Bob-lo Island Scenic Railroad
For 96 summer seasons, Boblo Island delighted millions of Detroiters who arrived by a romantic steamship sail to enjoy the amusement park, concerts and rides that soared above the Detroit River.
Though privately owned, Boblo Island is open to the public. There’s no carnival midway anymore, but once you roll off the ferry, you can drive by ritzy homes and mini-manses. Park your car near the island’s restaurant and ice cream shop to walk along Boblo’s signature buildings. The island’s south end is closed to cars, but it’s a short walk along meadows and on dirt roads to a lighthouse, a restored British Army blockhouse and a sandy slip of a beach with picnic tables and a volleyball net.
Sources:
Patricia Montemurri, “A new, upscale Boblo Island for adventuring day-trippers”, Detroit Free Press, July 6, 2014.
Boblo Island Today, Detroit Free Press, July 6, 2014.
Patricia Montemurri, What was Boblo Island before the amusement park?, Detroit Free Press, July 6, 2014.
Boblo Island Then and Now, MLive
30 Nostalgic Photos of the Boblo Island Amusement Park, Detroit Metro Times.
Bob-lo Island entry from Encyclopedia of Detroit