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EXPERIENCE DETROIT
Attractions
& Self-Guided Tours
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 Detroit Attractions for Kids
Overview
Never thought about a family
vacation in Detroit? Well think
again! Detroit has fantastic things to
do for kids that both educate and entertain.
Below we've listed some of the best attractions in the area. You will find that the destinations are a
bit spread out -- some in the city, some in the suburbs. So we recommend combining a visit to each
of with them with another activity to make it a full day. In the destination descriptions below, we
suggest additional activities to consider.
Beware… Your kids may not want
to leave these awesome attractions!
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Belle Isle:
Nature Zoo, Conservatory, & Great Lakes Museum
Bridge off of
Jefferson Avenue at East Grand Boulevard, Detroit
Full Tour Page
Belle Isle
is a 982-acre island and park in the Detroit River managed by the Detroit Department
of Parks and Recreation. The island
has been subjected to significant budget cuts recently, resulting in the
closing of America's oldest public aquarium (opened in 1904). Nevertheless, Belle Isle still has many
excellent attractions to offer, including the Belle Isle Nature Zoo (operated
by the Detroit Zoological Institute),
the Anna Scripps Whicomb Conservatory, and the Dossin
Great Lakes Museum to name a few.
Consider packing a lunch and enjoy great views of Detroit and Windsor (Canada) while you relax on Belle
Isle's half-mile beach (the only beach in the City). Belle Isle has something for kids of all
ages!
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 Cranbrook Art Museum &
Institute of Science
39221 Woodward
Avenue, Bloomfield Hills
Website
Cranbrook
is an internationally acclaimed center of education, art, and science in the
northern suburb of Bloomfield
Hills. The campus is
comprised of a graduate Academy of Art, contemporary Art Museum, House
& Gardens, natural history museum, Institute of Science, and Pre-K
through 12 independent college preparatory schools. The Art Museum houses the work of world-renowned architects
and sculptors and the Insitute of Science features eleven permanent
galleries, a state-of-the-art planetarium and observatory, and an outdoor
science garden with nature trails. The
institution was founded in 1904 by Detroit philanthropists George and Ellen
Booth and was named a National Historic Monument in 1989. A perfect blend of culture, education, and
entertainment for the entire family!
Although there is more than enough to occupy an entire day, we
recommend a visit to Birmingham if you would like to combine Cranbrook with
another activity (see the Experience Detroit Specialty & Boutique Shopping
Tour page for more information).
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 Michigan
Science Center
5020 John R,
Detroit
Website
In the early 1970s, Detroit
banker and philanthropist Dexter Ferry believed Detroit's youth lacked the
same learning opportunities available in other major cities and led efforts
to establish a major science center in the City. Construction on the original science center
began in 1976 and a major renovation and expansion was completed in
2001. Today's Michigan Science Center
encompasses over 110,000 square feet and offers Michigan's only IMAX Dome Theatre, a state-of-the-art
digital planetarium, and multiple exhibit laboratories and learning
environments. Given its location in
the heart of Detroit's Cultural Center,
consider combining your visit to the Science Center with a trip to the nearby
Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit Library, or Charles H. Wright Museum of
African American History (see the Experience Detroit Museums
page for more information).
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 Detroit
Zoo
8450 West Ten
Mile Road, Royal Oak
Website
With kids,
a zoo is always a sure bet. Add to it
the outstanding attractions and exhibits
the Detroit Zoo has to offer, and your kids are sure to be completely
fascinated. See animals in
free-ranging natural habitats, amphibians from around the world, the
country's first zoo-based virtual reality simulator, and the world's largest
polar bear exhibit. In addition to
educating and entertaining families for generations, the Detroit Zoo has a
history of responsibility. The Zoo
began this philosophy many years ago as one of the first in the world with
cageless exhibits and most recently as the first U.S. zoo to give up its
elephants on ethical grounds due to the harsh Michigan winters. Despite its location in the suburb of Royal Oak, the Detroit Zoo
is actually an agency of the City of Detroit and draws thousands of visitors
from the entire Southeastern Michigan region.
Consider a stop in Ferndale or Royal Oak before or after your visit to
the zoo (see the Experience Detroit Specialty
& Boutique Shopping Tour for more information).
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 Henry
Ford Museum
20900 Oakwood
Blvd., Dearborn
Website
The Henry Ford Museum, along
with the other attractions on the campus of The Henry Ford, provides an
unparalleled chronicle of American life and of the people and ideas that
changed lives through innovation. The
museum houses an array of exhibits showcasing the results of American genius
at work. In addition to one of the
finest automotive history collections in the country, exhibits include the world's most accurate
replica of the Wright brothers' Flyer, the only remaining prototype of the Dymaxion house, and John F. Kennedy's fateful Dallas
limousine. Time permitting, visit
Greenfield Village, the Benson Ford Library, IMAX theater, and the Automotive
Hall of Fame (all are located adjacent to the museum). See the Experience Detroit Automotive Heritage Tours
page for more information. A must-see
for anyone visiting Detroit and a tremendous experience for all ages!
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Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum
31005 Orchard
Lake Rd., Farmington Hills
Website
Your kids will grin ear-to-ear when they walk through the doors of this
incredible museum. Marvin's houses
hundreds of vintage
magic, neon, antiques, posters, airplanes, robots,
animation, and unusual coin operated games. The coin operated games are all
operational and range from the oldest gypsy fortune telling machine of the
early 1900's to the latest video games.
The place is so cool that even hip-hop Detroit
Music star Eminem has dropped in for some fun!
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More Information
The list above is just the tip of the iceberg when it
comes to attractions for kids in metro Detroit. Click on the links below for additional
attractions, tours, and retail shops in the area.
Art & Culture
Automotive
Heritage Tours
Belle Isle
Cultural Center
Detroit
Children's Museum
Doll Hospital
and Toy Soldier Shop
Festivals &
Events
Museums
Olde World Canterbury Village
Sports
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