Mamas, we made it! Summer is here and that that means the kids are out of school and already asking, “what are we going to do to day?” So before they think to come to you with the, “I’m bored,” line, DMB is here to help with our annual Ultimate Summer Bucket List. Click on each category to see what’s going on or download the printable DMB Ultimate Summer Bucket List and check things off as you go! Did we miss something? Comment below so we can add it!
Art & Entertainment
- Cheer on the Tigers at Comerica Park.
- Go on a nature walk and have your child collect their own items to make a nature college.
- Listen to Jason Mraz at Meadow Brook Amphitheater.
- Head to the Fox Theater on July 7th for a night of magic with David Blaine.
- Check out Wild Summer Nights at the Detroit Zoo. Every Wednesday in July and August enjoy a variety of music concerts. This is free with Zoo admission.
- FREE Community Yoga for Every Body at Eastern Market every Wednesday at 6:30PM
- Head to Chene Park for a concert
- Make time during Labor Day Weekend for the 39th Annual Jazz Festival in Hart Plaza
- Grab a chair or blanket and head to New Center Park for FREE movies every Wednesday (adult) & Friday (children’s)
- Head to Royal Oak for Michigan Rib Fest 2018 from July 6-8
- Visit the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History for the 36th Annual African World Festival from August 17-19
- Attend a concert during Ford’s Arts, Beats and Eats in downtown Royal Oak from August 31-September 3
- In the mood for a concert? Check out DTE’s lineup for summer concerts
- Head to downtown Plymouth for the Music in the Air concert series, every Friday
- Reading & Rhythm on the Riverfront starting in July on Thursdays and Fridays
- Looking to stroll at an art festival? Head to the Plymouth Art In the Park (July 13-15) or the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair (July 19-22)
- Music and Me at the Village of Rochester Hills every Wednesday starting July 11
Food & Drink
- Hit up Food Truck Friday’s at the Lathrup Village for a relaxed dinner and live music.
- Visit Amici’s Pizza in Berkley for epic pizza & fab patio dining. Grab a delicious martini while you are here too!
- Looking for the best brunch with instagrammable plates, flowers & sparkly chandeliers? Check out Rochester Brunch House!
- If Bloody Marys are your thing, The Block in Detroit has hands down the best!
- Southfield’s got lunch covered for you on select Friday’s this summer. Stop by Eat to the Beat to check out a food truck for lunch and catch some tunes.
- Vegetarian and Vegan food more your style? Check out Vegbash on June 29th or VegMichigan’s SummerFest on August 5th to find your new favorites.
- Fan of pie, pizza pie? Motor City Pizza Fest is where you need to be on August 3.
- If hard ciders suit your test, head over to Blake’s Cider Mill for the 4th Annual Cider Dayze Festival on August 25-26.
- Everyone loves a great burger, check out Burger Battle Detroit 2018 at Shed 5 of Eastern Market on June 24th.
- Outdoor seating and right on the water sounds like the perfect summer dinner, head to Marine City Fish Company.
- Check out Bucharest Grill on the Livernois Avenue of Fashion. While there check out the boutiques and art gallery.
- Downtown Street Eats + much more at Beacon Park
- Is the family struggling to decide on a dinner spot? Head to Detroit Fleat and they won’t have to with three food trucks from which to choose
- There’s nothing more Michigan than Zingerman’s Delicatessen. Head to this Ann Arbor favorite for one of their famous sandwiches or attend an upcoming event/tasting!
The Great Outdoors
- Hit up Lake St. Clair Metropark, Kensington Metropark, Belle Isle, or Camp Dearborn for a day at the beach.
- Summer Discovery tours on Lake St. Claire (ages 6 and older) learn about lakes, light houses, shipwrecks, ecology, and more!
- Try out a high ropes course! You can find one at Stony Creek Metropark or The Adventure Park in West Bloomfield.
- Hit the trails on horseback! Head to Maybury Riding Stable or Pine River Stables for a trail ride
- Did you know you can do more than apple pick and many of the area orchards? Check out the amazing harvest calendar from Blakes. You can pick strawberries, cherries, or broccoli, just to name a few. Many of the other orchards offer a variety of u-pick produce, so be sure to check our apple orchard guide to see if an orchard near you does
- Go for a hike or bike ride on the Macomb Orchard Trail, a 24 mile linear park.
- Looking to do something a little different? Why not try the Detroit Cycle Boat and experience the Detroit River in a whole new way.
- Camp out in your back yard and roast marshmallows for s’mores
- Take part in a race! Here’s a list of 5K & 10K in + around Detroit!
- Host a rocking BBQ with neighbors. You supply the main course, and everyone else brings a dish to pass. Be sure to have a variety of outdoor games, so everyone can visitm play, and have fun
- Join the Sunrise Club and enjoy friends, music and snacks, as you enjoy the sunrise over the city of Detroit
- Go on a hayride through the woods at Kensington. The price is $5 per adult, $3 seniors (62+) and children 3-12. Children 2 and under are free. You will need a Metropark vehicle entry permit ($35) is needed
- Head to the 982-acre island park, Belle Isle
- Check out the only beach in the middle of a city at Campus Martius
- Take your pick: kayak, hike, or swim at Bald Mountain in Lake Orion or Island Lake State Park in Brighton
- Head to your local splash pad for free or cheap midday entertainment (Psss… shop at The Mall at Partridge Creek and bring a bathing suit for the little to play in the fountains and play area afterwards!)
