Finally! I paid a visit to Detroit's "crown jewel"

The conservatory on Belle Isle. It, along with other buildings on the island, are typically open during weekends all year long.

Belle Isle was the place for fun for my father when he was growing up. It's a place I've heard plenty about throughout my life, but never made it to the island nestled in the Detroit River between the U.S. and Canada.

That all changed last month, as a summer work feature I wrote that was published online this past week took me to the island for a profile on the most-visited state park in Michigan.

Belle Isle became a state park in 2014 in the midst of Detroit's budget problems after the city's bankruptcy. With that, the state became responsible for upkeep on the island, which its manager told me is moving along nicely: bathrooms are being upgraded, repairs are being done to the picnic shelters, to name a few.

Right from my time driving across the bridge to the island, I noticed its majesty coming out of the river. The bridge is a welcoming view to the island, and once on it, there's a multitude of activities to partake in. After my scheduled interview with the manager, Karis Floyd, I spent some time on the island, getting a sense of its offerings to visitors. Floyd told me he typically advises first-time visitors to plan on staying for at least five hours, a number that shocked me when I first heard it. But as I drove my car all the way to the eastern part of the island near the driving range, I saw everything offered and realized he may have been estimating low.

I went on a Wednesday afternoon right after lunch, but you would have thought it was a Saturday with all the people on the island. The conservatory parking lot, where I parked, was nearly full, and children were riding the giant slide. I walked over to the Nancy Brown Peace Carillion to see what it was all about. It's a sign that the island still has a way to go, as the base of the tower, while gated off, is filled with overgrown vegetation.

The view of downtown Detroit near Sunset Point.

I got into my car and began my driving tour, riding past the Dossin Great Lakes Museum, the baseball fields and eventually, the beach. The water was full of children and adults enjoying a swim in the Detroit River, which connects Lake St. Clair to Lake Erie.

I made my way to a recommended stop, Sunset Point, after taking a loop around the island. I can see why Floyd told me that's the spot he recommends visitors go to first: the view of downtown Detroit and Windsor is a sight to behold. I've spent plenty of time in downtown Detroit, but this was one of
the first views I stopped to really take in the sight. Couple the Renaissance Center, the Ambassador Bridge and the Detroit River, and you've got a picture-perfect backdrop to spend a wn afternoon reading a book.

While last month's visit was my first visit to the island, it most certainly will not be my last. It does require a Recreation Passport to enter if coming by car, in case you're curious as well.

The James Scott Memorial Fountain on Belle Isle.

An obsession with Michigan gardens continue with a visit to Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park

The pond in the Japanese gardens at Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park.

My wife and I always try to make at least one trip a year to Dow Gardens in Midland. We discovered it in college and loved it so much, we always try to go visit each summer.

While Dow Gardens is a small, more intimate setting to visit, one such garden and sculpture park we visited this past weekend was several times the size with plenty to offer.

A bumblebee on a flower in the
Japanese gardens.

Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park is located in Grand Rapids Township contains 158 acres of gardens, wetlands and sculptures across its landscape. Named for the man whose family is behind those wonderful 24-hour retail stores across the Midwest, the park opened in 1995. It contains a plethora of sculptures from renowned artists such as Marshall Fredericks, as well as a host of plants from across the globe.

From the time we walk from the parking lot, we're reminded of the beautiful flowers we can expect to see throughout our visit: the gardens surrounding the conservatories and visitor's center is covered with a wash of yellow, white, pink and green.

The American Horse sculpture.

Upon recommendation from several people, we spent plenty of time in the new Japanese gardens, which were not there the last time we visited the park back in 2010. This section is covered in cherry trees, as well as paths surrounding a gorgeous body of water with pavilions and rocks.

This section boasted a rock garden, a Japanese tea house (which was not open when we stopped by) and a variety of flowers around the path. Circling the little lake also revealed small break-offs from the main path, providing a unique view of the pond from a different perspective. I couldn't help but take every one of these spurs to see how the new angle affected the view of the pond and its features.

In addition, the park boasts an impressive sculpture section, including "The American Horse," a 24-foot-tall bronze horse sculpture done by Nina Akamu. Some are definitely more impressive than others, but it's quite the sight when you take the loop.

The wetlands along the boardwalk at the park.

A must-walk is the boardwalk in the back of the park through the wetlands. It's a callback to Michigan's natural beauty, complete with herons, turtles and other wildlife. While there's a buzz from the nearby freeways in the air, you forget you're in the city pretty quickly while walking the boardwalk.

The gardens are open throughout the year, though there is an admission fee to enter. The gardens routinely hold special events throughout the year, in case music or other events are your scene.

If you're in the Grand Rapids area and want to see the flowers and artwork in a beautiful outdoor setting, this is the place to do it.

A Venus Flytrap in the conservatory.

The Grand Rapids Arch.