EXPERIENCE THE
GREAT LAKES

Experience the greatness of our lakes.

Discovery Pier is a community space along West Grand Traverse Bay designed to inspire a deeper connection to the Great Lakes through memorable experiences, on and off the water. With barrier-free opportunities for recreation and education, every visitor can discover the beauty and complexities of these treasured waters. Through collaborative partnerships, Discovery Pier hosts a variety of maritime activities—lakeside gatherings, boat tours, tall ship sails, fishing charter expeditions, ecology studies, marine technology explorations and more.

From Discovery Pier, the Great Lakes are truly at your fingertips!

EXPLORE.

Watch the sunrise, gather for a picnic, cast your fishing line, or take to the water aboard a tall ship or tour boat, and discover freshwater fun!

For good times and great views, reserve Venue Blue, our waterfront pavilion, for your next special occasion.

Discover Freshwater Fun.
Explore the Great Lakes today!

LEARN.

Through strong collaborative partnerships and a universally-accessible site, we provide hands-on experiences for all to engage with the largest system of freshwater in the world. Whether learning to fish, studying the ecology of the Great Lakes or getting inspired for a career in freshwater sciences, Discovery Pier invites visitors to discover the beauty and wonder of the Great Lakes.

Hands-on Experiences.
Inspiring Freshwater Careers.

CONNECT.

We’ve developed key partnerships in the pursuit of our goal to connect people of all ages, needs and abilities to the Great Lakes. From our docks, visitors can study freshwater ecology, build and operate an underwater remote operated vehicle (ROV), join a charter fishing expedition, set sail on a tall ship and more!

Partners. Programs.
Pier Access For All.

“We believe that access to our Great Lakes should be available to everyone and are confident that partnering with Discovery Pier helps us reach more individuals with our important work of protecting the Great Lakes through education.”

— Fred Sitkins, Executive Director of Inland Seas Education Association

GREAT LAKES – FOR ALL

We look for every opportunity to connect people of all ages, needs and abilities with the Great Lakes, removing barriers, improving accessibility and encouraging engagement. We partner with educational and recreational organizations to ensure our docks are a hub for maritime experiences, and we leverage our partnerships to create programs and provide free opportunities to youth around the region.

  • Discovery Pier boasts barrier-free parking, sidewalks, restrooms, and fishing docks, with an adaptive kayak launch coming soon!

  • Discovery Pier is hub for innovative educational programming through our youth fishing program, our outdoor classroom and lab, and our many partnerships with freshwater organizations.

  • We proudly partner with local educational and recreational organizations to offer experiences for all ages and all backgrounds. Together, we make sure everyone can experience the greatness of our lakes.