Outdoors · One day

How to spend a whole day on Belle Isle

A bridge over the river, a green-tiled aquarium, a palm house, a leaping gazelle, a marble lighthouse and hydroplane history.

stops: 8
length: One day
areas: 2

Belle Isle is a whole island between Detroit and Canada, about 982 acres of woods, shoreline and surprises. This day starts on the MacArthur Bridge, takes in the island's 1904 icons, then heads to the quieter east end, where a marble lighthouse designed by a Hungarian artist looks out over Lake St. Clair. Bring a bike or good shoes, and a picnic blanket wouldn't hurt.

A day on the island

09:30
MacArthur Bridge
Detroit – Belle Isle
The only road onto the island: this 19-arch concrete bridge opened in 1923, replacing a swing bridge that burned in 1915. It was renamed for General MacArthur in 1942, but locals just call it the Belle Isle Bridge. On foot or by bike, the sidewalk views of the river and downtown are gorgeous.

Past the bridge, continue toward the middle of the island and Inselruhe Avenue.
10:00
Belle Isle Aquarium
Belle Isle
Designed by George D. Mason and Albert Kahn, it opened in 1904. Green glass tiles across the vaulted ceiling make you feel like you're walking underwater, and it reopened in 2012 after a long closure. Think of it as a one-of-a-kind little building, not a giant all-day aquarium.

A few steps next door.
11:00
Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory
Belle Isle
Also from 1904, with plants, light and glass under the central dome. It's named for Anna Scripps Whitcomb, who gave Detroit a major orchid collection, and it's the perfect counterpoint to the aquarium.

Right out front.
12:00
Levi L. Barbour Memorial Fountain
Detroit – Belle Isle
The Leaping Gazelle fountain from 1937: a young Marshall Fredericks won it over 26 entries, his first big public commission, long before The Spirit of Detroit. Since gazelles never roamed Michigan, granite locals surround it: an otter, a grouse, a hawk and a rabbit.

Walk or bike through the park to a picnic spot.
12:30
Belle Isle Park
Belle Isle
Lunchtime: spread your blanket somewhere on the shore, facing the downtown skyline. The James Scott Memorial Fountain is one of the island's landmarks too; individual buildings keep hours separate from the park.

Bike or drive on across the island and look for it among the park's monuments.
14:00
Alpheus S. Williams equestrian statue
Detroit – Belle Isle
A 1921 bronze equestrian statue honoring Civil War general Alpheus S. Williams, who as a Detroit parks commissioner helped turn Belle Isle into a park. Sculptor Henry Merwin Shrady, who also did the Grant Memorial in Washington, made it.

Bike or drive to the island's northeastern tip.
15:00
William Livingstone Memorial Lighthouse
Detroit – Belle Isle
The only marble lighthouse in the United States: this 58-foot Art Deco tower from 1930 was designed by Hungarian artist Géza Maróti with Albert Kahn, and Maróti carved the relief over the door. It's fenced, but you can get close enough to study the carvings and take in the view over Lake St. Clair.

Head back toward the south shore and the stretch facing the river.
16:00
Detroit River Race Course
Detroit – Belle Isle
Hydroplanes have raced this stretch of river by the island since 1916, and Gar Wood won the Gold Cup here five years running, 1917 through 1921. You can see the course from the shore year-round, and on Detroit Hydrofest weekends the engines roar again.

Good to know

Walkers and cyclists get in free; driving in requires a Michigan Recreation Passport, since Belle Isle is a state park.
The aquarium and conservatory keep different hours, and the aquarium may open only on selected days, so check the latest visitor info first.
Distances on the island add up, so plan how you'll get between stops; a bike is easiest.
Want to see it from the water? From May through October, Detroit River Sports runs a seven-mile, roughly three-hour kayak tour around the island; some paddling experience is recommended.