Ford House hosts a lighted holiday walk in Grosse Pointe Shores that covers about a mile and takes you through both floors of a home decorated the way Eleanor Ford would have kept it. Home for the Holidays runs select evenings from November 27 through December 27, mostly Fridays and Saturdays, from 5:30 to 8:00 pm.
Part one: the walk in
You park in the Visitor Center lot and set off on foot. The first half mile takes 20 to 30 minutes and passes Jingle Junction at Josephine’s Playhouse, where a giant red sleigh sits among colorful holiday lights. The path then runs through the Formal Garden and above the Rose Garden, lit in red and white. A willow tree in cascading lights and a Christmas train display at the Recreation Building come just before the front door of the Main Residence.
Part two: inside the Main Residence
Both floors of the house are open, and you move through at your own pace. The decorating follows Eleanor Ford’s understated elegance, with seasonal accents scaled to the home’s architecture and furnishings. Albert Kahn designed the house, a National Historic Landmark completed in 1929, and it treats the season the way Eleanor would have, not as a holiday display. A Santa photo is optional on the way out.
Part three: the walk back
The way back follows Maple Lane to the Visitor Center, with a stop at the Mistletoe Market for warm drinks, concessions and themed gifts from The Shop pop-up. You pass Josephine’s Playhouse one last time before the parking lot. Plan on one hour to 90 minutes for the whole evening.
The experience has placed in the Top Four of USA TODAY’s 10Best Holiday Historic Home Tour two years running, for 2024 and 2025.
Plan your lighted holiday walk in Grosse Pointe Shores
- Tickets: Friend adult $18, Friend child (ages 3 to 17) $10, public adult $24, public child (ages 3 to 17) $12, children 0 to 2 free.
- Parking: Parking is free and is located in the Visitor Center lot. There is no shuttle.
- Weather: Rain, snow or shine. Dress for outdoor winter conditions.
- Terrain: About one mile on pavement, wood chips, gravel and grass. Some sections are challenging for wheelchairs, strollers and walkers.
- Santa: He is with us through Sunday, December 20, and will not be at Ford House on December 26 and 27.
- Dogs: Not permitted on the grounds. Service animals as defined by the ADA are welcome.
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