Belle Isle Nature Center image

Belle Isle Nature Center

Tourist attraction Park Zoo

👍👍 If you looking for outdoor activities to do with your family and kids. This is the place to explore. People often mention kids, nature, great, center, time, deer, nice, loved, family, area,


Address

176 Lakeside Dr, Detroit, MI 48207, United States

Website

belleislenaturecenter.org

Contact

+1 313-852-4056

Rating on Google Maps

4.60 (1.1K reviews)

Open on Google Maps

Working Hours

  • Sunday: 10 am to 5 pm
  • Monday: (Martin Luther King Jr
  • Tuesday: 10 am to 5 pm
  • Wednesday: 10 am to 5 pm
  • Thursday: 10 am to 5 pm
  • Friday: 10 am to 5 pm
  • Saturday: 10 am to 5 pm

Featured Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: kids (23) nature (17) great (13) center (13) time (12) deer (9) nice (9) loved (8) family (7) area (7)
Reviews are sorted by relevance, prioritizing the most helpful and insightful feedback at the top for easier reference.
  • 5/5 Jinna K. 1 year ago on Google
    If you looking for outdoor activities to do with your family and kids. This is the place to explore.
    12 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Joya M. 1 year ago on Google
    I brought my 4 year old great nephew here and we had an excellent time. There are turtle, salamander, frog, and snake exhibits. There is a very cool bee farm and an outdoor area to observe and feed deer. It's a wonderful place to visit; especially, with a young child.
    4 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Candyce A. 1 year ago on Google
    🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸 Free indoors and out. Fun place to take the family. It’s an indoor playground intertwined with natural 🐍displays and learning areas. High energy. ⚡️Clean. Take the boardwalk trail across Lakeside Drive to the Iron Belle trail. 🥾Easy hike to the east end of the island where the Detroit River opens to Lake St. Clair. ⛵️Beautiful scenery. 🌿🍃🌱🐞🌳🌳🌾🌾🪺
    4 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 K M. 6 months ago on Google
    Nice educational place for the kids and adults. There’s plenty to learn. You can explore the nature side of Michigan. The staff was super friendly. The place was very clean. There’s lots to see. Do check them out.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Alecia W. 8 months ago on Google
    Whenever I’m unsure on where we want to spend a nice day we come here! Such a fun and interactive way to learn the world around us
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 F 1 year ago on Google
    Huge thumbs down. A few tanks of basic animals, like frogs, in depressing man-made environments. Took me 5 min to go and leave bc it was so unentertaining and small. I can’t believe 2.5 MILLION was spent on renovations here? I don’t believe it honestly. It’s time to for the public to have proof of where and HOW money is spent in Detroit (and every city). To make sure these funds aren’t……..misappropriated. The money you spent (or kept?) on this useless “renovation” could have been spent on small low income housing for the sick and disabled. So sick of being so disappointed by this world and this city.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Sukumar s. 4 years ago on Google
    Great place, excellent nature exhibits on display. You can touch & feel different animal parts such as skulls, skin(furr) horns etc. nice decor & children play room. Bird house outside center is very nice & many birds & sparrows are taking shelter. Small but beautiful place & without visiting this place your visit to island is not complete
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Gebo's G. 1 year ago on Google
    Beautifully remodeled facility; it is basically brand new. The volunteers really make this a great family experience. When you're here, check out the rest of what island has to offer, especially if you are a first-time visitor!
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Howtoria W. 3 months ago on Google New
    It was a wonderful experience. The children had a wonderful time. I took my own children back and they had a wonderful time.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Mrs B. 7 months ago on Google
