Jessica aka @justonebiteandsites is one of our favorite follows on social media. She’s always taking her boys to the best places and for mid-winter break she’s offering up a list of ideas to keep your family having fun close to home while school is out.
It’s mid-winter break and if you’re not heading north for skiing or south for some sunshine, what to do locally?! Here are recent activities my boys have loved and I think your kids will too.
Spend A Day In Detroit
Well, while the Christmas tree may have left Campus Martius, the ice skating rink is still open and the perfect place for a little ice filled fun. New this year, you don’t need a reservation and your wrist band gets you in for the day, so you can come and go as you please. Just as we did for hot coco and cake pops in between.
Another great Detroit destination is Belle Isle State Park. You need a Recreation Passport to drive onto the island ($12 annually for a vehicle) and then you can enjoy a lot of free family activities including the Dossin Great Lakes Museum, Belle Isle Aquarium, Anna Scripps Conservatory, Belle Isle Nature Center and nature trails.
- Dossin Great Lakes Museum open Thursdays to Sundays
- Belle Isle Aquarium open Fridays to Sundays
- Anna Scripps Conservatory open Wednesdays to Sundays
- Belle Isle Nature Center open daily
Explore A Museum
There are so many great museums to visit in metro Detroit, here are a few go-tos.
- Cranbrook Institute of Science open Wednesdays to Sundays
- Michigan Science Center open Wednesdays to Sundays
- Detroit Institute of Arts open Tuesdays to Sundays
- Outdoor Adventure Center open Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays
- Charles H. Wright Museum open Tuesdays to Sundays
- The Henry Ford open daily
- The Ford House open Tuesdays to Sundays
Try Something New
Do something new and try rock climbing at Eastern Market or check out the critters at Lou’s Pet Shop in Grosse Pointe Woods.
Old School Fun & Games
Keep it simple and go with tried and true activities – arcade games and bowling.
- Ready Player One open Fridays to Sundays
- Garden Bowl open daily
- Marvin’s Marvelous Mechanical Museum open daily
Cultural Experiences
Experience the bites and sites of different cultures and even our own as metro Detroiters!
- Mexicantown filled with sites, shops and stunning murals wherever you turn. From restaurants to bakeries not only do we love the bites there, but we also love to explore this little gem of an area on the southwest side of Detroit.
- Hamtramck there’s so much to do in the 2 square mile city inside Detroit – the Polish Art Center, Hamtramck Historical Museum, Polish Village Cafe and Le Detroit Macaron are top picks.
- Detroit if you haven’t taken the coney test, there’s no better time to have a chili taste off at American and Lafayette Coney downtown.
