Jeanette Pierce
Owner and Cofounder; Inside Detroit Tours; Detroit
What are three surprising outdoor venues you would recommend for off-site group events?
- Campus Martius Park is an urban oasis right downtown. It opened in 2004 and has quickly become Detroit’s town square, with flowering gardens, spacious lawns and a canopy of trees providing shade. It is also home to an ice rink, making it Detroit’s Rockefeller Center. Groups can rent out the 2,000-seat rink area for special exhibitions. There are also two retractable stages that rise out of the ground and host dozens of free concerts and events year-round. Campus Martius is adjacent to Cadillac Square Park, which opened in 2007. Together, the two parks can host large outdoor events.
- The Detroit International Riverfront is a spectacular addition to the city. It is the ongoing result of a public-private effort to reclaim the abandoned industrial riverfront, and so far three spectacular miles of walkway and green space are finished. The highlight is Rivard Plaza, which features a carousel, cafes, bike rental and great views of Windsor and the Ambassador Bridge. The Diamond Jack riverboats also dock here, so groups could have an outdoor event right at the plaza and then take a sunset cruise along the river.
- Belle Isle Park is a gorgeous green oasis located in the Detroit River. Designed in the 1800s by Frederick Law Olmsted, who also designed New York’s Central Park, Belle Isle is also the largest island park in the country. There are beaches, pavilions, hiking trails and several venues throughout the island’s 928 acres. Notable buildings include the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory, the nation’s oldest conservatory. It features glass and iron greenhouses, lush gardens and a lily pond. The island is also home to the Detroit Yacht Club and the Dossin Great Lakes Musuem. All three can host large events.