Can you feel like you’re in the great Up North while still being able to see a sliver of Detroit’s skyline in the distance?
Yes, you can. That’s due in part to the vastness of the Motor City, but it’s also thanks to more than 2,200 urban farms growing vegetables, planting trees, and offering a slice of solitude away from the sounds of the city. The energy of Detroit is still in the ether, but you feel as if you’re far from it. A perfect balance.
One of the most ambitious projects is Arboretum Detroit, a nonprofit dedicated to reforesting the city’s Poletown neighborhood (consider it a gateway to the east side) by buying up land to turn into parks. Without one designated chunk of land for planting native species and trees, the organization is building a winding park across multiple lots, anchored by the Circle Forest, one of the most stunning and immersive parks in the city.
Sure, a truck may rattle down the alleyway, but visiting this park is one of the few experiences that made me feel as if I’d teleported out of the city. Arboretum Detroit offers a birding park, a regular schedule of educational programs (I learned how to grow mushrooms on one trip), and a general attitude among volunteers to talk about their mission and welcome folks into their little green world. Partnering with Archangel Ancient Tree Archive, the nonprofit is also working to create a giant Sequoia forest in MoKirby Park at 5408 Moran.
Beaverland Farms is another top-notch example of escapism within city limits. A rooftop deck overlooks the urban food and flower farm in the Brightmoor neighborhood on Detroit’s northwest side. The deck also acts as a makeshift café and coworking space (open Fridays and Saturdays throughout the season). The farm hosts a slew of special events, like “Mindful Mornings,” which involve yoga sessions and art activities (every second and fourth Saturday).
Increasingly, spaces like Beaverland are finding ways to interact with the public, especially people like me: a true city kid who doesn’t necessarily gravitate toward these spaces to purchase plants or fresh produce. (I can’t stress enough how welcoming everyone was, even though I wasn’t wearing dirt-covered overalls.) I simply crave the experience of stepping out of the city.
This August, Beaverland will answer that call by collaborating with Black Moon Bathhouse to bring mobile saunas to the farm and unveil a natural swimming pool surrounded by a perimeter of aquatic plants acting as filters. (Imagine a post-sauna cold plunge in that beauty.)
In September, DJ Anthony Jasper will provide entertainment for Beaverland’s fall equinox party, bringing together food pop-ups and vendors in celebration of the space and the harvest season.
Diving into these spaces has helped me realize how diverse Detroit can be in terms of land use. With the effort going into preservation and bringing a heaping hunk of nature back into orbit for city dwellers, it’d be a shame if we didn’t put the same energy into exploring these organizations’ offerings this summer and fall.
For more information, including event schedules, visiting hours, and how to donate or volunteer, visit arbdetroit.org and beaverlandfarms.com.
Ryan Patrick Hooper is the host of In the Groove on 101.9 WDET Detroit Public Radio (weekdays from noon to 3 p.m.).
This story originally appeared in the July 2026 issue of Hour Detroit magazine. To read more, pick up a copy of Hour Detroit at a local retail outlet. Click here to get our digital edition.
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