    It's a cool place to take a family outing and has educational benefits.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 2/5 Crystal W. 8 months ago on Google
    This park you pay 13$ to get in for the year but everything is closed. No zoo, no garden area open, no aquarium it's only open Friday- Sunday so don't go through the week. It like everthing you want to go do is closed. The map they give you does not match where the actual places are. We did go to the nature center it was just ok. Not very big at all. They do have a beach area to swim. Even though I can get in for the rest of the year not sure if I would even bother going back honestly.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Janette D. 11 months ago on Google
    Aquarium, was Clean & Awsome. Lots to see in a not so big space. Loved it. Our whole Fam had fun. Try the Honey! Mmm mmm. Nature center was closed, remodel at this time. ( April 21 / 23) but we'll be back.💜
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Matthew T. 1 year ago on Google
    Unfortunately the Nature Center was closed during our visit to Belle Isle. The sign said reopening soon. We peeked in the windows and it did look like they were doing some cleaning and renovations. I'm sure it will be better than it was before when it reopens.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Christy B. 5 years ago on Google
    Nature center has deer feedings 3 times a day in the summer. There is a few turtles & a fish in the inside pond. There's lots of great information on native animals and plants. There's a fun play area for little kids inside and a fun outdoor area. They also have a nature hiking trail. There is a great playground right across from the parking lot too. Great for a quick visit or a longer stay with great information.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Aaron K. 4 years ago on Google
    Belle Isle Nature Center is a really educational experience. It tends to focus on native to Michigan species through informative posters and displays. A good place to walk through with the entire family
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Virginia Y. 5 years ago on Google
    The nature center is great but what is even more fabulous is the playground right outside. I’ve never been to such a cool playground!!!! There’s a small nature playground right outside the nature center and then the bigger playground near the parking lot. You can fish there too.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Brooke L. 10 months ago on Google
    Cute for smaller kids. A fun walk thru for adults and big kids.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Rachael G. 4 years ago on Google
    My boys and i loved this! We went easter Sunday and it was opened and it was our first time to the nature center. We had a lot of fun and learned a lot and even made the deer feeding time! It was a great day at belle isle again!! There is a park outside the nature center so my kids playes after looking around tge nature center and feeding the deer. They also had a bingo sheet for the kids and a scavanger hunt sheet for kids of all ages to do! It was set up really nice and lots of facts about all kinds of animals!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Bill M. 2 years ago on Google
    The guided hiking programs are excellent. Staff is friendly, knowledgeable, and engaged. Thank you to my guide, Luke!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Megan S. 2 years ago on Google
    Unique and treasured architecture.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 John J. 11 months ago on Google
    This place is pretty cool - even for adults. It was interesting to learn a few things that I didn't know about Michigan's amphibians and reptiles. The facility is clean and well taken care of. To get on the island, you'll need a recreation pass and everything is free unless one is inspired to donate further. Highly recommended.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Kimberly I. 4 years ago on Google
    Well done! It's small enough to keep the kids interested and the deer experience is something special. Definitely going back.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 RJ R. 7 months ago on Google
    Great place for families to take their children to. Nice for adults to wander through also.

