BELLE ISLE PARK

Connected to the East Side by the MacArthur Bridge, this island is one of the city's best-known parks. There's also a maritime museum (Dossin Great Lakes Museum), a small zoo (Belle Isle Nature Center), an aquarium (Belle Isle Aquarium), a botanical garden (Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory - closed until May 2024), sports fields, a beach, a superb fountain, a lighthouse and more. Designed in 1880 by Frederick Law Olmstead, architect of New York's Central Park, it's a pleasant place to stroll and offers breathtaking views of the city.