Vacation Activities in Detroit with Kids

The Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) is a world-class museum with one of the significant art collections in the country. The museum is based in an architecturally significant building designed by renowned architect Paul Philippe Cret with a white marble exterior and two massive wings. The museum spans over 700,000 square feet, and features over 100 galleries showcasing a permanent encyclopedic collection with works from around the globe includes African art, ancient Egyptian and European works, Impressionist paintings, contemporary art, and Diego Rivera’s Detroit Industry murals. Children-friendly programs include audio tours, eye-spy activities, and weekend art demonstrations.

5200 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48202, Phone: 313-833-7900

The Belle Isle Nature Center is located on the beautiful Belle Isle State Park and offers children the chance to get up close and personal with nature with a variety of educational, environmental, and natural experiences. The Nature Center is home to a wealth of animals and birds, including native amphibians, reptiles, and fish, as well as a small herd of European fallow deer and a colony of honeybees who live in an observation hive. The Belle Isle Nature Center aims to promote environmental awareness through several programs that focus on conservation, water quality and protection, and preservation of nature and the environment.

176 Lakeside Drive, Detroit, MI 48207, Phone: 313-852-4056

The Detroit International RiverWalk is an iconic landmark of Detroit and popular tourist attractions. Spanning more than three miles from Rose Parks Boulevard to the Belle Isle Bridge, the riverfront promenade draws locals and tourists alike for walking, jogging, running, cycling or simply relaxing and soaking up the beautiful views. Amenities along the RiverWalk include restaurants and cafés, fountains and splash parks for kids, a vintage carousel, and a multitude of parks. The International Riverfront also encompasses a cruise ship passenger terminal and dock, a marina, retail shops, high rise residential areas, and spectacular views of both Canada and the Detroit skyline.

1340 Atwater St., Detroit, MI 48207, Phone: 313-566-8200

The Detroit Experience Factoryintroduces people to the Motor City through contextual storytelling, interactive experiences and innovative resources and offers a wealth of information, tailor-made trips, and tours for groups of all sizes and more. The Detroit Experience Factory has pop-up welcome centers throughout the city where visitors can go for information on the best restaurants, bars and cafés, live entertainment, museums and galleries, cultural and historical excursions and insider tips and tricks to get the best out of the city.

440 Burroughs St #332, Detroit, MI 48202, Phone: 313-962-4590

Located in Royal Oak and Huntington Woods, the Detroit Zoo is a famous animal sanctuary and conservation institution that has been protecting and conserving animals since the 1880s. Spanning 125 acres of beautiful landscapes just two miles north of the city limits, the zoo is operated by the Detroit Zoological Society (DZS) and is home to more than 2,400 animals representing 235 species. Major exhibits include the 33,000-square-foot Polk Penguin Conservation Center, where visitors can see more than 80 penguins in action and which works in conjunction with SANCCOB in South Africa to rescue and rehabilitate penguins. Other fascinating exhibits include the Australian Outback Adventure, the Arctic Ring of Life, the National Amphibian Conservation Center, Great Apes of Harambee, the Holden Reptile Conservation Center, and the Butterfly Garden.

8450 W 10 Mile Rd, Royal Oak, MI 48067, Phone: 248-541-5717

Located a 25-minute drive east of downtown Detroit in the suburb of Dearborn, The Henry Ford Museum is a large indoor and outdoor history museum complex and National Historic Landmark that celebrates the life and works of auto mogul Henry Ford. The museum features a vast collection of exhibits and displays that focus on the work of Henry Ford, including 18 interactive touch screens, a wealth of fun activities and games, and must-see attractions such as ‘Made-In-America’, ‘Heroes of the Sky’, ‘ Henry Ford’s Violins’, and ‘Driving America’. Other fun things to see and do at the museum include the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, Greenfield Village, Ford Rouge Factory Tour and Benson Ford Research Center.

20900 Oakwood Blvd, Dearborn, MI 48124, Phone: 313-982-6001

The Belle Isle Aquarium is a public aquarium on the beautiful Belle Isle Park on Belle Isle and is the oldest continually operating public aquarium in North America. Designed by renowned architects George D. Mason and Albert Kahn, the aquarium opened to the public in 1904 and has been delighting the public with displays of marine creatures and fish ever since. The iconic 10,000-square-foot building features green tiled and vaulted ceiling and houses more than 1,000 fish and 118 species of sea life. The Belle Isle Aquarium is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.

3 Inselruhe Ave, Detroit, MI 48207, Phone: 313-402-0466

Eastern Market is a popular Saturday market that sells a wide variety of fresh and organic produce ranging from grass-fed meats and dairy products, handmade cheeses, gourmet deli-style foods, freshly baked bread, cakes, pastries, and other sweet treats. One of the oldest and largest year-round markets in the country, the market runs year round with additional markets on Sundays and Tuesdays in the summer months. The market is home to over 150 food sellers and stalls, and other specialty businesses such as fresh flowers, herbs, and herbal products, handmade jewelry and clothing, gifts and souvenirs and more. The nearby Bert’s Warehouse Theatre entertains in the form of live jazz.

Eastern Market, Detroit, MI