Campus Martius Park

Campus Martius Park is the central public plaza of downtown Detroit, opened in 2004 on the site that has functioned as the city's central gathering point since the 1880s. The 2.5-acre park sits at the intersection of Woodward Avenue and the city's other main streets — the Point of Origin marker (the geographic reference point all of Detroit's streets are measured from) is on the park's south side. The Downtown Detroit Partnership manages the park's programming.

Free programming runs through the year. Summer brings free outdoor concert series several nights a week, the Detroit Movies in the D outdoor film series, fitness classes, the Detroit International Jazz Festival's free stages, food truck rallies, and seasonal markets. Winter brings the Beacon Park ice rink, the Detroit Tree Lighting (the Wednesday after Thanksgiving), the Detroit Christmas Market, and the year-round restaurants on the park's edges — including the Cadillac Lodge, the Fountain Detroit, and the seasonal Beacon Park concession stands.

Practical notes: the park is at the heart of downtown Detroit's transit network — the QLINE streetcar, multiple SMART and DDOT bus routes, and the People Mover all serve the area. Underground parking is in the structures on Woodward, Bates, and Cadillac. The park's programming calendar is at downtowndetroit.org; most events are free and don't require RSVPs. Indoor restrooms and warming centers in the surrounding office buildings are publicly accessible during business hours.