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Belle Isle, Detroit

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by yooperprof
Belle Isle tips and photos posted by real travelers and Detroit locals.

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Belle Isle: Green spaces at Belle Isle
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  • Belle Isle is in the middle of the Detroit River, Down stream from Lake St Clair (read: its clean). It's a beautiful green park, about 3 miles around with a great conservatory, lots of picnic areas, fishing, golf course, a water slide and even a beach. You can view the Detroit skyline and watch jet skiers and boats go by from under a shady tree or watch the barges pass on the side that faces Windsor. Be sure to visit Scott fountain which is far more beautiful than Chicago's famous Buckingham fountain.

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  • Directions: 3 miles East of downtown off Jefferson Ave. Merge onto the bridge from the right lane.
  • Website: http://www.fobi.org/
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    Belle Isle: CONSERVATORY AT BELLE ISLE
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  • It's a beautiful conservatory that's been around for at least 70 years. The noise of the city seems a million miles away when you visit here. All kinds of beautiful, mature plant life to get lost in. Kids like this place, too. Don't skip it if you go to Belle Isle.

    Admission: FREE

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  • Directions: East of downtown along Jefferson Ave.
  • Website: http://www.fobi.org/
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    Belle Isle: Belle Isle
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  • For well over 100 years Belle Isle has been Detroit’s island oasis. Before air conditioning city residents would escape to the island to spend the night during the hot sticky Michigan summers. It is still a popular weekend destination for picnics, to fly a kite or maybe even take a swim.

    Although many of the islands once beautiful structures have fallen into disrepair, and the Frederick Olmsted designed landscape is overgrown it is still a pleasant place to take a drive.

    If you would like a little more activity there is a small golf course, a children’s playground, and the only public swimming beach in Detroit.
    Indoor activities include a plant conservatory and the Dossin Great Lakes Museum.

    Be sure and stop by the Scott Memorial Fountain which was built in 1925 and is quite beautiful.
    On a summer day the island is a wonderful place to sit and watch the boats go by on the river.

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  • Directions: About 3 miles east of downtown along Jefferson Ave.
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    Belle Isle: Belle Isle Conservatory
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  • Oh Pretty Island! Belle Isle - in the Detroit River - was designed in the early 20th century by America's great landscape designer Frederick Law Olmstead. It's still a very pretty place, an excellent venue for wedding photographs - as seen here.

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    Belle Isle: Belle Isle
    The island is a giant park in the middle of the Detroit River. There is a zoo, a conservatory, an aquarium, and a bunch of other stuff to do. It's a great time for kids, or that's how I remember it. Also this is where they hold the Detroit Grand Prix in the summer.

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    Belle Isle: Boat Watching
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    Belle Isle: Detroit`s fountain of mirth
    I decided to write a separate tip about this fountain because I think its story is an interesting one.

    It was built in 1925 - 15 years after the death of a guy who left $500.000 to the city of Detroit so they can build a fountain on Belle Isle.

    Nice gesture, you may say. Well, the generous guy`s name was James Scott and he was a gambler and a naughty prankster despised by all who knew him. In his will the Detroit most eccentric bachelor had only one request: to build a life-size bronze statue of the donor (e.g. himself) next to the fountain. :)) Detroiters were furious... but finally agreed.

    The fountain was designed by the NY architect, Cass Gilbert. Scott`s statue is there too. You may see it on the fountain`s left side - a bronze man sitting in a chair, looking at Detroit towers.
    Those who knew Scott, said that he loved watching kids play. Good for him, cause till today children like to sit on his bronze lap.

  • Directions: East of downtown along Jefferson Ave.
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