Belle Isle Park

Belle Isle Park is an island in the Detroit River that holds botanical gardens, an aquarium, and the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory across nearly 400 hectares. Paths wind through open meadows, wooded areas, and along shorelines that offer views of the river and the city.

The island became a public space in 1845 and shifted over the following decades from a rural landscape into an urban retreat. Frederick Law Olmsted contributed to its early-20th-century design, shaping sections that opened nature to city residents.

The James Scott Memorial Fountain forms the heart of the island, with its marble structure and ornamental water jets showing classical design. Visitors walk around the basin and watch the fountains change as the light shifts through the day.

Visitors reach the island by crossing the MacArthur Bridge and can find parking near major sites such as the conservatory and the nature center. The paths are mostly level and suited for walking, cycling, and wheelchairs, especially in spring and autumn when the weather is mild.

The aquarium opened in 1904 and has operated continuously since then, making it one of the oldest public aquariums in North America still running. The green tilework and vaulted ceilings inside give the rooms a historic character found in few places today.