How to Enjoy Ford House
Suggested Itineraries
Ford House is 87 acres of history, architecture, gardens, and lakefront landscape. There is a lot to see, and no single visit covers everything.
These guides are designed to help you make the most of your time, whether you have an hour or an afternoon. Each one follows the same route through the estate, starting at the Visitor Center and working through the property in sequence. The difference is depth, not direction.
An hour or two is enough to see the heart of Ford House. Start in the Main Residence, end at the water. You’ll leave with a clear sense of who the Fords were and why this place matters.
Duration
15 min
VISITOR CENTER
Begin your visit at the Visitor Center
Get oriented, explore the exhibitions, and pick up a map before heading out.
Start at the Visitor Center, where Ford Family Story introduces Edsel and Eleanor through family films, personal mementos, and interactive elements. The exhibition captures the warmth and complexity of a family who built one of Michigan’s most significant estates and gave it to the public. Before you head out, stop at The Shop for books, gifts, and memorabilia.
Hungry? Dine at Ford House.
Grab a quick bite at The Speedster or settle in for lunch, brunch, or dinner at The Continental. Both are on the estate. No need to leave.
Learn more about Ford Family Story → fordhouse.org/visit/exhibitions
Duration
25 min
Garage at the Gate Lodge
Explore Driven by Design+
Walk or take the shuttle from the Visitor Center to the Gate Lodge garage.
Driven by Design+ tells the story of Edsel Ford’s singular influence on American automotive design through five rare vehicles. The centerpiece is the world’s only 1939 Lincoln Continental prototype, alongside the 1930 Model A and three other vehicles that trace the arc of his design legacy.
Every visitor passes through the Gate Lodge entrance arch, just as Edsel, Eleanor, and their children once did. The Gate Lodge also housed key members of the Fords’ staff, including chauffeur Arthur Fauser and his family in the North Cottage, and Chief of Security Thomas Loughlin and his family in the South Cottage.
Driven by Design+ is included with both Grounds Admission and House + Grounds Admission. Open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on all open days, May through December.
Learn more about Driven by Design+ → fordhouse.org/visit/exhibitions/driven-by-design/
Duration
45-60 min
THE GROUNDS AND MAIN RESIDENCE
Explore the grounds and the Main Residence
Follow Playhouse Road or Maple Lane southeast from the Gate Lodge through the gardens to the Main Residence.
From the Gate Lodge, head southeast along Playhouse Road, a paved path, or Maple Lane, a gravel path. Walk past Josephine’s Playhouse, the Formal Garden, the Rose Garden, and the Pool and Lagoon. Look for the bronze sculpture of Edsel and Eleanor between the lagoon and the Main Residence, built to scale from family photographs and clothing.
At the Main Residence, explore both floors at your own pace or join a guided tour. On the first floor, move through the Morning Room, Dining Room, Library, Drawing Room, Edsel’s Study, the Modern Room, and the Gallery. On the second floor, explore Eleanor and Edsel’s Bedroom Suite, Josephine’s Bedroom, Henry II’s Bedroom, and the Boys’ rooms.
A House + Grounds Admission ticket includes self-guided access to the Main Residence. Guided tour tickets are available separately. The house opens on the hour and half hour.
Learn more about the Main Residence → fordhouse.org/the-estate/the-house
Three to four hours gives you time to see Ford House properly. The exhibitions, the grounds, the house, and the water. Here is a route that covers all of it.
Duration
20 min
Visitor Center
Begin at the Visitor Center
Explore the exhibitions, visit The Shop, and grab a bite before heading out.
Start at the Visitor Center, where Ford Family Story introduces Edsel and Eleanor through family films, personal mementos, and interactive elements. The Visitor Center also houses two rotating exhibition spaces: the Gaukler Pointe Gallery and the Teague Community Gallery, each hosting a changing program of exhibitions tied to the estate’s history and broader cultural themes. Check fordhouse.org before your visit to see what is currently on view. Before heading out, stop at The Shop for books, gifts, and memorabilia.
Hungry? Dine at Ford House.
Grab a quick bite at The Speedster or settle in for lunch, brunch, or dinner at The Continental. Both are on the estate. No need to leave.
Check what’s currently on view → fordhouse.org/visit/exhibitions/
Duration
20 min
Garage at the Gate Lodge
Explore Driven by Design+
Walk or take the shuttle from the Visitor Center to the Gate Lodge garage.
Driven by Design+ tells the story of Edsel Ford’s singular influence on American automotive design through five rare vehicles. The centerpiece is the world’s only 1939 Lincoln Continental prototype, alongside the 1930 Model A and three other vehicles that trace the arc of his design legacy.
