Skip to content
BusinessesGrow
Detroit Riverwalk, Detroit, MI

Photo: TheWxResearcher, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

Sport & OutdoorOutdoor AdventureFamily FavoriteFree

Detroit Riverwalk

Along the Detroit River from Gabriel Richard Park to Riverfront Towers · Detroit, MI

Why you should go…

The Detroit Riverwalk runs just over four miles along the Detroit River, from Gabriel Richard Park near the MacArthur Bridge west to just past Riverfront Towers. You can walk, bike or skate past parks, fishing spots, the Mt. Elliott splash pad and the GM Renaissance Center. The seasonal Cullen Family Carousel swaps horses for river creatures like the sturgeon, heron and frog, and Windsor, Canada sits right across the water.

  • #riverwalk
  • #bike trail
  • #waterfront
  • #carousel
  • #urban park

Good to know

General sport & outdoor guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Weather calls the shots

    Check the forecast the morning of and keep an indoor backup in your pocket for the day it turns.

  • Shoes, water, sun cover

    The three things that decide whether you last the whole outing or cut it short after an hour.

  • Parking and launches fill early

    On a nice weekend, lots and trailheads are often full by mid-morning.

  • Daylight shrinks in shoulder season

    Spring and fall visits need an earlier start than the same trip in July.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Detroit Riverwalk, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Sightseeing
    Date Night

    Detroit Princess Riverboat

    $50+

    The Midwest's largest dinner riverboat cruises the Detroit River with live shows and skyline views.

    Steps awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Sightseeing
    History Buff

    MotorCities National Heritage Area

    Free

    Federally designated heritage region across southeast Michigan telling the story of the American automobile industry.

    0.3 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    Comerica Park

    Under $25

    Watch the Detroit Tigers at a downtown ballpark with giant tiger statues, a carousel and a baseball Ferris wheel.

    0.8 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Family Favorite

    Belle Isle Park

    Under $25

    An island park in the Detroit River with an aquarium, a conservatory, a beach, a marble lighthouse and a 5.4-mile loop.

    3.0 mi awayMore like this

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    North Coast Parasail & Watersports

    $50+

    Parasailing and watersports outfitter serving the Lake Erie Islands region near Sandusky, Ohio.

    48 mi awayMore like this

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    Portage River Paddling Company

    $25–$50

    Family-owned outfitter renting kayaks, canoes, pedal boats and paddleboards on the Portage River near Lake Erie.

    57 mi awayMore like this