Detroit’s outdoor spaces are more expansive than many visitors expect. Best known for its contributions to art, engineering, and culture, the Motor City brings that same energy to its natural surroundings — from canal tours to open-air art walks that weave through the city.
Belle Isle offers a historic escape along the Detroit River
Belle Isle Park has been a natural retreat since 1880. The island was partially designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the architect behind New York’s Central Park. His original plans included Central Avenue, a canal system, beaches, and wooded areas that remain today.
Visitors can rent kayaks and paddle through the island’s canals, walk in the northern woods or the renowned Oudolf Garden, and bike around the 5.4-mile scenic loop. The park also includes athletic facilities, a 6-hole golf course, and historic buildings such as the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory — the oldest continually running conservatory in the country. Belle Isle’s Ralph Wilson Gateway also serves as the southern trailhead for the Iron Bell Trail, which extends all the way to the western Upper Peninsula.
Related: Arizona Allows More Arsenic in Grand Canyon Water
The island connects directly to the Detroit International Riverwalk, a 3.5-mile greenway that was named Best Riverwalk in America for three consecutive years from 2021 to 2023. The path runs from Ralph C. Wilson Centennial Park to Belle Isle’s MacArthur Bridge, with parks, public art, live music, and food along the way. Hart Plaza and William Milliken State Park and Harbor anchor the experience, offering scenic views of the Detroit River throughout.
Public art and architecture shape the city’s streets
From the Riverwalk, a quick detour leads to the Dequindre Cut Greenway. The nearly two-mile path features 20 world-class murals by local artists, with more commissioned each year. The wide trail connects the Riverwalk with Eastern Market, one of the oldest continuously running markets in the country. On market days — Saturdays year-round, plus Tuesdays and Sundays in summer — visitors find local produce, art, and artisans alongside a fleet of food trucks. Wheelhouse Detroit offers public tours or privately guided rides along the greenway.
The city’s sprawling mural map means public art appears on nearly every corner. That’s by design. Visitors can simply wander neighborhoods like McDougall-Hunt to see the Heidelberg Project, or join local walking and biking tours for historical context. Detroit’s buildings themselves are works of art. Nicknamed the Paris of the Midwest, the city is filled with Art Deco and Beaux-Arts architecture rooted in its early French influence. Tours highlight must-see sights.
Related: West Virginia tops for affordable outdoor escapes
Not all of Detroit’s art is outdoors. The Detroit Institute of Arts houses more than 65,000 works, spanning from early global and Indigenous civilizations to the present. The museum holds the first van Gogh in America, but its centerpiece is the Detroit Industry Murals by Diego Rivera. Finished in 1933, the murals cover four enormous walls and depict the city’s factory workers and the natural and economic forces that drove industry at the time.
There’s a natural tension between the city’s celebrated industrial past and the green spaces now drawing people outside. While these attractions are part of a broader effort to reimagine Detroit’s identity, their long-term success will depend on consistent investment and local engagement. The outdoor infrastructure is impressive, but sustaining it requires more than just a tourism push.
Getting on the water reveals a different side of Detroit
The Detroit River isn’t just for looking at. Detroit Sails offers public and private tours, including sunset, sunrise, and full moon outings. The fleet includes multiple boat options, with tours ranging from 75 minutes to four hours. Each trip is BYOB, letting guests toast the downtown skyline or Belle Isle with their drink of choice.
Related: Live IPL Score and Live streaming are just a few clicks away
For a slower pace, visitors can rent a kayak from Belle Isle and paddle the river on their own. The Detroit Cycle Boat offers a floating party inspired by the city’s street-level “Pedal Pubs” — guests bring their own drinks and music.
One of the most unusual on-the-water experiences comes from Detroit River Sports, located in the Jefferson Chalmers neighborhood. The two-hour tour showcases a little-known canal system called the “Venice of Detroit.” It winds through quiet green spaces and urban settings, visiting Greyhaven Island and the historic Fisher Mansion before exploring the Jefferson Chalmers canals. Afterward, Coriander Kitchen and Farm provides a farm-to-table option nearby.
