Since the dawn of time, people have enjoyed looking up at the night sky, taking in the stars and the vast landscape of space. While it’s much harder to do being surrounded by city lights, those coming to Detroit don’t have to go far to escape into light-free areas for stargazing.
If you’re looking for some great spots to stargaze, whether with a telescope or with the naked eye, we have you covered. Check out the best spots below.
Hudson Mills Metropark
Near Dexter and Ann Arbor, Hudson Mills metropark runs along the Huron River. The park has several areas near the river, at playgrounds and in grassy areas where you can set up a blanket or a chair and look up to the sky. Some spots near the activity center and Oak Meadows are great places to stargaze.
About one hour west of Detroit near Brighton, Huron Meadows Metropark features a golf course, hiking trails, a lake and more. If you’re looking to stargaze, you can head near Sunset Ridge and Maltby Lake to be near the water, or Cedar Ridge at the southern end of the park.
Indian Springs Metropark
At the center and east side of Indian Springs Metropark, you’ll find plenty of places to set up a blanket, chair, or even telescope if you have it. Near the Environmental Discovery Center, you’ll find Discovery Lake and plenty of open space. Just to the northeast, there’s a sledding hill, and to the east is the Meadowlark Picnic Area.
Kensington Metropark
There are plenty of great areas to set up for stargazing in Kensington Metropark. The massive park goes around Kent Lake and the Huron River with plenty of playfields, picnic areas, a golf course, disc golf course and much more.
Kensington also has two beaches – Maple Beach or Martindale Beach – where you can get open space above you to see the sky.
Lake Erie Metropark
Right along the shores of Lake Erie – one of the five Great Lakes – Lake Erie Metropark has some fantastic stargazing spots. The Cove Point Picnic Area is right on the water and has you looking east over the lake. You can also head toward the Marshlands Museum and get on the boardwalk in that area.
Lake St. Clair Metropark
Lake St. Clair has a 600-foot long sandy beach looking out over the lake, which is a great spot to grab a blanket or chair and skydive. There’s also a massive parking lot in the center of the park where you can post up.
Oakwoods and Willow Metroparks
Oakwoods and Willow Metroparks are south of Detroit Metro Airport and are connected through paved trails in the area. Near the nature center at Oakwoods, you can grab a spot to see the stars, and at Willow, you can head toward Washago and the sledding hill, or the Big Bend area and pool center.
Stony Creek Metropark
Stony Creek is located in Macomb and Oakland counties, about 45 minutes north of Detroit. Inside the park, you can set up on different beaches to look up at the stars, or the Ridgewood Campground with large sites where you can relax under the stars. The Metropark also has miles of trails in different areas with great spots to stop and look up at the stars.
Wolcott Mill Metropark
Located in Macomb County, Wolcott Will has some wide open spaces where you can stargaze. Near the historic center, there are some great spaces, or you can head near the activity center and camp rotary.
The Metropark is also home to the Stargate Observatory of the Warren Astronomical Society, which you’ll learn more about next!
Warren Astronomical Society’s Stargate Observatory
One of Michigan’s oldest amateur astronomy groups, the Warren Astronomical Society operates a Stargate Observatory on the grounds of Wolcott Mill Metropark.
According to the society, the Stargate Observatory “features the Kalinowski-Khula telescope, an eight-inch f/12 D&G Optical refractor under a steel dome.” The society hosts one or two public open houses per month.
You can also join the society for $30 per year for an individual, which allows you to use the observatory, get free loaner telescopes and more.
Tips for stargazing
For those who are looking for tips to get into stargazing, we turned to Dr. Asa Stahl, the science editor for The Planetary Society. The goal of the society is to “Increase discoveries about the worlds of our Solar System and beyond.” One of the most important things to focus on is light pollution. The farther away you are from a city, the better you are as lights wash out the dimmer lights.
Also, Stahl said to give your eyes time to adjust to the dark.
“It takes most people about half an hour to fully adapt to night vision, but only a moment’s glance at a bright light to completely reset their sensitivity to light. So, be careful!” he wrote.
Another important aspect to pay attention to is the Moon phase. A near-full Moon will brighten the sky and make it harder to see, as will clouds and bad weather.
Stahl also said that you don’t need a telescope to stargaze.
“Though a telescope will help you spot dimmer objects, there are plenty of bright sights to see, like the Moon, the International Space Station, and many planets and stars,” he wrote.
Planetariums in metro Detroit
If you’re looking to see an up-close and unique view of space, there are also some planetariums around the area where you can sit back, relax and learn.
At Wayne State University in Detroit, the Wayne State Planetarium features state-of-the-art Spitz SciDome IQ 2400. The university offers free shows at the planetarium for students, faculty and staff, as well as for the public. It’s located in the Old Main building at 4841 Cass, Room 0209.
The Cranbrook Institute of Science has the Acheson Planetarium, which is an intimate theater with a variety of programs, including the “Michigan Sky Tonight” and “Young Stargazers” programs. Tickets are required for admission on top of the museum admission, and planetarium tickets are $6 per program.
About 40 minutes outside of Detroit, the University of Michigan Museum of Natural History offers planetarium shows Tuesday-Sunday from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. “The state-of-the-art Planetarium & Dome Theater at the U-M Museum of Natural History transports visitors beyond distant stars and deep into the ocean from the comfort of reclining seats,” the museum said.
Tickets are $3 for adults, seniors and kids ages 3 and up.
Finally, the Michigan Science Center features a planetarium that is currently undergoing $4.5 million in renovations. The planetarium is expected to reopen for testing during the holidays and then the full reopening in early 2026.
Other spots in Michigan
If your trip to Detroit also includes stops at other areas of Michigan, there are some incredible places to stargaze. In fact, the state has several 24-hour dark sky parks run by the state and even some International Dark Sky Parks.
The International DarkSky program works to “restore the nighttime environment and protect communities and wildlife from light pollution.” In Michigan, there are three parks – Headlands Dark Sky Park near the Mackinac Bridge; Keweenaw Dark Sky Park at the tip of the Upper Peninsula; and Dark T.K. Lawless Park in Southwest Michigan.
For Michigan State Parks, there are designated dark sky preserves that are open 24 hours. The areas are marked with signage and located at:
- Lake Hudson Recreation Area in Clayton (1:37 from Detroit)
- Negwegon State Park in Alcona County (3:43 from Detroit)
- Port Crescent State Park in Port Austin (2:22 from Detroit)
- Rockport Recreation Area in Alpena (4:05 from Detroit
- Thompson’s Harbor State Park in Rogers City (4:06 from Detroit)
- Wilderness State Park in Carp Lake (4:04 from Detroit)
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