  • 5/5 Arif R. 8 months ago on Google
    Great place for kids to learn through interactive processes.

  • 5/5 Katherine M. H. 8 months ago on Google
    Really great for little kids, and helpful for tourists, too. The deer are gone—they were permanently moved to the Detroit Zoo in 2022. There’s still plenty to see here (turtles, mud puppies, gophers) and the nature trail outside is peaceful and easy to navigate.

  • 5/5 Devanney M. 8 months ago on Google
    Awesome little free attraction within Belle Isle Park. We went there to get out of the sun and were surprised at how many animals they had inside. I loved learning about the Mudpuppies and how the research they do helps make sure the river is healthy. They also had areas for kids to play and learn, including a small inside jungle gym (earthworm themed) and an outside area they could dig and play gardener. Loved the vernal pool with the tadpoles and the indoor, glass-enclosed bee hive.

  • 5/5 J M. 2 years ago on Google
    We really enjoyed our time with the family and bees ! Beautiful exhibit 🐝❤😊

  • 4/5 Roosevelt P. 2 years ago on Google
    I Love The Way Belle is Set Up , i will give it a 4 star,you can have lots of fun out there 😊😎👍.

  • 5/5 Alan L. 2 years ago on Google
    Nature center was closed for renovations but the staff had a wonderful outdoor honey bee experience for everyone to enjoy

  • 4/5 Twjuana M. 5 months ago on Google
    Our recent visit to Belle Isle Nature Center was very nice. I enjoyed the young man explaining about the bullfrog. I laughed on the way out when I looked back and saw a puppet. Enjoyed the trail walk. I wish there was more to see.

  • 5/5 Emaly W. 5 months ago on Google
    Very fun place to take young kids! We must've saw all the animals at least 3 times because of how much my son loved it! Also, very inclusive for neurodivergent kids, which was important to us! Will definitely come back next time we come out to Michigan!

  • 5/5 George M. 7 years ago on Google
    Nice little zoo. We enjoyed the live displays of turtles, albino deer, a couple of Black Rat Snakes, and the educational displays for the kids. There is a nice birdwatching area which drew in a Bluejay, the first I have seen all summer. It even had a groundhog hogging the food 😁

  • 5/5 Heather F. 2 years ago on Google
    Had a very nice time. The kids loved all the nature

  • 4/5 Peter Ryan W. 11 months ago on Google
    My kids loved this place. I just couldn't give it 5 stars due to a super dicky security guard being aggressive towards numerous people for no reason. But as far as the actual nature center goes it is great for kids

  • 5/5 Brandy K. 5 years ago on Google
    Very fun and informative! Our daughter loved it and so did I! Highly recommend a visit if your on Belle Isle! The white deer are so cute! Plus it's FREE lol!

  • 5/5 Jessica D. 11 months ago on Google
    We were going to the aquarium, but it was closed, so we decided to check this place out. I couldn't believe it was free. It was very cute, and my 9 and 14-year-old loved it. I wasn't expecting it, so it was a nice surprise. The albino turtle was so cool. The salamanders were super cute. A nice place to spend some time with kids if they love anything nature related.

  • 5/5 Gretchen B. 1 year ago on Google
    I took my preschool granddaughter here and she had a great time. They had a lot of fun activities for her to do. Plus, a cozy fireplace with good picture books to read and look at. We went on a weekday and there weren't any crowds. I definitely recommend this as a fun and free (with a state park recreational passport) place to go!

  • 5/5 Carol R. 1 year ago on Google
    We were not even planning on visiting because prior visits were blah. But the granddaughter had to use the restroom. I wish I had pics. I've been to many nature centers this is the best I've visited. Hopefully it stays in such amazing condition. There's a live beehive, many reptiles. A playscape that you can pretend you're ants, that the kids loved. An awesome assortment of stuffed animal puppets and books. Kept the kids engaged for quite awhile, they didn't want to leave.

  • 5/5 Danalee P. 1 year ago on Google
    My kids and I really enjoyed the nature center, we would have stayed longer but it was jam packed with people. I wouldn’t recommend going on the weekend, but they had lots of fun animals to see, activities for the kids, and interesting facts for all ages.

  • 5/5 Sharon K. 1 year ago on Google
    What a wonderful venue to bring children to. The crew who renovated and brought this great place up to speed deserves kudos. We had a great day at the center yesterday and all of the staff was kind and friendly. My 3 1/2 year-old grandson did not want to leave. Very hands-on and user-friendly.

  • 3/5 M. M. 4 years ago on Google
    Fun for the whole family. Free admission is great.This place is a little small. The aquarium set up is very neat. Bathrooms are clean.

  • 3/5 Gia E. 5 years ago on Google
    Nice place for nature as far as turtles, amphibians, snakes and fish but the deer....it hurts my soul to see them locked behind the fence with no freedom to run free when they live on an island. ...they look so unhappy.


Call +1 313-852-4056 Open on Google Maps

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