Athletic Complex:
The 36-acre island athletic field has facilities for softball, baseball, football, soccer, rugby and track. Across the road are handball/racquetball courts.

Athletic Field House:
A brick building built in 1898. Located behind the Athletic Field and across Vista Way from the handball court. A restaurant has been located on the first level.

Aquarium:
The Belle Isle Aquarium was closed by the City of Detroit on April 3, 2005, due to budgetary cuts. It was the oldest continuously operating public aquarium in North America. This beautiful structure opened in 1904 at the intersection of Inselrue Avenue and Loiter Way across from the Greenhouse and next to the Conservatory.

The Friends of the Belle Isle Aquarium are continuing an effort to reopen this facility. For additional information on the FOBIA efforts go to their website: http://belleisleaquarium.com/

FOBIA has been able to open the building to visitors at various times during the year, such as for Shiver On The River in February and for the Poinsettia Soiree in December. Watch their website for opening dates!

Beach & Water Slide:
The one-half-mile-long swimming area is the only public beach in Detroit or along the Detroit River. This is a wonderful spot to view the Gold Cup hydroplane races in the summer. During the summer there is Jazz On The Beach on Sunday's from 6-8pm. The Water Slide is located next to the beach. There is a charge for use of the Water Slide; for $3 you can get an all-day pass to ride. There is a charge for the use of the Water Slide; for $3 you can get an all-day pass to ride.

Belle Isle Nature Zoo:
The new Belle Isle Nature Zoo opened in April of 2005. It is located across from the Belle Isle (Golf) Driving Range in the former Belle Isle Nature Center building. A variety of programs are offered including educational programs and the Deer Encounter. Twenty-five fallow deer that once roamed the island now enjoy a one-acre enclosure and barn at the Belle Isle Nature Zoo. Check with the Nature Zoo for specific deer feeding times. The Nature Zoo is open daily 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. 362 days a year -- Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day.
For additional information see their website: http://www.detroitzoo.org/Visitors/Nature_Center/Belle_Isle_Nature_Zoo/

Bicycle Paths:
Marked Bicycle Paths are located on the left side of the roadways around the island. Driving and parking is prohibited in these marked paths and are good for walking, jogging and bicycling.

Canoe Rental Building (closed about 30 years ago):
Over the years a very popular pastime on Belle Isle was canoeing. Either you stored your own privately owned canoe or rental one. The Canoe Rental and Storage Building was located near the current Harbor Master Building located on your right when you enter Belle Isle.

Carillon Tower:
The 85-foot high Nancy Brown Peace Carillon Tower was dedicated at the 7th annual sunrise service held June 17, 1940. Nancy Brown was one of the first advice columnists in the United States. Her advice column, “Experience”, launched in April of 1919. She worked as a columnist and journalist for “The Detroit News” until her retirement in 1942. Column readers raised most of the building fund for this monument. Originally, bronze bells would serenade island visitors with performances. Now, a computer automated 49-bell carillon recreates the sounds of cast bronze bells ring out on the hour and half-hour.

Casino:
This grand, two-story Spanish-style building was designed by Albert Kahn in 1907 with ornate towers and encircling verandas. This was not a gambling establishment but rather a key meeting point for individuals and groups on the island. It is located near the entrance of the island just east of the Scott Fountain. The Belle Isle Casino was once said to be the finest casino in the United States. The original Casino built in 1887 was a wooden 3-story structure with a canopied veranda and was destroyed by fire. The Casino provides space for meetings and various special events. Contact Belle Isle Special Events Office at 313-628-2081 to schedule your event at this facility.

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Coast Guard Station:
The U. S. Coast Guard operates this facility and rescue station at the southeastern tip of the island near the source of the river at Lake St. Clair. From here, they patrol the Detroit River from the western edge of Lake St. Clair to Point Mouilee in Lake Erie. Station Belle Isle bears primary responsibility for support during the Gold Cup, a Detroit summertime tradition where hydroplanes race on the Detroit River.

Conservatory:
The Conservatory or Horticulture Building (as it was originally called) was designed by Albert Kahn in 1902 and patterned after Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello. It opened in 1904 and is connected to the Aquarium with an outside lily pond between the two buildings in the front. At one time, visitors could move between the two buildings. In 1953, it was dedicated to Mrs. Anna Scripps Whitcomb, who left her 600 plant orchid collection to the City of Detroit.

