Destinations

Lake Erie has big city and small town attractions

A variety of species attracts hordes of anglers to Lake Erie near Detroit, but the area has plenty to offer the non-angling members of the family as well.

While the smallmouth bass fishing can be fantastic, this section of the lake is actually better known as a world-class walleye fishery.

“In the spring the Detroit River is phenomenal,” Michigan guide Joe Balog said. “It is probably the best walleye fishing in the world in March and April.”  

An estimated 10 million walleye run up the river from Erie or down from Lake St. Clair to spawn. Anglers from Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ohio, Kentucky and other states flock to the river from mid-February to April to get in on the action.
 
The river also produces some steelhead action in early spring and late fall and largemouth bass can be caught in the river and harbors from April through November. Panfish enthusiasts can catch crappie in the area throughout the year and yellow perch become a favorite when the fish congregate at the mouth of the river in September and October.
 
Finding a place to stay is no problem for anglers visiting the area since it is located in the suburban section of Detroit. Anglers can stay at the reasonably priced motels in the suburbs or camp at William C. Sterling State Park in Monroe, Mich., the only Michigan state park located on the shores of Lake Erie.
 
The park’s 1,300 acres offers 288 modern camp sites, picnic areas with shelters, biking and hiking trails, a recreational metal detecting area, a swimming beach and playgrounds.The park also boasts many lagoons and marshes, providing good habitat for a variety of wildlife and bird life. It is open April 15 to Nov. 1.

The major habitat of this region is coastal wetlands. In the Lake Erie Metropark, in Trenton, Mich., there are nearly nine acres of American lotus beds that bloom from late July through early September. The area is ideal for birding. A pair of binoculars is a necessity when visiting this park because it is a bird watcher’s paradise, especially for raptors.
 
“This is one of the premier hawk migration sites and during the fall the tabulations are recorded here. We have a board that shows the current numbers,” says Jan Vankirk, provisional interpreter for the park’s Lake Erie Marshlands Museum.

During the fall migration it is possible to view more than 50,000 hawks in a single day. The park also has good waterfowl viewing for ducks, geese and swans. Bald eagles are sighted year around with several pairs nesting near and in the park.
 
The park’s Lake Erie Marshlands Museum and Nature Center features four freshwater aquariums showcasing native fish and an area for kids called the Muskrat Club that features hands-on displays for youngsters and exhibits with snakes and turtles that are native to Michigan.
 
“We have an extensive bird of prey exhibit suspended from the ceiling and a lot of duck mounts,” Vankirk said. “We also have another whole room that has dioramas of duck hunting, an extensive duck decoy collection, an exhibit on Native Americans from around the area and an ice-fishing shanty display.”
 
The Metropark also features two nature trails for exploring the marshlands and hawthorn-thicket habitats, a bike trail, 18-hole championship golf course and “The Great Wave,” a wave-action pool capable of accommodating 1,200 swimmers.

“That wave pool is a great place to take your kids,” Balog recommended. “When we are at a weigh-in, my nieces and nephews go to the water park.”

History buffs can visit the Wyman Cannon Monument at the north end of the Metropark. The monument commemorates the local battles fought in the War of 1812.

Anglers and their families can also relive the past by visiting The Henry Ford Museum, a National Historic Landmark, and Greenfield Village in nearby Dearborn, Mich. The complex is the nation's "largest indoor-outdoor history museum” where visitors can take a ride in a Model T, ride a train, visit an IMAX Theater or see a live show. The museum property houses a vast array of machinery, exhibits and Americana. The collection contains many rare exhibits including John F. Kennedy’s limousine, Abraham Lincoln’s chair from Ford’s Theater and the Rosa Parks’ bus.

Greenfield Village is considered the first and largest outdoor museum in America. Nearly 100 historical buildings were moved to the property from their original locations and arranged in a "village" setting. Some of the most notable homes and buildings include Noah Webster’s Connecticut home, the Wright brothers’ bicycle shop, Thomas Edison’s laboratory and Henry Ford’s birthplace.
 
If an angler’s family prefers the allure of the big city, downtown Detroit is a short ride to the north. Some of the downtown attractions include Greektown (one of the most popular dining hotspots with many Greek restaurants), Renaissance Center (the tallest building in Michigan) and Grand Circus Park (where you can catch a baseball game at Comerica Park, football game at Ford Field, live music at the Fox or State theatres or a performance at the Opera House or Music Hall.

For those who prefer small-town entertainment, the towns throughout Wayne County hold arts and crafts festivals throughout the year. The City of Trenton hosts an annual Mid-Summer Festival in July. The annual Somewhere in Time celebration (reliving the early 1900’s with old-time entertainment, old-fashioned games, displays and crafts) takes place in September and a Scarecrow Festival is in October. During July, the City of Wyandotte holds an annual Wyandotte Street Fair, the second largest such event in Michigan, that draws artists and exhibitors from across the United States.

With its excellent smallmouth fishing and wide array of attractions and other outdoor activities, the Detroit River section of Lake Erie will provide plenty of fun for a family vacation.
 
Helpful links: 
 
Lake Erie Metroparks
www.metroparks.com/parks/pk_lake_erie.php#

Downtown Detroit
www.experiencedetroit.com

Trenton Chamber of Commerce
www.yourtownchamber.com/chamber/michamber/trentonchamber.html

Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village
www.thehenryford.org