So you have relatives coming from out of town for the holidays? Or some free time on your hands? Looking for a fun family day? You could spend a whole day hanging out on Belle Isle, inside and outside.
1) Visit the Conservatory... it is warm, green, and heavenly on a cold day... think orchids, ferns, and cactus, poinsettias in December. Bring your camera. Open 10-5, Wednesday-Sunday. Free.
2) Bird and critter-watching from inside the Nature Zoo. There is a fireplace! And a lovely comfy sofa right in front of the window overlooking the bird feeders. And spiders and turtles and such for the kids to view. Open everyday 10-5 except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's. Free.
3) The Dossin Great Lakes Museum has the pilot house of a Great Lakes freighter stuck on its backside. You can pretend that you are captain of the universe. Open Saturdays and Sundays 11-4. Free. (Closed Christmas and New Year's Day)
4) Be Dutch for a day... bring your ice skates and glide along the network of canals. Or be Canadian...set up a hockey rink on one of the shallower ponds.
5) Cross country ski over the river (well, creek) and through the woods. You will have the place mostly to yourself early in the morning, and the city will seem a hundred miles away. Great map of the island showing nature trails.
6) There's always the Ice Tree!
7) Bring your dog for a walk... just be careful about the icy river and deeper ponds, please.
8) New Year's Eve Fun Run/Walk
9) New Year's Day Toast at the Detroit Boat Club ... had enough football? have you ever wondered about the lonely white building next to the bridge, above? want to see the inside of it? make new friends?
10) Come to the island while it is snowing...you will feel like you are on the inside of a snow globe. Bring hot chocolate or coffee. Park where there is a good view of falling flakes. Ponder the meaning of the universe as expressed in snow angels and catching flurries on the tip of your tongue.
1) Visit the Conservatory... it is warm, green, and heavenly on a cold day... think orchids, ferns, and cactus, poinsettias in December. Bring your camera. Open 10-5, Wednesday-Sunday. Free.
2) Bird and critter-watching from inside the Nature Zoo. There is a fireplace! And a lovely comfy sofa right in front of the window overlooking the bird feeders. And spiders and turtles and such for the kids to view. Open everyday 10-5 except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's. Free.
3) The Dossin Great Lakes Museum has the pilot house of a Great Lakes freighter stuck on its backside. You can pretend that you are captain of the universe. Open Saturdays and Sundays 11-4. Free. (Closed Christmas and New Year's Day)
4) Be Dutch for a day... bring your ice skates and glide along the network of canals. Or be Canadian...set up a hockey rink on one of the shallower ponds.
5) Cross country ski over the river (well, creek) and through the woods. You will have the place mostly to yourself early in the morning, and the city will seem a hundred miles away. Great map of the island showing nature trails.
6) There's always the Ice Tree!
| Last winter's tree |
| This year's model underway |
8) New Year's Eve Fun Run/Walk
9) New Year's Day Toast at the Detroit Boat Club ... had enough football? have you ever wondered about the lonely white building next to the bridge, above? want to see the inside of it? make new friends?
10) Come to the island while it is snowing...you will feel like you are on the inside of a snow globe. Bring hot chocolate or coffee. Park where there is a good view of falling flakes. Ponder the meaning of the universe as expressed in snow angels and catching flurries on the tip of your tongue.
Links to these and many other interesting Belle Isle sights/sites can be found at the top right of this blog, in the section, "The Isle Itself". Any favorite winter memories of Belle Isle you'd like to share?