Now known as the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory, it is the permanent home of hundreds of cacti, succulents, ferns, palms, tropical plants and one of the largest orchid displays in the country. Outside exhibits include formal perennial gardens and a lily pond. The 85-foot tall dome of the palm room has become a symbol of the island. The Conservatory is available for weddings, meetings and other special events. Contact Belle Isle Special Events Office at 313-628-2081 to schedule your event at this facility. It is home to the Belle Isle Botanical Society, a non-profit organization created to advance gardening efforts and educational programs.

The conservatory is open from 10 am until 5 pm Wednesday-Sunday. There is no admission charge.

Detroit Boat Club:
The Detroit Boat Club was founded in 1839 and is the oldest continuous rowing club in the world, the oldest boat club in the United States and the oldest social club in Michigan. The Club had five clubhouses at several locations in the Detroit area before it built the one on Belle Isle in 1902. The Club remained there until February 23, 1996, at which time they abandoned the building.

The club still operates its rowing ventures from the docks. However, the abandoned building, on the north side of the island just east of the MacArthur Bridge, has fallen into severe disrepair. Friends of Detroit Rowing maintain the interior. Each year on New Year's Day they open up the Boat Club to revive an old tradition, the New Year's Champagne Toast at 3:00 pm. It is also open for Shiver On The River on the first Saturday in February.

Detroit Yacht Club:
The Detroit Yacht Club is located on the north side of the island facing the city mainland. It is one of the oldest and largest yacht clubs in the world, founded in 1868. The current clubhouse on Belle Isle was completed in 1923 and provides social and recreational boating activities to its members and their guests. The nearby lagoons are favorite winter resting areas for ducks and geese. This is a private membership club and is not open to the public.

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Dossin Museum:
The Dossin Great Lakes Museum is located on Strand Drive across from the Aquarium and is part of the Detroit Historical Museum & Society. Exhibits focus on Great Lakes shipping and maritime history. Explore the working pilothouse from the freighter S.S. William Clay Ford overlooking the Detroit River, a hands-on exhibit. See the world’s largest collection of scale-model Great Lakes ships and the Miss Pepsi championship hydroplane. Visitor Hours are: Saturday and Sunday – 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Ferry Dock:
Service to Belle Isle was via boat or beginning in 1840 by Ferry Steamer. Ferry service ended in 1957. The only dock left is located on the south side of the island just west of the Dossin Great Lakes Museum. It was built in 1870. Other docks were located on the lower end of the island 1883 and between the bridge and the beach bathhouse 1912.

Fishing Piers & Fishing Bulkheads:
There are two fishing piers on the island. The one just west of the U.S. Coast Guard Station is 750-feet in length. The other is on the north side of the island opposite Inselruhe. The two fishing bulkheads are one on the south side of the island opposite and the second one is east of the DYC on the north side of the island.

Fitness Jogging Trail:
The Fitness Jogging Trail is for all ages and begins by the playscape at Kids Row.

Floral Clock:
Upon entering Belle Isle via the MacArthur Bridge, you will find a huge floral clock. This is filled with blooms all summer long.

Flynn Pavilion:
This building is located on Picnic Way and Loiter Way on the shores of Lake Tacoma just east of the Casino. It was built in 1949 and designed by Eero Saarinen. In 2007, it became the location of the Swan Boat rental. Back in its history, it was a concession for ice skaters that used the lagoon in the winter when it was frozen over replacing an older pavilion structure. Later, it was the location of Burt’s Jazz. The Flynn Pavilion provides space for meetings and various special events. Contact Belle Isle Special Events Office at 313-628-2081 to schedule your event at this facility.

Freighters:
Lake freighters pass Belle Isle going upbound and downbound the Detroit River on their journey from through the Great Lakes. They can be viewed along Belle Isle's southern shores through the shipping season. Have a seat along the shore or at a picnic table and enjoy the view.

Giant Slide:
The Giant Slide is located at the westside of Kids Row on the corner of Inselruhe and Central Avenue. The old slide was replaced with a larger one in 2007. There is a charge to use this slide.

