Are the kids bored already? Well . . . get them out the door to any and all of these aaaaahhhmazing Michigan hot spots! Here at Detroit Mom, we know how summer can be, so we put our mom brains together to compile your Ultimate Michigan Summer Bucket List. Save this post or print it out and hang it up where the whole fam can see, and choose where your kids want to go to have FUN!
From rainy-day activities to sunshine all day, we have you covered. Metro Detroit is action-packed with festivals, farms, and FUN! So, grab your cute bathing suit or hot hiking boots, and let’s explore!
Whether you want to spend time with nature, grab a bite to eat at a new restaurant, add a new park to your park hop list, or just want to do something NEW, rest assured that our list will provide your family with endless hours of summer fun. This is also perfect for those out-of-town visitors that you want to show off our state to. So, get started! See how many activities you can check off of our Michigan summer bucket list!
The Ultimate Michigan Summer Bucket List:
Animals
For the animal lovers in your family, you’ll want to check out:
- Belle Isle Aquarium: the oldest aquarium in the country!
- Belle Isle Nature Center: free daily admission, open from 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
- Creature Conservatory in Ann Arbor: open on Saturdays and Sundays from 11:30am-5:00 p.m.
- Dow Gardens Ribbit the Exhibit: starts now, through August 28!
- Supe’s Exotic Jungle: open seven days a week offering four time slots per day
- The Detroit Zoo: check out the brand-new water tower, and be sure to inquire about their sensory-friendly evenings
- The Reptarium: open Wednesdays through Sundays, book your spot now!
Farms + Nature
Definitely save this section for a gorgeous summer morning. Michigan is home to so many family farms and natural areas! Check out some of our favorites:
- Carpenter Lake Nature Preserve: pet-friendly and perfect for the whole family!
- Crosswinds Marsh: home to bald eagles and beavers!
- DeBuck’s Sunflower Farm: offers u-pick flowers
- Their Lavendar Festival takes place weekends in July.
- Their Sunflower Festival will be weekends in August and early September.
- Detroit Abloom Urban Farm: the perfect place to check out flowers, butterflies, and birds
- Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park: worth the drive to the Grand Rapids area
- Hazens Blueberry Farm: check out the on-site bakery–their blueberry crumble ice cream is so good
- Maybury Farm: has a picnic area and playground
- Michigan Airline Trail: perfect for bikes or the stroller/wagon
- Muddy Acres Flower Farm: the most gorgeous varieties of cut flowers!
- Nichols Arboretum Peony Garden: many varieties of flowers from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries
- Proud Lake hiking trails: head out for a walk to enjoy all that Michigan nature has to offer
- Romeo Lavendar Farm: perfect for lavender, sunflowers, and wildflowers; pick lavender and then take some photos!
- Schell Family Farm: a fairly new farm with fun for the whole family
- Slow Farm Organic: a woman-owned u-pick farm and farmstand!
- Stoney Creek Nature Center: enjoy the self-guided nature trail while exploring
- Wolcott Mill Farms & Park: visit one of America’s last remaining grist mills–built nearly 200 years ago!
Food + Nights Out
If you’re looking for a new place to grab lunch or dinner, or something exciting to do at night as a family, here is where we recommend:
- Aloha tiki tours: for ages 12 and up
- Comerica Park: cheer on the Tigers and pose for a photo in front of the entrance
- Coriander Kitchen & Farm: walk-ins are welcome, but reservations are encouraged
- The Detroit People Mover: ride around to see the city sights; free for the rest of the year
- Detroit Princess Riverboat: check out a full list of upcoming cruises on their website
- Downtown Street Eats: choose from more than 75 food trucks (11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.), then plan to go roller skating at Next Level by RollerCade
- Eastern Market: Tuesday, Saturday, and Sunday markets
- The Fountain Detroit: beachside dining!
- Host Utica: Parents Night Out Uninterrupted: kids get to play, you get to eat!
- Jimmy John’s Field: cheer on any of the four teams that play there!
- Mom’s Spaghetti: Eminem’s Restaurant, need we say more?!
- Qahwah House: stop in for spiced, Yemeni Adani tea
- QLINE: ride while exploring downtown; currently free!
- Detroit Rolling Pub: six riders minimum
- Southern Shaved Ice: over 50 flavors!
- The Belt: between Broadway and Library Street, perfect for photo ops!
- Walk the Riverfront: the #1 in the country!
- Woodward Coney Island: the best coney dogs
Kid-Friendly Outdoor Activities
Plan to check out some of these kid-friendly places earlier in the day, before it gets too hot:
- The Beach at Campus Martius Park: perfect for sandcastle building
- Blake’s Funland: be sure to go on the miniature goat walk!
- CJ Barrymore’s: check out the new 3-story Indy Skytrack
- Cooks Farm Dairy: so many cute animals, especially the baby cows
- Dequindre Cut: a bike trail and graffiti mural
- Dinosaur Hill Nature Preserve: classes are hands-on about animals, nature, and biology
- Edsel and Eleanor Ford House: Story Studio on Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m.
