With My Family

5 Detroit Family Reunion Venues and How to Get Free Planning Help

Story by Michelle Fusco | Photos by Motown Museum and Greenfield Village by Bill Bowen; Outdoor Adventure Center courtesy of Outdoor Adventure Center

When planning a family reunion in Detroit, put some fun and excitement on the itinerary to make it unforgettable.

Here are some of the venues that put “The D” in Detroit and are great for groups:

When planning a family reunion in Detroit, put some fun and excitement on the itinerary to make it unforgettable. Here are some of the venues that put “The D” in Detroit and are great for groups:

Belle Isle

Family Reunion on Belle Isle

This picturesque 982-acre state park, an island in the middle of the Detroit River, is the perfect place to host reunions, with barbecuing, bicycling, athletic fields, boat watching, swimming and more.

  • Location: Four miles east of downtown Detroit, accessible by the MacArthur Bridge at the foot of East Grand Boulevard.
  • Capacity: Several picnic shelters are situated throughout the island, with capacities ranging from 35 to 225 people. Reservations, which can be made up to one year in advance, range from $50 to $200.
  • Features: Belle Isle Nature Center, Belle Isle Aquarium, Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory and the Dossin Great Lakes Museum.
  • Services: Bike and watercraft rentals, beach chair and umbrella rentals available.

Motown Museum

Motown Museum

Motown music is synonymous with Detroit. Come learn how entrepreneur Berry Gordy, Jr. turned an $800 loan from his family into an international sensation.

  • Location: The two small connected houses are on West Grand Boulevard where Hitsville USA began, about five miles from downtown in the New Center area.
  • Features: Guided tours tell how Motown Records and its talented young artists rose from humble beginnings to worldwide acclaim.
  • Capacity: Reservations are required for groups of 20 or more guests. Discounted group rates are available for groups of 20 or more who pre-register.
  • Extra special: Swag from the museum store, Shop Around, is the perfect souvenir of your visit.

Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History

The Wright Museum opens minds and changes lives through the exploration and celebration of African American history and culture.

  • Location: In the heart of Midtown Detroit's Cultural Center, next to the Michigan Science Center and a block away from the Detroit Institute of Arts.
  • Features: A permanent display, And Still We Rise: the African American Journey, and several traveling exhibits make this a must-see stop in The D.
  • Capacity: Group tour rates for groups of 15 or more. Tours can include up to 35 individuals. Guided tours run 45 minutes to one hour.
  • Services: A large banquet room, 313-seat theater, catering, valet parking and audio-visual equipment are available for rental.
  • Extra Special: The historic First Congregational Church of Detroit was a stop on the Underground Railroad. Just blocks away, it can be added to your tour.

The Henry Ford

Firestone Farm at Greenfield Village

People come from all over the world to visit The Henry Ford, which includes the indoor Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation and the outdoor Greenfield Village (open seasonally). Don’t miss some of the country’s greatest history attractions.

  • Location: About 15 miles (a 20 minute ride) west of downtown Detroit, just off of I-94.
  • Capacity: The Henry Ford’s 250 acres of innovation offer a one-of-a-kind experience for groups of all sizes. Discount tickets are available for parties of 15 or more with advanced reservations.
  • Features: At Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, explore how the automobile changed American life. See the actual bus where Rosa Parks took a stand by taking a seat—an important moment in the Civil Rights movement. In Greenfield Village, take a ride in a Model T, horse-drawn omnibus, on a historic steam locomotive or a spin on the 1913 carousel.
  • Services: All-inclusive picnic packages at Greenfield Village make planning simple and easy for groups of 150 to 5,000 guests. Package price includes all-day admission to Greenfield Village, the All-American Picnic, private use of the Village Pavilion, free parking, gratuity and all taxes.

Outdoor Adventure Center

Michigan DNR Outdoor Adventure Center

Simulated activities provide Michigan outdoor recreation experiences or “Up North downtown,” while exhibits and displays highlight the state’s natural resources.

  • Location: Downtown on Detroit’s Riverfront, across from the William G. Milliken State Park & Harbor at the intersection of Atwater Street and the Dequindre Cut.
  • Capacity: General admission for groups of 20 or more is $2 per person (both children and adults). Private room rentals are available for social events. The two largest rooms can be used as one space for total capacity of 153.
  • Features: Experience exciting outdoor adventures with hands-on activities, exhibits and simulators – walk behind and touch a waterfall, step into a fishing boat and reel in a big fish, hit the trail on a mountain bike or snowmobile, and much more.
  • Services: Free parking is available. A cafeteria with seating and vending machines offers snacks and drinks. Free lockers for storing coats and backpacks.
  • Extra special: Archery experiences are available with pre-registration.

We’re here to help!

The Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau offers free services to make planning your family reunion easier. Attend our annual Family Reunion Planning Seminar to learn how to plan your reunion as efficiently as possible.

To start your reunion planning process now, submit a reunion registration form, call 313-202-1985 or email reunions@visitdetroit.com.

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