Dinosaurs, coasters and King Tut: A family guide to summer fun in metro Detroit

Tammy Stables Battaglia
·7 min read
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

Summertime is family time.

For a fleeting few weeks in June, July and August, moms, dads and kiddies can cast aside worries about school, schedules, music lessons and soccer practice, and savor life at a slightly less hectic pace.

To help parents create some priceless memories, we've come up with a handful of activities that run the gamut from lightweight  to educational to downright spine-tingling. (We're talking about you, "Dinosauria!") All are nearby and their costs won't break the bank — good news for families coping with current gas and food prices.

The days are long now and skies are sunny, so start making some plans. Labor Day will be here sooner than you think.

TicketSmarter: Purchase tickets for many summer events here.

All hail the boy king

The King Tut exhibit continues through Sept. 16 at the Wright Museum.
The King Tut exhibit continues through Sept. 16 at the Wright Museum.

There's bling fit for a king at an exhibit starring history's most famous pharaoh. “King Tutankhamun: Wonderful Things from the Pharaoh’s Tomb,” an opulent touring collection, is at the Wright Museum through Sept. 16. The exhibit celebrates the discovery 100 years ago of the tomb of the boy ruler, who was just 8 or 9 years old when his rule began in the 1300s BC. The collection consists of more than 100 replicas (because who can afford a genuine solid gold bed today?) of items discovered in the tomb. It's back by popular demand after its first visit to Detroit in 2007.

Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, 315 E. Warren Ave., Detroit. 313-494-5800. www.thewright.org. $25 ages 13-61, $19 ages 3-12 and 62 and older. 

He scores with magic

Ex-NFL player Jon Dorenbos mixes magic with a positive message.
Ex-NFL player Jon Dorenbos mixes magic with a positive message.

Magician Jon Dorenbos brings his bag of jaw-dropping tricks mixed with words of inspiration to the MGM Grand for a late-July show. After doctors discovered an aortic aneurysm, Doroenbos was forced to end his 14-year NFL football career in 2017. That's when he pivoted to his other love: magic, a self-taught skill he used for mental focus and comfort after his father was convicted in the death of his mother when Dorenbos was just 12 years old. His pro magic skills and uplifting monologue about grace and overcoming adversity landed him a finalist spot on "America’s Got Talent" in 2016 – with a golden buzzer by Ne-Yo. He has been inspiring audiences ever since!

8 pm, July 30, MGM Grand Detroit, 1777 3rd Ave., Detroit. Families with children should enter the casino's event center through the hotel. (Minors aren't allowed to walk through the casino.) 877-888-2121. $39-$120. Meet-and-greet add-on: $75. 

Attire fit for a princess — or a pirate

A Cinderella gown is among the costumes that make up "Heroes and Villains."
A Cinderella gown is among the costumes that make up "Heroes and Villains."

Peer into the closet of a Disney princess or villain starting June 25 at the Henry Ford. “Heroes and Villains: The Art of the Disney Costume” brings together more than 70 costumes spanning 55 years of on-screen magic. Designs created for Cruella de Vil ("101 Dalmatians"), the Red and White Queen ("Alice Through the Looking Glass") and Jack Sparrow ("Pirates of the Caribbean") are among the attractions. A highlight is Cinderella’s Workshop, which features dresses from "Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella" (1997), "Into the Woods" (2014), the 2015 live-action reimagining of Disney's animated 1950 "Cinderella" and the ABC hit series "Once Upon a Time."

June 25-through Jan. 1, 2023. Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, 20900 Oakwood Boulevard, Dearborn. 313-855-5048. thehenryford.org. $27 adults, $24.50 ages 62 and older, $20.25 ages 5-11, free to ages 4 and younger. $3 admission for SNAP/EBT and WIC cardholders, plus four guests.

'Encanto' under the stars

You can sing along to "Encanto" on Aug. 27 at Pine Knob.
You can sing along to "Encanto" on Aug. 27 at Pine Knob.

Speaking of Disney, the latest mouse juggernaut, "Encanto," is coming to Pine Knob! “Encanto: The Sing-along Film Concert” heads to Clarkston in late August. You can watch the movie on a big screen while 10-piece band onstage performs its well-loved songs. Don’t know all the words to "We Don't Talk About Bruno"? No worries. On-screen lyrics are part of the show.

 7:30 p.m. Aug. 27. Pine Knob Music Theater, 33 Bob Seger Drive, Clarkston. 313-471-7000. $25-$225, with lawn four-packs at $18.75 per ticket.

The Kidz play the hits

Kidz Bop Kids deliver fresh takes on hit tunes.
Kidz Bop Kids deliver fresh takes on hit tunes.

