Merry-Go-Round Museum

The centerpiece of the museum is a fully restored 1939 Herschell Carousel. When the museum acquired the carousel all of the animals were missing so the animals on it are from other carousels or are newly carved. Other exhibits include many beautifully restored animals, posters, and carousel memorabilia. Most of the restoration work is done in the basement workshop which is not opened to the public however a small area on the museum floor is set aside for volunteers to explain the process of making or restoring a carousel animal. Visitors may also watch a carver at work. Every year a themed horse is carved to be raffled off as a fund raiser.

                     

   The accessible entrance is in the rear of the museum. The museum exhibits are accessible. Admission includes a ride on the carousel which we didn’t do because we get dizzy so I don’t know if it’s accessible.

  RVs will fit in the lot if parked across the spaces. Parking spaces are also available on the street.  Museum  41.45371, -82.71284

East Harbor State Park

   We stopped at this park on a hot day hoping for a breeze off of the lake and a chance to walk/roll along the water’s edge. Many of the park’s 10 miles of multi-use trails are designated as easy. We tried the closed-to-traffic gravel road that starts at the south end of the day use parking lot but could only go about 1/2 mile before deep sand made rolling very difficult. Other trails in the same area were too rocky or flooded. The park also has a campground but we did not check it out.

         

  The parking lot is large enough for any RV. Park  41.55048, -82.79868

Toledo Museum of Art

  Edward Libby, founder of Libby Glass, established the museum in 1901. It was free of charge to the public at the time and still is today. This is another museum that surprised us with the quality and scope of their collections which include 19th- and 20th-century European and American art, Renaissance, Greek, Roman and Japanese art, glass art, and modern art.

                   

  The museum is accessible.

   Even though the museum is free there’s a parking fee at the museum lot. RVs are not permitted in this lot. We were directed to another lot located across the street but the slope of the driveway is very steep and we were worried about scraping bottom. We parked in a lot signed “Handicapped and Staff Parking Only – by permit”. This lot is a University of Toledo lot but since we visited on the weekend the gate was in the up position. Another possible parking spot is on the dead end section of Woodruff Ave. which is just north of the museum lot. Museum  41.65899, -83.56175

Pearson Metropark

  A network of more than seven miles of gravel trails meander through the woods. The buildings, shelters, bridges, and ponds were built during the depression-era by workers in the Works Progress Administration and Civilian Conservation Corps programs.

      

We attempted some of the trails but found deep sand and loose gravel which made pushing difficult even with my FreeWheel installed. The short trail around the lake is fairly hard packed and accessible.

There are 8 large lots where RVs will fit. The mile long road through the park is one way so if miss the last lot you’ll have to circle around the block back to the entrance. Park  41.63857, -83.44132

Detroit Riverwalk

  Great views of the Detroit River and skylines Detroit and Windsor, Canada. The trail is about 3.5 miles long and follows the river bank for most of the way. We started at William G. Milliken State Park and walked/rolled east to the end.

   The pavement is in good condition with a few bumpy patches.

   Parking is available at William G. Milliken State Park and along Atwater Street. Riverwalk  42.33122, -83.03105

Detroit Institute of Arts

   Like most art museums in large cities the Detroit Institute of Arts was started by a few local citizens. Major contributors of money and art included the Dodges, Firestones, Fords, and Scripps. The wealth generated by the auto industry allowed them to amass a large and amazing collection creating a museum with over 100 galleries and 66,000 works of art. We visited for four hours and only saw half of it!

           

  The museum is accessible.

  Parking where RVs will fit is available on the street. The meters max out at 2 hours but accept more money when the time is up. Museum  42.35914, -83.0652

Heidelberg Project

  When artist Tyree Guyton, who grew up on Heidelberg Street in East Detroit, returned to his old neighborhood in 1986 he decided to do something about the abandoned houses and discarded processions. He, his grandfather, and neighborhood children sifted through the rubble. Guyton swept, painted, and arranged. The entire street became an art installation.
             
  Not everyone appreciated the effort. Four of the houses were bulldozed by the city. At least 12 houses suffered some damage from arson. Guyson has dismantled pieces as they deteriorated and built new ones so it’s an ever changing project.

   An art house and sculpture garden at the west end of the street are the creations of artist Tim Burke.

   The sidewalks are rough and in spots the art has taken over a bit. It may be necessary to wheel along the street but there isn’t a lot of traffic.

  Park on the south side of the street only. Project  42.35856, -83.02166

Detroit Historical Society

   The museum galleries cover different aspects of Detroit’s history but they are somewhat disjointed and there isn’t an easy flow from one exhibit to the next. City streets are located on the lower level. Early history, the auto industry, and Detroit musicians are on the first floor. The second floor has an underground railroad exhibit and a special exhibit on the 1968 riots.

       

   Most of the museum is accessible but some of the sidewalks on the city streets are too narrow. A few exhibits have high thresholds.

  Parking where RVs will fit is available on the street. The meters max out at 2 hours but accept more money when the time is up. Museum 42.35962, -83.06706