Stuff To Do With Kids

[Msterbeau]

Cool, thanks. A day of ice skating, tram rides, and soaking up the city sounds just about right.

I was talking to a friend of mine about the things I wanted to do in Detroit. She says we should go to Chicago, she thinks the museums are better. But, I still want to go to the ones in Detroit too. Sounds like she knows where everything is. I'll let her know about the trains, that sounds like fun. And no driving!

There are way more cool things to do in Chicago. But you asked about Detroit...

[Ice Queen (1)]

There are way more cool things to do in Chicago. But you asked about Detroit...

Indeed, I did. I actually want to do stuff in Detroit. I want to get the heck out of the area I am in and get to know the Detroit area better. I haven't done very much in the city in the years I have been in Michigan. Partially due to distance, but mostly due to unfamiliarity. It's not like LA, where I knew people and where things were and what there was to do for the most part, or could easily find out. I have been a city girl hiding out in the boonies for way too long. I NEED to go to the city more and do stuff, and I want the kids to be able to enjoy it too. But, glad someone brought Chicago up. It is a reasonable distance for a short getaway (like when I have 4 days off in a row) that I, for some reason or another, never even considered. It wont be too long when I am feeling the need to get away.

[the eternal]

Chicago's 5 hours away. Not bad really.

Leave at 5P, get ther by 10.

If you get a pass to the Detroit Science Center, it gets you in at pretty much every science center on the planet, INCLUDING, the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry which is VERY cool. It's all by it self

Then there's the Chicago Museum District, which has the Adler Planetarium, the Shed Aquarium, and the Field Museum.

See Ferris Bueller's Day Off to get a better appreciation for Chicago.

It's also a great movie.

Of course, in the spring and summer, there's just walking along Lake Michigan.

There are parks and beaches dotted along the coast.

Millenium/Grant Park got face lifts a few years back and there are some really neat things there, like this 20 foot tall

waterfall thingy that the kids can run under, and while you're watching them, there are projections of different people from arounfd the world.

It's cooler than it sounds.

Then there's the old water tower, the only thing that survived the great Chicago fire of 18??

Around Christmastime, you can walk downtown and Marshall Fields and some of the stores have really nice displays

in their storefronts.

Walk it at night.

Then in the daytime, go to the Walnut Room in Water Tower Plaza (?) and see the worlds largest christmas tree.

It's a zillion Christmas trees combined. It goes up about 100 ft or so.

And, year-round: if you like pizza, there are about a dozen deep-dish pizza places that better than Pizza Papalis (the only decent Chicago-style pizza in Detroit)

[TygerLili]

Cool, thanks. A day of ice skating, tram rides, and soaking up the city sounds just about right.

I was talking to a friend of mine about the things I wanted to do in Detroit. She says we should go to Chicago, she thinks the museums are better. But, I still want to go to the ones in Detroit too. Sounds like she knows where everything is. I'll let her know about the trains, that sounds like fun. And no driving!

I love the Chicago museums. I would advise you to take your kids to the Detroit stuff first. My dad and his family are from Chicago, so I grew up doing all kinds of stuff there. Everything I've done around here was more recently, and, while it was nice, just seemed so small-scale compared to everything in Chicago.

[the eternal]

A great resource for things to do is (oddly enough) Great Stuff to do. http://www.greatstufftodo.com It's got lots of different events and activities categorized. It's all for stuff in Southeast Michigan.

You and your kids can come over to my place and have a snowball battle against me and my daughters if this weather doesn't let up. I have a large backyard.

Marc, you got me back on DGN again!

I just went to that website above and it lead me to this site---http://www.detroitadventurepass.org/

OMG, for one year, you can go to almost any library in the Detroit area (check the website to make sure yours is one of them) and check out FREE passes to museums!!!

That year, BTW, started in 10/07 and ends 10/08.

Here's the list of museums that qualify:

LOCATIONS THAT ADMIT 4 people with one pass

Arab American National Museum

Automotive Hall of Fame

Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center

Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History

Detroit Children’s Museum

Detroit Historical Museum

Detroit Institute of Arts-starting 11/28/07

Dossin Great Lakes Museum

Grosse Pointe Historical Society

Howell Nature Center

Lorenzo Cultural Center

MOCAD

Paint Creek Center for the Arts

Pewabic Pottery

University of Michigan Exhibit Museum of Natural History

Ypsilanti Historical Museum

LOCATIONS THAT ADMIT 2 people with one pass

Cranbrook Art Museum

Cranbrook House and Gardens Closed Until May 1st 2008

Cranbrook Institute of Science

Edsel & Eleanor Ford House

Ford Rouge Factory Tour

Henry Ford Estate, Fair Lane

Motown Historical Museum

Plymouth Historical Museum

Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm

Of these, apparently, the DIA and the Detroit Children's Museum are most popular

BUT Cranbrook (one of the ones you can ALSO go to free if you get a Science Center membership)

is great

the Arab American is cool

the African American museum is great (though some exhibits are a little scary for young ones)

the Ford factory tour is neat, esp if you can go on a weekday and see it all being done.

and well I have a lot of other museums to learn about!!!