- Greenfield Village: be sure to take a ride on the train before you head home
- Hines Park Trail: print off a nature scavenger hunt before you go!
- Huron-Clinton Metro Parks: 13 parks with beaches, biking, and more
- Livonia Library: outdoor story time on Wednesday and Friday mornings in June and July
- Johnson Nature Center: a storybook walk perfect for kids
- The Art Attic Plymouth: lots of fun events and outdoor kid/family yoga during the summer
- Yates: grab donuts and cider (or ice cream!), then see the farm animals
- Zip lining at Howell Nature Center: for ages five and older
Music + Festivals
Don’t forget a comfy blanket or lawn chair and some snacks when you stop in for these sights and sounds:
- Algonac Pickerel Festival: July 3-7, 2024
- Ann Arbor Art Fair: July 18-20, 2024
- Antique Yard Sale Trail: August 9-11, 2024
- Art in the Park Plymouth: July 12-14, 2024
- Detroit Festival of Books: July 21, 2024
- Farmington Founders Festival: July 18-20, 2024
- Fenton Freedom Festival: July 2-4, 2024
- Halal Ribfest: July 5-7, 2024
- Kidz Bop Live at Pine Knob: July 6, 2024
- Marshbank Music: July 10/17/24/31, 2024
- Milford Central Park: summer concerts in July and August at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday nights
- Pine Knob Music Theater: get lawn seats for a show!
- Plymouth’s Art in the Park: July 12-14, 2024
- Royal Oak Taco Fest: July 4-7, 2024
- Sonic Lunch: free outdoor concerts on Thursdays in Ann Arbor
- Sterlingfest: July 25-27, 2024
- Taste of Brighton: July 12-13, 2024
- Tunes on Tuesday: in Northville each Tuesday morning this summer!
Parks
Have you ever done a park hop? Add these parks to your list the next time you head out to play:
- Affholter Park | Trenton
- Bauveric Woods Park | Southfield
- Beacon Park | Detroit
- Booth Park | Birmingham
- Campus Martius Park | Detroit
- Freedom Hill County Park | Sterling Heights
- Gainsboro Park | Pleasant Ridge
- Inglenook Park | Southfield
- Innovation Hills | Rochester Hills
- Kensington Metropark | Milford
- Marshbank Park | West Bloomfield
- Pitchford Park |Macomb Township
- Stony Creek Park | Shelby Township
- Valade Park | Detroit
Photo Ops!
Summer is not complete without the photographic evidence. We’ve planned out the BEST spots to stop for photo ops, including:
- The Ambassador Bridge
- The Dequindre Cut
- Eastern Market
- The Heidelberg Project
- The Monument to Joe Louis (“The Fist”)
- Madcap coffee and Parker’s Alley
- The Michigan Central Station
- Spirit of Detroit statue
- Z-lot rooftop
Rainy Day Indoor Activities
We know Michigan weather can be unpredictable, so here are some spots to check out this summer when it rains:
- Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum: bring a change of clothes in case your kids play in the water area!
- CJ Barrymore’s: their indoor activities range from mini bowling to laser tag
- Detroit Kid City: open Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday mornings
- Dinoland: there’s a cafe, and you can have parties and more!
- DNR Outdoor Adventure Center: open Wednesday through Saturday
- Fascination Factory: play-based facility powered by creativity and curiosity
- Free Play Pinball Arcade: open Thursday through Sunday
- Marvin’s Marvelous Mechanical Museum: admission is free
- Michigan Science Center: over 220 hands-on exhibits; register for Mi-Sci Spark!
- Pinspiration Ann Arbor: walk-ins welcome!
- Troy Gym: the ropes course is a blast
- Sanders + Morley Candy Makers Factory Tour: free for all ages!
- SkyZone Trampoline Park: grab a summer pass to have fun all summer long
- Stemville: indoor fun that your kids will LOVE!
- UrbanAir Adventure Park: check their weekly activities schedule to see what they have planned; they have various locations throughout Metro Detroit
- X-Golf: all ages and ability levels will have a blast at all Metro Detroit locations
Water Activities
Save these for those HOT days when you want to be outside, but need a way to stay cool:
- Argo Cascades: grab a bite to eat at Zingerman’s after
- Belle Isle Beach: bring a picnic lunch and relax on the sand
- Jump Island: an outdoor inflatable water park sure to be a hit with all family members
- Lily Pad Springs: the largest splash pad in the state
- Stony Creek Metropark: paddle boarding and boating available
- Red Oaks Water Park: open Thursday through Saturday
- Silver Lake Water Ski Shows: Tuesday nights through August
- Blue Heron Bay Spray Park: pavilions available to rent!
- Turtle Cove Aquatic Center: at Lower Huron Metro Park
- Water Warrior Island: obstacle courses, paddle boarding, and more
- Whoa Zone: KidsZone–special area for kids ages 4-7 and under 45″
Traveling with your kids this summer? Don’t miss Rana’s tips for a successful road trip vacation.
This post was originally written by Whitney Cornelli and updated in 2024 by Antonette Slobodian.
