Summer Discovery Cruise On Lake St. Clair 2025

Michigan Sea Grant and the Huron-Clinton Metroparks are teaming up again to offer their Summer Discovery Cruises on Lake St. Clair—and they’re packed with hands-on learning and local stories. Hop aboard a small ship and actually learn on the water.

Each cruise focuses on something different—like shipwrecks, lighthouses, birds, the fur trade, or Great Lakes science—and they’re geared toward kids ages 6 and up. It’s such a cool way to sneak in summer learning without anyone realizing it’s educational.

Cruise Basics:

• Two-hour boat ride on a semi-enclosed, 28-passenger vessel
• Departs from Lake St. Clair Metropark – North Marina
• Led by interpreters or guest speakers who know their stuff
• Plenty of chances to look around, take photos, and enjoy the water
• $30 per person (same price for kids and adults)
• Ages 6 and up (no toddlers, strollers, or babies)

You’ll need to use a short ladder to board, and there is seating on the boat—but expect to move around a bit during the trip.

2025 Topics & Dates
Cruises run Fridays and Saturdays from July 11 through August 9. You’ll find daytime and evening options, and each cruise has its own theme. Here are just a few:

• Fur Trade History – July 11
• South Channel Lights – July 11
• Lake St. Clair History – July 12 & August 9
• Lighthouse Tours – July 12 & August 1
• Great Lakes Science – multiple dates
• Shipwrecks – August 2
• Birds of Lake St. Clair – August 8
• Twilight Cruises – July 18 & August 1

Each cruise has its own time slot (usually 10am, 1pm, 4pm, or sometimes 7pm). You’ll need to register ahead of time.

How to Register
Registration is online and closes at 4:00 p.m. the day before each cruise.

You can:

• Register online through the Huron-Clinton Metroparks events page: https://www.metroparks.com
• Or call (586) 463-4332 if you need help or prefer to register by phone

I know this isn’t the cheapest field trip around, but if you can swing it—or you’ve got grandparents asking for birthday gift ideas—it’s worth considering. This is the kind of experience kids remember. And if you’re covering Michigan history, Great Lakes science, or local geography in your homeschool, it lines up beautifully.