SOME of these are always free anyway, but they wanted people to go, so they're included to get a higher profile.

[Destroit]

Marc, you got me back on DGN again!

I just went to that website above and it lead me to this site---http://www.detroitadventurepass.org/

OMG, for one year, you can go to almost any library in the Detroit area (check the website to make sure yours is one of them) and check out FREE passes to museums!!!

That year, BTW, started in 10/07 and ends 10/08.

Here's the list of museums that qualify:

LOCATIONS THAT ADMIT 4 people with one pass

Arab American National Museum

Automotive Hall of Fame

Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center

Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History

Detroit Children’s Museum

Detroit Historical Museum

Detroit Institute of Arts-starting 11/28/07

Dossin Great Lakes Museum

Grosse Pointe Historical Society

Howell Nature Center

Lorenzo Cultural Center

MOCAD

Paint Creek Center for the Arts

Pewabic Pottery

University of Michigan Exhibit Museum of Natural History

Ypsilanti Historical Museum

LOCATIONS THAT ADMIT 2 people with one pass

Cranbrook Art Museum

Cranbrook House and Gardens Closed Until May 1st 2008

Cranbrook Institute of Science

Edsel & Eleanor Ford House

Ford Rouge Factory Tour

Henry Ford Estate, Fair Lane

Motown Historical Museum

Plymouth Historical Museum

Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm

Of these, apparently, the DIA and the Detroit Children's Museum are most popular

BUT Cranbrook (one of the ones you can ALSO go to free if you get a Science Center membership)

is great

the Arab American is cool

the African American museum is great (though some exhibits are a little scary for young ones)

the Ford factory tour is neat, esp if you can go on a weekday and see it all being done.

and well I have a lot of other museums to learn about!!!

SOME of these are always free anyway, but they wanted people to go, so they're included to get a higher profile.

JESUS H. CHRIST! I <3 you. I am poor and am always looking for awesome shit to do for free, this list will keep me busy for awhile. I'm gonna check out that site when I get home, I <3 museums.

[Stymie]

Planet Rock is great fun.

Makes them kids use a lot of energy.

Staff is very friendly and fun.

Great mental and physical work out.

http://www.planet-rock.com

I take my sons now and then.

They like it most of the time.

I love going myself.

But my kids are to small.

To be my safetys.

State parks rock too!

[Msterbeau]

Lock them up in the house and go out with cute boys... ;-)

[Stymie]

Lock them up in the house and go out with cute boys... ;-)

x.x

[Ice Queen (1)]

Planet Rock is great fun.

Makes them kids use a lot of energy.

Staff is very friendly and fun.

Great mental and physical work out.

http://www.planet-rock.com

I take my sons now and then.

They like it most of the time.

I love going myself.

But my kids are to small.

To be my safetys.

State parks rock too!

That looks like great fun! I never did anything like that before. I didn't know they had places around here. Thanks

Lock them up in the house and go out with cute boys... ;-)

Cute boys can be amusing for a little while, but I much prefer the company of men.

[Stymie]

[Ice Queen (1)]

Maybe I should clarify; I didn't mean underage boys or anything. After reading it myself, just thought I should add that. Just a maturity thing.

[Stymie]

Maybe I should clarify; I didn't mean underage boys or anything. After reading it myself, just thought I should add that. Just a maturity thing.

Oh I got that lol

[Msterbeau]

*ego deflates*

[Stymie]

Now that warmer weather is here.

Swimming time!

I been to both places.

They kick ass!

Red Oaks Waterpark- http://www.oakgov.com/parksrec/ppark/red.html

13 Mile Rd, Madison Heights

(wave pool kicks ass!)

And

Four Bears Water Park- http://www.ohwy.com/mi/s/s0206018.htm

Auburn Rd, Utica

(Soo much to do!)

[Homicidalheathen]

Science center has good shit all year, some of it interreactive......and there is something cool going on right now.......the zoo and Plaster playhouse are good.

[tanuki1985]

Msterbeau mentioned the People Mover, and I would definitely recommend that too. When I was in Girl Scouts in 5th and 6th grade, we did the People Mover and I loved it more than anything. That way they could sit down and relax while seeing some of Downtown Detroit.

[Destroit]

Now that warmer weather is here.

Swimming time!

I been to both places.

They kick ass!

Red Oaks Waterpark- http://www.oakgov.com/parksrec/ppark/red.html

13 Mile Rd, Madison Heights

(wave pool kicks ass!)