Golf Course:
The Belle Isle Golf Facilities are composed of two units: (1) The Belle Isle Golf Course at Riverbank and Oakview built in 1922, and (2) The Belle Isle Practice Facility and Driving Range on Riverbank across from the Nature Center. The course is an executive 9-hole course with 7 holes at par three – distances ranging from 130 to 160 yards. Two holes par at 4 with longer distances – 290 yards and 300 yards. The golf course has been closed since 2008 but the City is hoping to be able to open it in the future.

Golf Driving Range:
The Belle Isle Golf Driving Range is located on Lakeside Drive across from the Nature Zoo and is run by The First Tee Detroit. It is an outdoor facility with 35 stations of 300 yards in length. The season runs from March through October and is open from 9:00 am until dusk. Spring and fall season opening times are dependent on the weather. Call (313) 821-5218 for additional information and rates.

Greenhouses:
The Belle Isle Greenhouses are located across the street from the Belle Isle Aquarium and next to the White House. The Greenhouses are used by the City of Detroit and the Belle Isle Botanical Society. On the last Saturday in May each year, the Belle Isle Botanical Society hosts a plant sale here. The Greenhouses are also home to the DPS Golightly Agriscience Program where 10th-12th graders are trained for post-graduation jobs as green's keepers, florists, arborists, nursery owners and related fields.

Harbor Master Offices:
Detroit Harbor Master Unit Office and the Detroit Police Department eastside radio tower are located on the immediate right as you enter the island from the MacArthur Bridge. Next to the Harbor Master Office are the old Canoe Shelters.

Historical Markers & Statues:
Throughout the island are a number of historic markers and statues placed on Belle Isle in the 20th century to commemorate various individuals.

Kids Row:
Built with the aid of the Junior League of Detroit and called the Playscape, this one-half acre playground located on Central Avenue east of Inselruhe has swings, tunnels, unusual slides and other play equipment. Beginning at the playscape is a Fitness Jogging Trial for all age groups.

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Lakeplain Cluster:
Belle Isle is part of the Maumee Lakeplain, a landscape of flat, silty clay soils, with sandy beach ridges marking the remains from the retreating glaciers many years ago. Belle Isle Lakeplain Prairie, Lakeplain Oak Opening, Great Lakes Marsh and Wet-Mesic Flatwoods exist in this community.

Livingstone Memorial Lighthouse:
This lighthouse is located off Lakeside Drive and Woodside Drive near Blue Heron Lagoon. A resolution to erect this light was unanimously adopted in 1927. The location was determined to be on the eastern tip of Belle Isle marking the head of the Detroit River on a strip of man-made land extending the upper or easterly end of the island out into the river about a quarter mile and facing Lake St. Clair.

The 58-foot shaft of Georgia marble was designed by Albert Kahn and is surmounted by a gilt, bronze lantern room reaching to the height to 80 feet. The light is 11,500 candlepower and is visible for 15 miles. Construction was completed in time to permit the commissioning of the light at the opening of the navigation season for 1930. However, the formal dedication did not occur until October 17, the fifth anniversary of Mr. Livingstone’s death. William Livingstone was a prominent and popular Detroit resident and was president of the Lake Carriers Association from 1902–1925.

The light was erected as a gift from the Lake Carriers Association and the citizens of Detroit at a cost of $100,000. It is one of two memorial lights in the State of Michigan and is the only light in the nation constructed entirely of marble. There is a bronze bas-relief portrait of Mr. Livingstone on the lakeside of the structure and a bronze table inscribed with its dedication. The Livingstone Memorial Light made the old Belle Isle Lighthouse, which was near the current U. S. Coast Guard Station, obsolete.

Park in the parking lot and follow the paved path back to view the lighthouse.

MacArthur Bridge:
The MacArthur Bridge is the gateway to Belle Isle. This one-half-mile-long concrete structure first opened in 1923. The bridge was named for General Douglas MacArthur in 1942. This reinforced concrete cantilever bridge has 5 lanes, 2 sidewalks and 19 spans.

The first Belle Isle bridge was wooden was built in 1889. In 1915, it was destroyed by a fire started by a coal ember that fell from a wagon. It was replaced by a temporary steel structure in 1917.

