7 Must See Detroit Tourist Attractions

I’ve been back in Michigan for a few months, but I still haven’t had a chance to get acclimated because I’ve been away traveling. It’s going to be a process to get back into the swing of things. I don’t know anyone anymore and all of my good friends live in other states. It’s sort of like how it was when I moved to NYC. I didn’t know a soul. Five months in and I don’t regret my decision of leaving the big apple one bit. I just have to realize it’s going to take time to get settled.

A while back a group of us from my travel group got together and went on our own Detroit hometown tour. It was great to pretend to be a tourist and explore the city.

Detroit rocks! It’s an amazing urban oasis complete with great cuisine, downtown farmer’s markets, beautiful parks, a vibrant art scene and many family friendly attractions. The city has outstanding museums, theaters, art galleries, downtown eateries and clubs. Metro Detroit is known for its ethnic diversity. Visit Hamtramck for its delicious Polish bakeries, Dearborn for its thriving Middle Eastern community, Greektown for Mediterranean food or Mexicantown for its authentic restaurants. It’s also a sports town – Lions, Tigers, Pistons, Red Wings and Detroit FC Soccer. Detroit fans rule! The people in Detroit have a flavor like no one else. Although primarily known for the auto industry – the Motown sound, modern techno and rock music all originated in the Motor city.

7 Must See Detroit Tourist Attractions

1. Detroit RiverWalk – The Detroit RiverWalk stretches from the Ambassador Bridge all the way to Belle Isle along the Detroit River. It is the destination for summer festivals, concerts, Detroit River Days, Dequindre Cut Greenway and more. The River Walk houses a cruise ship passenger terminal and dock, a marina, and many parks. Restaurants, shops, high rise residential housing, hotels, the Cobo Convention Center and Joe Louis Arena are all situated on the path. Visit Hart Plaza and Chene Park for concerts and festivals right on the water. Belle Isle is great for picnics, riding and walking. It has an aquarium, nature center, tennis courts, golf range and baseball diamonds. It’s also a wonderful place to view the largest fireworks show in North America around the 4^th of July holiday. Last summer I rented bikes and rode along its path.

2. Henry Ford Museum – is a great place to visit with the family. It’s not only dedicated to the evolution of the car industry, but the American society during the 20th century. Learn what it was like to live during the past decades, the history of the automotive industry, aircraft industry and much more. The chair where Abe Lincoln was shot and John F. Kennedy’s limo are also housed at the museum. Be sure to visit Greenfield Village and take the plant tour to learn how cars are made.

 

3. The Motown Historical Museum – or Hitsville U.S.A. – Detroit’s music legacy started here. If you love music, you will love it here. Located at 2648 West Grand Boulevard near downtown Detroit, The Motown Historical Museum is where Berry Gordy Jr. built the Motown sound. Once a photography studio, it was converted into recording label Motown’s first recording studio, known as Studio A. Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and the Jackson 5 recorded in this studio. Learn how Berry Gordy turned a small studio into an empire.

4. The Detroit Zoo – Located in Royal Oak about 10 miles north of the city. The Detroit Zoo features exhibits like the Arctic Ring of Life and the largest polar bear exhibit in North America. It is home to more than 250 types of animals including Amur tigers, grizzly and polar bears, and red kangaroos. It is an attraction that you must see! It’s not a small zoo. The zoo lives on a 125-acre facility, so you will need a half-day or entire day to get through the exhibits. The zoo also provides special entertainment on summer weekends and annual holidays.

5. Detroit Institute of Arts – The DIA is located in the heart of Detroit’s cultural scene. The museum is one the top 10 museums in the country and boasts more than 100 galleries with works from ancient history to modern times. The DIA’s collection is known for its quality and depth. Check out the works by van Gogh, Cézanne and the collection of pieces by African-American artists. Also see Diego Rivera’s world-famous Detroit Industry murals. Note that there are other museums worth visiting in that area, including the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History which houses the world’s largest exhibit on African-American culture. The DIA also has cool auxiliary programs like Detroit Passport to the Arts (DP2A). I recently went to one of their events, Hollywood in Detroit, and had a blast.

6. The Heidelberg Project – is one of Detroit’s biggest tourist attractions. Artist Tyree Guyton turned abandoned houses and lots in his east-side Detroit neighborhood into outdoor art installations. I visited last summer and wrote about it here. It’s one of my favorites.

7. Michigan Central Station -The Michigan Central Station was built in 1913 and it was the Ellis Island of Detroit. This place used to be on jam back in the day. I would always frequent it as a child to either go to Chicago to visit my grandmother or to pick her up while visiting Michigan. Now it sits untouched since its closing in 1988. Graffiti covers the train station. Nearly all the windows are blown out. For many Detroiters it symbolizes the city’s spectacular rise and catastrophic fall. Yet, it is still a beautiful sight all in its glorious ruin. Although it remains unclear, the station is expected to go under renovations soon. The train station has been a popular backdrop for music videos and Hollywood films, including Transformers and Four Brothers. Detroit has a wonderful collection of buildings representing some incredible architecture and this is a definite must see.

This is a great list to start with if you ever have plans to visit the D. In my quest to get more acclimated with the city I’ve also started to use Eventbrite more. It’s great if you are looking for something to do or need to sell tickets to your own event.  I don’t have my street to the ear yet, so Eventbrite has come through with keeping me in the loop about cool events going on in Detroit. They also have this new event management software that let’s you keep track of all your events. It’s perfect for managing all of your upcoming events. Planning a cookout, graduation party or family reunion? Use Eventbrite to get organized. Winter hibernation is over and summer is on it’s way. Let’s have some fun!

Have you been to Detroit? If so, what did you do and see?