And

Four Bears Water Park- http://www.ohwy.com/mi/s/s0206018.htm

Auburn Rd, Utica

(Soo much to do!)

I <3 the Wave Pool! Except some dumb little shit always poops in it...then they gotta close it down until they can clean it.

I would CRY when I was little when the waves would come. It was always my luck that I'd be some place in the deep end, trying to show off that I could swim WAY above my head, then the siren would come on and I'd be like "NOOOOOO BOSSSSHY (my mom)!" and then try to paddle my little heffer ass back to the shallow part. Yes I said heffer...my childhood personality = Eric Cartman.

I WAS Cartman...and still kinda am...except now I can hide it well.

Four Bears is still open? Hmmm I heard they closed. I'll have to go this summer then. I'll NEVER do the speed slide again, the last time I went I was 12 and my Bosh dared me to do the speed slide because my mother loves me and wants to see me get hurt. Needless to say, even with that stupid little helmet they give you, I SMACKED my head at the end of the slide and was so discombobulated I almost drowned. My Boshy has an awesome sense of humor...that's not the only time I almost drowned and was her fault .

[tanuki1985]

Hah, good post, Chernobyl. It actually had me laughing out loud. I have had many "Me vs. The Wave Pool" moments in my life.

Lake Erie Metropark has a fun wave pool, and it's not all that expensive to get in. It's on West Jefferson Ave, between Gibraltar Road and Huron River Dr. I'm not sure how far you're willing to go, but I thought I'd throw that out there.

[Stymie]

Well I am not sure.

If they are closed.

lol yeah any open pool has that prob now and then lol

There is also C.J berrymores.

Or something like that.

On Hall Rd. Not to far from the Air base.

But JC's Blows donky balls!

I think.

[Destroit]

Well I am not sure.

If they are closed.

lol yeah any open pool has that prob now and then lol

There is also C.J berrymores.

Or something like that.

On Hall Rd. Not to far from the Air base.

But JC's Blows donky balls!

I think.

They DO have DDR...

Actually, that was the FIRST time I ever played DDR...all those years ago

It was love at first stomp I tell ya...and now 4 years later I'm on heavy mode and am a certified dance ninja.

I still await the day when congress writes into law that a marriage between a woman and a dance pad can be honored in the state of Michigan. Until then, our love remains a "taboo" secret...but it's PURE as rain I tell you! Don't judge!

[Destroit]

Hah, good post, Chernobyl. It actually had me laughing out loud. I have had many "Me vs. The Wave Pool" moments in my life.

Lake Erie Metropark has a fun wave pool, and it's not all that expensive to get in. It's on West Jefferson Ave, between Gibraltar Road and Huron River Dr. I'm not sure how far you're willing to go, but I thought I'd throw that out there.

Thank ya.

Yeah so many of my MANY traumatic life moments happened at the Wave Pool. Or around water in general. I'm surprised I still swim...

[Stymie]

lol thats funny!

But any arcade has DDR lol

Oh there is hmm what the name. I know it as Butterflys on Van dyke?

Not sure.

[Destroit]

lol thats funny!

But any arcade has DDR lol

Oh there is hmm what the name. I know it as Butterflys on Van dyke?

Not sure.

Yesss...NOBODY there can dance.

It inflates my ego like you wouldn't even know.

I can step up on the bitch on LIGHT mode and I'll have a swarm of people like "OMFG SHE ROCKXS!!!! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!"

So Butterfly rocks because I don't have to put on much of a show and use a lot of energy to draw a crowd.

Hell...I should go there and do my best one day. Might be able to hustle up some cash like my old friend Richard could .

I hate the one at Oakland because there's a group of bar-raping kids who have probably spent like $6,000 collectively on those machines (bar-raper = asshole who thinks they're hot shit even though they hold the BACK bar...which is used for flips and jumps, not holding like a dumbass. IS an actual, DDR term...so there...you learned something today ). They're a hard crowd to please.

[Burrich1]

Planet Rock is great fun.

Makes them kids use a lot of energy.

Staff is very friendly and fun.

Great mental and physical work out.

Planet rock is cool, but if your kids are under 5 or you want a cheaper time climbing, check out REI.

Both the store in Northville (6 Mile and Haggardy) and the one in Troy (Rochester Road and Big Beaver) have a rock wall. You have to be a member to climb (one time $20 fee for life) and the walls are open noon to 4 on Sat and Sun. (The Troy one's open on Fridays from 6pm to 9pm)

My little girl decided she wanted to climb the Troy store wall when she was 27 months old, and she first made it to the top three months before she was three. She's always wanting to go back too. I also heard a dirty rumor that you may run into a certain someone there occasionally, (in the Troy store) but such a thing could never be posted in an online forum like this.