- Spend a day with barnyard animals at Maybury Farm in Northville, Domino’s Farm or Wolcott Mill Metropark or maybe some fish at Spring Valley Trout Farm
- Go on a walk with your family through your neighborhoo
- Take a walk or bike ride thru the Dequindre Cut traveling through Detroit
#LoveDetroit Date Night
- See Detroit in a whole new by taking a river boat tour! You can check out either the Detroit Princess Riverboat or the Diamond Jack River Boat Tours.
- Pack the car and head to a drive-in movie! You can catch a drive in at the USA Hockey Arena or the Ford Drive In
- Check out a local comedy club such as Go Comedy! , Mark Ridley’s Comedy Castle , or Planet Ant
- Send the kids to Grandma and Grandpa’s and enjoy some quality alone time at home. Order in and binge watch a show.
- Put away the phones at 3&Up Board Game Lounge in Plymouth. They have over 1,000 electronic free games to play.
- Hit up one of the many breweries in our area. Check this list out for ten (of the many) breweries we love.
- Use your detective skills at The Great Escape Room. Will you make it out in 60 minutes?
- Get a group together and check out a paddle bar! Detroit offers two options, Detroit Cycle Club or the Handlebar Detroit
- Looking for a little adventure? Try out Friday Night Canoe at and Stony Creek Metropark.
- Head to The Cranbrook Art Museum to check out one of the current exhibitions
- If you like wine, why not check out Wild Bests Wild Wine event at the Detroit Zoo on August 24. You will get to sample wine from more than 40 wineries, while seeing the zoo at night. Tickets start at $45, and you must be 21+ years to enter.
- But if you’re more of a beer person, check out the Bike Safari on July 12. Tickets start at $37, and you must be 21+ years to enter.
- Take a segway tour of Detroit
- Looking to celebrate America? Check out Greenfield Village and their Salute to America
- Eastern Market hosts a series of Adult Cooking Classes if you’re looking for an interactive date night
Family Fun
- Did you ever want a behind the scenes look at Comerica Park? You can take a tour and see the dug out, batting tunnel, and more. Tickets start at $4.
- What better way to beat the summer heat than to play in the water! There are many splash pads around Metro Detroit, many of which are free. Check out our guide to find one close to you!
- Dinosauria is back at the Detroit Zoo! Between the dinosaurs, Polk Penguin Conservation Center, and the Australian Outback Adventure, there is something for every one. If you think you’ll visit the zoo more the once, a membership is a great idea!
- Looking for something a little educational? Check out Reading and Rhythm on the Riverfront. Stretching six weeks through the summer, listen to local celebrities or business people read a book, then enjoy some interactive music. Plus all children who attend get a free book!
- Unplug from your phone, tablet or computer for 24 hours
- See how many ice cream shops you can hit up. Need ideas? Check out our guide to 10 ice cream experiences you can have.
- Is it raining? Have no fear, we have your back. Check our our ultimate indoor play guide.
- Check out one of the many fairs or festivals in our area. Browsing art, eating an elephant ear, that’s the life!
- Does your little one like music? Check out Kids Komotion a free series at Marshbank Park in West Bloomfield. Bring a blanket and jam!
- Go back in time and visit Greenfield Village.
- Take some time to visit the Belle Isle Aquarium
- Join a local library for their summer reading program
- Head to the DIA and check out the Star Wars Exhibit now on display thru September 30
- Take a mini vacay and head Up North. There is nothing better than relaxing on the lake.
- Take a stroll into the past at the Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm. This 16 acre complex features original structures from 1840.
- Take a ride on the QLine
- Dress up in your favorite princess dress and go to Wolcott Mill Metorpark for Princess Tea. The cost is $8
- Get your senses ready and head to Armada for the 16th Annual Lavender Festival at Blake’s Orchard
- Grab your swim goggles and take the kids to your local Goldfish Swim School for family swim on Friday evenings (see individual franchise website for more information)
- Play putt putt golf
- Head to your local Home Depot for a FREE kid’s workshop
- Bring your lab coat and learn about how electricity effects the world in the DTE Energy Sparks Theater Show at the Michigan Science Center
- Have kids that are interested in nature? Head to the Outdoor Adventure Center to experience hands-on activities, exhibits and simulators
- Run through the sprinklers with your neighborhood friends until it’s time to come in for bed
Sports
- Cheer on the Unicorns, Beavers, or Diamond Hoppers at the family friendly Jimmy John’s stadium. The United Shore Baseball league boasts great prices and all the fun of Tiger’s stadium without the chaos!
- If you are a Detroit purist, check out a Tiger’s game downtown. Bonus: they have an awesome nursing room!
- Looking for a game of the no-hands variety? Detroit City FC puts on a great game of soccer and being in the crowd is an awesome experience.
- When your littles get excited about soccer after seeing the pros play, sign them up to play for themselves with Total Soccer.
- Watch Liverpool v. Manchester United soccer game at The Big House on July 28
