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What: #91 Go to the Belle Isle Aquarium

When: March 1st
Where: Detroit
Why: As a very young girl, I have vague memories of going to the Belle Isle Zoo before it closed, and as the years went by, most of the other treasures of that island were similarly shuttered. It was sad; I recall stories my mom told me of her parents taking her out there on summer nights to hear bands playing, all sorts of folks gathered on the grass on this lovely jewel in the Detroit River, just enjoying the beautiful scenery around them. I longed for that to be a reality for me, and have actually started to see this come true!

Over the past decade, I've seen Belle Isle change from a nearly abandoned, littered, overgrown eyesore back to a vibrant destination worlds apart from the downtown area. Events are starting to happen there - I've recently participated in a triathlon on the island, an historical bike tour, and numerous Tour de Troit rides. A few summers ago, I first visited the Conservatory and the repaired fountain, and this weekend, I finally stepped inside the reopened aquarium.

The building has always been an incredible architectural gem by Albert Kahn, and seeing it for the first time inside was breathtaking. The ceiling tiles give you the feeling of being underwater, and the space is just perfect for families to spend their weekend afternoons strolling past the forty or so tanks filled with everything from stingrays to seahorses to jellyfish to frogs to tropical fish to a giant freshwater puffer fish named Otis.

On this visit, I was fortunate enough to meet Jennifer Boardman, one of the people responsible for getting the aquarium renovated, funded, and re-opened to the public. Meeting her was so inspirational, and helped me see the incredible impact individuals are having on this great city!