Traveling to Detroit?
Pack Light. Travel Happy.™ Rent baby gear in Detroit.dVisiting Detroit soon and don’t have time to see the rest of Michigan? Don’t worry! You can still experience all of Michigan by visiting the DNR Outdoor Adventure Center Detroit. The OAC brings the great outdoors to the city and gives visitors the opportunity to see what “Up North” Michigan has to offer and learn all about the Great Lakes State. It’s packed full of fun, interactive, educational and entertaining experiences that are perfect for kids and adults alike.
Here are 13 tips, tricks and recommendations for your visit to the Outdoor Adventure Center Detroit:
1. Perfect rainy day option.
The OAC literally brings the outside indoors; so if you’re looking for something to do when your Detroit trip serves up a rainy day, a visit to the Outdoor Adventure Center is a great option! Every attraction is inside the facility and there’s even a cafeteria area with snack and beverage vending machines so you can plan your visit around snack time too.
2. Don’t plan to go to the Outdoor Adventure Center Detroit on Monday or Tuesday.
The center is closed on those two days. Also, don’t go if the Detroit school district has a snow day. The center closes on those days too!
3. Go on Thursday evenings!
If you happen to be in Detroit on a Thursday evening, you should definitely plan your OAC visit either before or after dinner! The OAC offers free admission on Thursday from 6PM to 8PM.
4. Go kayaking and fishing in the River and Lakes exhibit!
This is a fan favorite at the OAC. A big screen simulator and actual kayak gives visitors a real life experience and you can actually feel the fish pulling on your fishing pole! It’s super fun for bigger kiddos and little ones will enjoy watching older siblings play.
5. For more simulators, stop by the snowmobile!
This is another popular destination for the older kiddos! They can even race each other on mountain bike simulators. If you have a competitive crew, this will be a hit.
6. A special archery experience is a must.
This is a super special opportunity for older kids (ages 8+) so you may want to save this for a visit when the smaller kids are at the hotel napping and you can take your big kids by themselves. That said, we highly recommend it! The Outdoor Adventure Center Detroit has standard National Archery in Schools curriculum and offers 3D targets at 10 and 15 meters. There are free and paid options so make sure to look into all of them. You’ll also want to check the events calendar to see archery offerings on the days you plan to visit and register in advance.
PS: for the mamas, they even offer an Urban Outdoor Women’s Archery class!
7. There’s tons to do at the Outdoor Adventure Center Detroit for toddlers too!
Climb trees, walk (or run more likely!) across a swinging bridge, look at a giant indoor waterfall, play in a huge model airplane, and more! One of the most popular toddler destinations is the pretend campsite – complete with a fake fire too!
8. Bring (or rent) a stroller.
The entire facility is wheelchair friendly so you’ll also be able to use a stroller throughout the center. We definitely recommend stroller use while you’re there because you’ll likely want to be baby free while you help the big kids explore. You can rent a stroller from any of our Detroit providers!
9. Use a free locker so you are hands free!
As mentioned above, you’ll probably be chasing after your kiddos and helping them explore everything the center has to offer, so you’ll definitely want to be hands free. The OAC has free lockers so make sure to snag one when you first arrive and store all of your bags and backpacks there.
10. Nursing moms have a special spot at the Outdoor Adventure Center Detroit.
Do you have a little nursling? The OAC has special accommodations for nursing mothers: look for The OAC Baby’s Cafe.
11. Plan a special event during your trip.
Do you have a special event, birthday, or family reunion you’re celebrating during your Detroit trip? Why not host the celebration at the Outdoor Adventure Center Detroit! You can reserve special party areas (make sure to do it at least 3 week in advance) and you can bring in food vendors, cake, presents, etc. Sounds like a great way to party!
12. Stop by Eastern Market on your way to or from the OAC!
Looking for a place to eat before or after your OAC visit? We recommend stopping by the Eastern Market district which is not too far from the center. Easter Market has tons of shops, eateries and vendors so there’s plenty of options for even the pickiest of eaters! It’s rich in history and culture and has some fun street performers to watch too! PRO TIP: If you’re choosing to travel via bike (you can rent bikes here) in Detroit, you can take the Dequindre Cut to get to Eastern Market, the Riverfront, and the Outdoor Adventure Center too!
13. Top off your trip with a walk down Detroit’s River Walk.
The Outdoor Adventure Center Detroit and the Eastern Market are in the same district as the River Walk (Riverfront area). This means you can check all three destinations off your “to see” list during the same trip! The River Walk has lots of parks, plazas, attractions, etc. that will definitely keep you and your little ones busy. The sights are beautiful as the walk borders the Detroit River. We highly recommend stopping by Milliken State Park while you’re cruising the riverfront. It’s on the East riverfront and is Michigan’s first urban park! Bring (or rent!) a stroller, sunscreen, sneakers or comfortable walking shoes, and make sure to snap lots of pictures!
We don’t know about you but this sounds like a full day of Detroit fun. And the best part? The kids will be exhausted after exploring the OAC! Early bedtime for the win. Make sure to add the Outdoor Adventure Center to your itinerary and rent everything you need for your little ones from a Detroit Quality Provider!
Looking for more Detroit fun? Check out this blog full of great, family friendly options!
Traveling to Detroit?
Pack Light. Travel Happy.™ Rent baby gear in Detroit.
Kaylee Garcia is the mama to one sweet boy and one sweet girl, and wife to an awesome husband. Kaylee and her son (he’s only 4!) have completed over 20 trips via air travel (thank you, Alaska Airlines!) on over 40+ airplane rides! They love sharing travel tips with other families since they’ve learned a lot in the last 4 years. Kaylee enjoys spending time with family, researching baby gear, and exploring the Pacific Northwest.
I will definitely head to the Detroit Adventure Center the next time I’m in the area.
Wow, looks like there really is a lot to do there.
This place looks super cool.
I haven’t seen this place written about before and I live in Michigan. Better get my head out from under a rock and head there with my kids. Mom F A I L.
Simulators and archery , this does sound like fun! Why wait for a rainy day?!
I read your blog on a regular basis and always want to go to all these places. How do I decide where to go. I’m not willing to travel yet, but when I do, I’m gonna need ot make up my mind.
Are they closed for coronavirus? If so, when do they reopen?
The simulators look fun, and yes, my kids are competitive and will love a challenge. Fun times await I think.