Call it Motown, The Motor City, or good old-fashioned Detroit; either way, Detroit, Michigan, remains one of the most diverse and compelling East Coast metropolises.
A city of all four seasons, Detroit combines American industrialism, arts and culture, and nature in one fabulous metro.
Before packing your bags to visit Detroit, read this guide for some expert tips and places you must visit.
Take in the Detroit Institute of Arts
After getting settled in your hotel, find your way to the world-famous Detroit Institute of Arts. You don’t have to be an art lover to appreciate the more than 60,000 fabulous art displays in the DIA. Some of the most well-known paintings are by Monet, Rembrandt, and even Frida Kahlo and her husband Diego Rivera’s murals.
Visit the Detroit Historical Museum
To learn more about Detroit’s founding and early years, visit the Detroit Historical Museum. Did you know that Detroit was instrumental in winning World War 2? Take up close the amazing exhibition of “The Arsenal of Democracy. ” During this time, many of Detroit’s car plants were repurposed to serve the war effort. You can see these displays and other artifacts that helped the Allied Forces win the war.
Of course, the Detroit Historical Museum is full of exhibits and artifacts of Detroit’s iconic car plants. From the iconic manufacturers like Ford, witness exhibits of many of Detroit’s legendary streets from yesteryear.
The centerpiece of the Detroit Historical Museum is one of the most prominent African American exhibits and displays. The Detroit African American Museum display showcases the great migration from the South into northern cities like Detroit, where African Americans settled before and after World War 2.
Take a Drive into History
After taking in all the amazing paintings and culture, discover the reason why Detroit is affectionately and proudly known as “The Motor City” by spending an hour or two visiting the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation. Named in honor of the legendary Henry Ford, the father of the T-model car, this museum features replicas of the early T-models. You can also touch many of the early airplanes. There is also a replica of the actual bus that the civil rights icon Rosa Parks changed the course of history.
Get into the Groove at the Motown Museum
Even more than sixty years after it changed American culture and broke down many racial walls, the legacy of Motown lives on in the fiber of modern-day Detroit. No visit to Detroit would be complete without stopping at the Motown Museum.
Inside, you can visit the same recording studios where many Motown icons like Mary Wells, Marvin Gaye, and Aretha Franklin record their iconic songs. Also, you can learn more about Barry Gordy, Motown’s founder, through a series of artifacts and pamphlets from that time.
Experience Musical Inspiration at The Detroit Sound Conservancy
If you still feel the Motown Vibe where “Everything is Out of Sight,” continue your musical education at the world-famous Detroit Sound Conservancy. The heart and soul of the Detroit Sound Conservancy is to preserve Detroit’s rich musical history.
Enjoy more Motown exhibits and Detroit’s rich classical history via the Fox Theatre. Other exhibits and displays include famous jazz musicians like Thelonious Monk and Miles Davis and swing music icons like Ella Fitzgerald.
Walk through Belle Isle Park
With so much cultural intake and enlightenment, the next tour of Detroit can go through Belle Isle Park. Situated beautifully on the shores of the Detroit River, Belle Isle Park is a natural oasis away from the hustle and bustle of city life and the skyscrapers. As you stroll through the park, take in the Detroit Windsor Bridge, where, a short drive away, you can visit Canada.
Along the way, take a few moments to visit the Belle Isle Aquarium. At the Belle Isle Aquarium, which has been around since 1904, you see some fantastic and exotic fish and marine life up close. Afterward, you can step into the Belle Isle Conservatory to appreciate the well-kept and manicured gardens and florals.
Final Thoughts
For those looking for outdoor activities, the best time to visit Detroit is between spring and fall, when the snow has melted. Detroit offers many International cuisines because it is one of the biggest cultural meccas on the East Coast. A great example is the Greektown district, where you can enjoy plenty of authentic Greek cuisine.
Detroit also comes alive at night in the Greektown district. With so many nightclubs, musical venues, and casinos near you, there’s no shortage of entertainment. You can also catch a ball game during the day because Detroit is a major sports town with four major sports teams.
