"It’s the crown jewel of Detroit, and with good reason: The 982-acre island park on the Detroit River has many draws for families, including the oldest aquarium in the U.S., an exotic plant conservatory, a neoclassical fountain that shoots water 125 feet into the air, a nature center with live deer encounters, and a 30-bay golf range. The park wrapped up Phase I of its new Ralph Wilson Gateway and Trail, an off-road path suitable for hikers and bicyclists, last year. One World … Under Michigan Stars, a stunning glass-and-steel sculpture designed by Erik and Israel Nordin, the brothers and co-owners behind the Detroit Design Center, marks the entrance. Construction on Phase II is underway; once complete, the six-mile route will serve as the southern trailhead for the 2,000-mile Iron Belle Trail, the longest state-designated trail in the nation. The Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory is also closed to the public for a $10 million renovation project, although the outdoor gardens are expected to reopen later this summer. (The conservatory’s new indoor showrooms are slated to debut in summer 2024.)"