Also due at Pine Knob in August are Kidz Bop Kids. The team of musical youngsters performs the latest hits in a 90-minute show that's a perfect first-time concert experience for the younger crowd. Expect to be wowed by the group's takes on hits like "Stay" from Justin Bieber and Australian rapper the Kid Laroi, "Bad Habits" from Ed Sheeran and other radio regulars.

7 p.m. Aug. 19, Pine Knob Music Theater, 33 Bob Seger Drive, Clarkston. 313-471-7000. $25-$200.

The zoo's blast from the past

"Dinosauria" will be at the Detroit Zoo through Sept. 5.
"Dinosauria" will be at the Detroit Zoo through Sept. 5.

Dinosaurs live again at the Detroit Zoo through Sept. 5. You and the kiddies may already be familiar with many of the 29 life-like animatronic creatures (including a towering, 65-foot-long Brachiosaurus), but you never know what’s lurking around the bend at "Dinosauria," an immersive walk-through experience! The zoo is still operating using timed admission, so it's best to get your tickets in advance.

8450 W. Ten Mile Road, Royal Oak. 248-541-5717. www.detroitzoo.org. $6 plus zoo admission.

180 years strong

The Post Commanders Residence is an 1880 structure that was home to the family of the officer commanding the Ft. Wayne garrison at Historic Ft. Wayne in Detroit.
The Post Commanders Residence is an 1880 structure that was home to the family of the officer commanding the Ft. Wayne garrison at Historic Ft. Wayne in Detroit.

If you’ve never been to Historic Ft. Wayne, an educational trip to Detroit’s southwest side is in order this summer. Mindful of British occupation of Michigan during the War of 1812, American’s built Ft. Wayne in 1842 at the narrowest part of the Detroit River to protect themselves from the British, who were still occupying Canada. It served as an organizing spot for military troops from the Civil War through the Vietnam War and is one of the hidden gems of Michigan history. Two-hour, $5 guided walking tours are typically available at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Reservations are usually required.

6325 W Jefferson Ave, Detroit. Visit www.nps.gov for background on Historic Ft. Wayne. Register for a bike tour or rent a bike though the Detroit Historical Society at www.detroithistorical.org. 

Cedar Point and its Michigan cousin

Thrills abound at Cedar Point in Sanduskey, Ohio, which is just two hours southeast of Detroit.
Thrills abound at Cedar Point in Sanduskey, Ohio, which is just two hours southeast of Detroit.

What summer would be complete without an amusement park trip? Metro Detroiters have two parks — and two states! — to choose from. Cedar Point down in the Buckeye State can be a day trip, but visiting Michiganders often opt for a longer stay by booking a room at classic beachfront resort hotel the Breakers on the shore of Lake Erie. Back on this side of the border, there's Michigan’s Adventure in Muskegon on the state's west coast. It's owned by the company that runs Cedar Point.

Michigan’s Adventure: 4750 Whitehall Road, Muskegon. 231-766-9959.  www.miadventure.com. Cedar Point, 1 Cedar Point Drive, Sandusky, Ohio. 419-627-2350 Prices vary.

Michigan life circa 1900

Crossroads Village & Huckleberry Railroad, a facility of the Genesee County Parks & Recreation Commission, recalls Michigan life circa 1900.
Crossroads Village & Huckleberry Railroad, a facility of the Genesee County Parks & Recreation Commission, recalls Michigan life circa 1900.

Experience life in a rural Michigan town at Crossroads Village & Huckleberry Railroad, a Great Lakes town from the turn of the last century. The Genesee County Parks site features 34 historic structures depicting a small community along with a full-size steam railroad and a paddlewheel riverboat. It's a bit smaller than Greenfield Village, but just as interesting.

6140 Bray Road, Flint. 800-648-275. https://geneseecountyparks.org/crossroads-village/. $9-$11. 

Following the science

The Michigan Science Center has more than 200 interactive exhibits.
The Michigan Science Center has more than 200 interactive exhibits.

Discovery-focused learning at the Michigan Science Center turns 10 in 2022, with special events and shows scheduled throughout the year. Check out the IMAX Dome, a 4D theater; the planetarium and more than 200 interactive exhibits. The center emphasizes the value of science, technology, engineering and math (the STEM subjects) and prides itself on fostering an understanding of the natural world and the built environment.

Open Wednesday-Sunday, 5020 John R St., Detroit. 313-577-8400. https://www.mi-sci.org. $14 for youth and seniors, $18 adults

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan family fun: 10 things to do between now and Labor Day