Every visitor passes through the Gate Lodge entrance arch, just as Edsel, Eleanor, and their children once did. The Gate Lodge also housed key members of the Fords’ staff, including chauffeur Arthur Fauser and his family in the North Cottage, and Chief of Security Thomas Loughlin and his family in the South Cottage.
Driven by Design+ is included with both Grounds Admission and House + Grounds Admission. Open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on all open days, May through December.
Check out Driven By Design+ → fordhouse.org/visit/exhibitions/driven-by-design/
Duration
45-60 min
THE GROUNDS
Explore the estate grounds
Walk southeast along Playhouse Road or Maple Lane to begin your grounds exploration.
From the Gate Lodge, head southeast along Playhouse Road, a paved path, or Maple Lane, a gravel path. Your first stop is Josephine’s Playhouse, a fully functioning three-quarter-scale cottage built as a gift from grandmother Clara Ford for Josephine’s seventh birthday. Every element, including an electric range, central heating, running water, and a fireplace, was scaled for a child and every element worked. Josephine’s Playhouse is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., May through December.
Continue along the path to the Formal Garden, a tranquil space with a reflecting pool and circling paths. Follow the path to the Rose Garden, where more than 800 rose plants peak in June and September. Roses were Eleanor’s favorite.
Next, visit the Recreation Building, the family’s private retreat featuring a spacious sitting room with original furniture and a large fireplace, changing rooms, a small kitchen, and a squash court. The Recreation Building is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., May through September only.
Continue to the Pool and Lagoon, restored in 2022 to their original Jensen-designed character. The project earned the 2023 Cultural Landscape Award from the Michigan Historic Preservation Network. Look for the bronze sculpture of Edsel and Eleanor between the lagoon and the Main Residence, built to scale from family photographs and clothing.
Explore the grounds → fordhouse.org/the-estate/the-grounds
Duration
60 min
MAIN RESIDENCE
Tour or explore the Main Residence at your own pace
Choose a guided tour or explore both floors on your own.
On the first floor, move through the Morning Room, Dining Room, Library, Drawing Room, and Edsel’s Study, each room reflecting a different facet of how the Fords lived. Step into the Kitchen, where a head cook and five assistants once prepared daily meals for the family and staff. Don’t miss the Modern Room, where industrial designer Walter Dorwin Teague transformed a children’s playroom into a streamlined, aerodynamic space in 1936. End in the Gallery, the largest room in the house at 1,500 square feet with a 17-foot barrel-vaulted ceiling. The wood paneling and fireplace were purchased from an English manor home. The Fords used it for large parties and celebrations.
On the second floor, Eleanor and Edsel’s Bedroom Suite includes four rooms: a Sitting Room, Bedroom, Bathroom, and Dressing Room with 14 closets hand-painted with flowers. After Edsel’s death in 1943, Eleanor worked with decorator Polly Jessup to redesign the suite entirely. She lived in this house for another 33 years. Henry II’s Bedroom and the Boys’ Sitting Room and Bedroom were also redesigned by Teague, featuring his signature indirect lighting, curved walls, built-in features, and metal accents.
Josephine’s Bedroom tells the story of Eleanor and Edsel’s only daughter, who used the room from age 5 until she married at 20 in 1943.
A House + Grounds Admission ticket includes self-guided access to the Main Residence. Guided tour tickets are available separately. The house opens on the hour and half hour.
Learn more about the Main Residence → fordhouse.org/the-estate/the-house
Duration
30 min
FORD COVE
End at Ford Cove
Follow Cove Road along the shoreline for the view visitors remember longest.
From the Main Residence, follow the path along Ford Cove, the sheltered inlet on Lake St. Clair where Edsel once launched his boats. Standing at the water’s edge, with the Main Residence visible through the trees above, it is easy to understand why the Fords chose this particular stretch of shoreline to build their home.
Bird Island, the wooded wildlife sanctuary accessible by footbridge from this path, is currently closed due to an ongoing Shoreline Restoration Project. It is expected to reopen in mid-fall 2026. Check fordhouse.org for current access.
Follow the paths back through the gardens or along the shoreline to return to the Visitor Center. The Shop is open until 5 p.m. if you did not get a chance to stop in at the start of your visit.
Learn more about the Shoreline Restoration Project → fordhouse.org/about/shoreline-restoration-project/
Ready to visit?
Friends of Ford House
Joining Has Its Perks!
An annual Friends of Ford House membership is a great way to enjoy all that Ford House has to offer! Enjoy discounted tickets, pre-sale access, exclusive events, discounts on dining and shopping, and more.
