna Scripts Whitcomb Conservatory. Both were constructed in 1904 and the Aquarium was the nation's oldest operating aquarium until it was closed in 2003 due to budget cuts. The Conservatory is still the nation's oldest operating conservatory. The conservatory was designed by famous architect Albert Kahn who designed Ford Motor Company's Highland Park Plant, the Detroit Police building, the Fisher building and the Belle Isle Casino as well. The conservatory is named in honor of Anna Scripps Whitcomb who left her 600 plant orchid collection to the city. During World War 2 bombing of Great Britain by the Nazi's rare orchids were saved and transported to the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory. The conservatory contains perennial gardens, annual flower beds, a rose garden, a lily pond, a cactus room, a fernery, a palm house in the large dome, and tropical economically important plants in the south wing such as bananas, oranges, coffee, and sugar cane.
The Belle Isle Casino located not far away is used for occasional public events, weddings, and available for rental. When the original casino burned down in the late 1880s Albert Kahn designed the current casino and erected in 1908. It is a very nice Renaissance Revival building with a terracotta roof and gives the viewer a sense of feeling on the Mediterranean.
Adjacent to the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory is the Nancy Brown Carillon Peace tower. It stands 85ft tall and is dedicated to Detroit News writer Nancy Brown who raised most of the money from her readers.
The Dossin Great Lakes Museum is the world's largest collection of scale-model Great Lakes ships and maritime memorabilia. The Museum includes the pilothouse from the S.S. William Clay Ford freighter and the bow anchor of the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald. It is only open Saturdays and Sunday 10 am to 4pm, but is open Year-round.
The James Scott Memorial Fountain was built with $500,000 donated to the City of Detroit by James Scott to build a fountain for him on Belle Isle. It was designed by Cass Gilbert and was built in 1925. On one side a sitting statue of James Scott, the other, a beautiful fountain that not only shoots out water but at light puts on magnificent light show. The fountain is open from early spring to about August I would say although I am not sure. It is constructed of Vermont White Marble and has 109 water outlets in the shape of human heads, dolphins, turtles, lionesses, and animal horns.
The Belle Isle Water Slide and Beach open the second week in June and are open through Labor Day. For only $3 you can enjoy the slide all day long and starting July 13th on Sunday's from 6 to 8 p.m. you can enjoy Jazz on the beach.
Kid's Row is Belle Isle's half-acre complex of play areas and slides, climbing surfaces, animal sculptures and a merry-go-round.
Belle Isle Golf Facilities include the driving range and actual golf course. The gold course is a 9hole course with 7 of them at par three ranging in distances from 130 to 160 yards.
The William Livingstone Memorial Lighthouse is on the far north of the island and is made from Georgia marble and is 58ft tall with 80ft including the 11,500 candlepower lantern room. It is visible for up to 15miles.
The White House and Greenhouse is a Whitehouse and Greenhouse facility located next to the Belle Isle Aquarium and Conservatory. The White House is used for the offices of Belle Isle and the Greenhouse is used by the Belle Isle Botanical Society. The last Saturday in May each year the Belle Isle Botanical Society has a plant sale here.
No park is complete without Athletic complexes. Belle isle is a 36-acre athletic field for softball, baseball, football, soccer, rugby, basketball, and track. There are also handball and racquetball courts.
The 200-acres of woodlands that are drivable by car are very beautiful and are north of the island by the golf course and lighthouse.
The Belle Isle Nature Zoo is an exhibit I haven't visited but supposedly all the 200 deer that were on the island are fenced in and being taken care of. -
Review from Michelle I.
Farmington, MI
8/31/2010
Belle Isle=Love
A trip to Belle Isle makes any summer's (or spring or fall) day perfect. With so much to do, every trip out to this beautiful island can be unique. I personally love the nature trails and old structures, which incite this sense of nostalgia for something I never got to experience. I love how full it gets during the weekends and on holidays, its always really refreshing to see the park's facilities used by a multitude of people. Even Dharma, my dog, has found her sanctuary in the city. She can't get enough of this park, especially our favorite trail (the Nashua Creek trail). I still need to schlep my bike out here though, I imagine there are some great paths to cycle. The only thing that really saddens me about this park is the amount of litter all over the place. Broken glass, potato chip bags, pop cans litter this Detroit gem. So if (and when) you go, enjoy the views, the nature, the park but please pick up your stinkin' trash! -
Review from Nancy L.
Carlsbad, CA
9/16/2009 9 photos
My first review as an Elite! It must be something momentous like the beautiful grande dame of Detroit, Belle Isle - I can write about White Castle later...
We arrived around 8am on a Monday, clambering over the dry fountain, startling the wildlife (muskrats or beavers?), and looking out for any resemblance to Central Park. I think I glimpsed it in the arc of a bridge and certain decorative motifs on the buildings, but most importantly, how gracefully people and nature could inhabit the space together.
However, there were no people save us and the maintenance crews. In California there are so many gentlefolk of leisure that HG is wont to exclaim, "Don't these people have to work?!" I know there are plenty who would love to have jobs to which to report, but they obviously are not consoling themselves by enjoying the park - maybe the "No Standing Any Day" signs posted everywhere are meant to deter the unemployed. The few souls we did see were jogging, fishing, or sitting, and we got around it by him Leaning against the sign as I was Photographing.
Today's greatest find on the island was the golf course with its separate 5 hole, par 3 mini-course for which Dave supplied us with clubs, balls, and score cards at the bargain price of $5/person. We also bought a bucket of balls to hit on the range (off grass, not the mat!). The only drawback was that this was in full view of the office and the road - no way to hide our hackhood from the general public... luckily, still, no one showed up. We played the mini-course three times, and still no one arrived to "play through" our embarrassing attempts at chipping and putting.
Dave was rightfully proud of his greens, and everything that was still funded on Belle Isle was meticulously cared for - Nature Center was very kid friendly, up-to-date, and interesting with its few odd specimens, the Yacht Club was spic and span, and the Conservatory and koi pond were obviously someone's labor of love. And on the opposite end, the abandoned aquarium was slowly becoming engulfed by vines, and some original looking stable-like structures were falling into ruin.
My Ann Arbor cousin was shocked to learn where we'd spent our day. I'm glad we didn't know to be scared. If only native Michiganers could refresh their attitudes about downtown and Belle Isle - they're the only ones who can save it. -
Review from Nikki W.
Detroit, MI
7/30/2008 4 photos
Belle Isle is a landmark in the city of Detroit. It boasts 500 annual family reunions per year. It has tons of things to do! There is a nature bike trail. There is boat peddling, also known as the Swan Rides. There are plenty of play-scapes for children of all ages. And let's not forget about the Giant Slide. Literally. It's a giant slide! There is swimming available in the Detroit River with lifeguards or in the pool with the popular slide. There are also amenities for barbequing and picnicking. Not interested in any of that. That's ok; Belle Isle has got you covered. All you'll need is a blanket and a great book. Or a blanket and your imagination. Or just you! Sitting by the Detroit River relaxing! What ever you choice of activity Belle Isle won't disappoint!
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Review from o o.
Ann Arbor, MI
11/4/2007
Need to pass some time, take a drive to Belle Isle. Grab a coffee at the nearby Starbucks, drive onto the island and people watch. Weddings at Scott Fountain, Chat with the local fishermen, Watch a Cricket match, or Take a swim at the public beach. Designed by Olmsted, it could be a world class park.
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Review from Lydia T.
Philadelphia, PA
12/16/2009
tennis, basketball, volleyball, family reunions, beach, race track, romantic, free. all in Detroit.