Model Boat Basin:
The Model Boat Basin is located on the shore side of The Strand at Vista Way.

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Maintenance Complex:
The Tudor-style building is next to the White House at Inselruhe and Loiter Way. It is currently used for island maintenance and storage. This building is was designed by George Mason and was originally used as a horse stable for the work horses that were used on the island. In the early in the 1900’s, it was the location of the Detroit Zoo, which was located on Belle Isle until 1928.

Nature Trails:
Nature trails are provided through the wet-mesic flatwoods on the island. These are enjoyed throughout the year.

Old Riding Stable (removed):
The Victorian riding stable was located across from the Livingstone Memorial Lighthouse on Lakeside Drive and Central Avenue.

The building was the scene of an accident where a car crashed into it during the night, and the ensuing fire left it heavily damaged at the site. The City of Detroit slated the building for demolition on May 1st, 2003, but with the intervention of the Friends of Belle Isle and several other people, Greenfield Village came to the rescue and the structure was carefully taken apart piece-by-piece in efforts to save it. Currently, it is in a Greenfield Village storage facility awaiting restoration as an open-air vegetable market.

The building was originally constructed in 1863 as an open-air vegetable market, part of the Cadillac Square Market, and was located at Bates and Randolph Streets in downtown Detroit. It was later moved to the Eastern Market as part of the Gratiot Market. In the 1890s, it was moved to Belle Isle, the sides were bricked up, and it was converted into a horse stable. Greenfield Village will restore the original market building on their site in Dearborn.

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Picnic Shelters:
Picnic Shelters are located at various places around the island. These shelters were built back in the early part of the 1900s. They are available to rent through the Belle Isle Special Events Office at 313-628-2081.

Police Station:
Built in the 1860s, this former home for the Detroit River Harbormaster now houses a Detroit Police station. Police work out of and patrol the island on a 24-hour basis from this building. It is located on Inselruhe between Central Avenue and Riverbank Road. This is the home of the first police radio broadcast in the country.

Remick Music Shell:
Dedicated on July 16, 1950, and named after the music publisher Jerome H. Remick. Many concerts were performed here on summer evenings under the stars. The air was filled with the sounds of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the Detroit Concert Band and many other musical groups. Concerts ended in 1980. This band shell replaced the old rounded one on a waterway where in days long past people would often sit in their canoes and enjoy the beautiful music.

Scott Fountain:
The James Scott Memorial Fountain is at the head of Belle Isle facing the Detroit cityscape. James Scott was an eccentric gambler and controversial socialite. He bequeathed a $500,000 grant to build a fountain on Belle Isle along with a life-sized statue of himself. The fountain is constructed of Vermont White Marble and has 109 water outlets in the shape of human heads, dolphins, turtles, lionesses and animal horns. Construction was completed in 1925, 15 years after his death in 1910. Water shows are presented from Memorial Day to Labor Day. At dusk, a colored light show is added. During the summer months this is a popular site for wedding photographs.

Swan Boats:
Swan Boats are located at the Flynn Pavilion on Picnic Way and Loiter Way on the shores of Lake Tacoma just east of the Casino. They are available during the summer months and a fee is charged for their rental.

White House:
Across the street from the Belle Isle Aquarium and next to the Maintenance Building on Inselruhe is an old white farm house known as The White House. The White House is used for offices as the City of Detroit Belle Isle Administration. The house was built in 1864 when Barnabas Campau's widow married R. Storrs Willis. It was named "Inselruhe" (meaning Island Rest in German) by Walter Schweinert, who rented it in 1965.

Woods:
A remaining remnant of the old forests that covered the entire area prior to settlement of the Michigan territory can be found on Belle Isle. It is a wet-mesic flatwoods and is considered to be endangered. Take a walk or drive through it and enjoy. This was also once the home of deer when they were free-roaming on the island. Some of the species contained in these woods are: Pumpkin Ash, Swamp White Oak, Drummond's Dogwood, Shumard Oak, Shellbark Hickory, Spice Bush, Wahoo, Pin Oak, Chinkapin Oak, Bur Oak, Silver Maple, Shagbark Hickory, Musclewood, Ironwood and Hawthorn. In the spring, you can find White Trout Lilies in bloom.

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