With rain lightly patterning down around me I looked down the alley forlornly. This was not what I had hoped for when I'd imagined a long weekend in Detroit. To my left sat the decaying ruins of a once great factory and to my right another decaying factory wall. The alley in my immediate path had bottles strewn about, exposed wiring and was covered in mud. Had I wandered to far? Would this be a trip ruining mistake? I looked back and realized I had indeed come to far. The rain had turned the once gravel road behind me to mud. This might be it for my brand new sneakers...
As you may have guessed from the paragraph above despite the hype a trip to Detroit can be a survivable, even enjoyable experience. Below is a guide to a great one day adventure!
To start things off right head over to the famed Greektown. In this area you'll find a decent Greek themed casino, some awesome gyros, and the most lively Greek neighborhood I've ever seen. I'd recommend skipping the casino, having a 10 minute wander and then grabbing a delicious pastry or gyro! If you want a real treat head back here at night time and throwback a few beers while taking in the neon and bright lights.
Next up after Greektown head down to the Riverwalk. This area is a bit more run down but you'll get a stunning view of the neighboring city of Windsor, Canada. It's also has some awesome skyline views and is in my opinion the best place to go for a view of the most unique skyscraper in the city the Renascence Center! Here you'll also you'll also find the famed Detroit Stargate which was abandoned in the late 2000s after the cancellation of the last Stargate program. They're now offering a 10 million dollar reward for whoever can get it started again.
After your visit to the Riverwalk take a long walk or short Uber ride over to the Detroit Institute of the Arts. If you're a lover of the arts this museum will blow you away! The work they've curated ranges from Van Gogh to Picasso to Warhol. It really is quite the collection! For an extra bit of fun head downstairs after for a quick snack or drink in their restaurant. The restaurant offers a stunning setting which really tricks you into thinking you're somewhere you're not.
Now one last stop before dinner and drinks, the Fisher Building. Normally skyscrapers really aren't worth going inside but this one is! It's got an elegant interior, a great view and it's something you'll only find in Detroit! If you're into history and architecture be sure to checkout the free tour.
With that the day's sightseeing is over and it's time for dinner. Here I'll mention two great places. The first is Green Dot Stable. Green Dot Stable is a place selling sliders(miniature burgers) with flavors ranging from syrup and waffles burgers to curry flavored burgers to a plain old class cheese burger. I'd definitely recommend the curry flavored burger, it was my favorite!
The other restaurant I'd recommend for dinner is The David Whitney House. This is a fancier restaurant set in an old Detroit mansion with the decor to match. The first floor servers dinner, the second dessert and the third drinks. For an extra bit of history ask a server if the place in haunted!
Finally what night is complete without a few celebratory drinks? You survived Detroit after all! For this I'd recommend Bad Luck Bar. There's no food, there might be a wait, and the drinks cost a lot but it's worth it! My drink of choice was literally on fire while my fiancées had pop rocks lining the side which added a pop to the whole experience!
Anyways that's it for today. Bonus ideas worth looking into are The Henry Ford Museum, Eastern Market(tons of cool graffiti here) or The Guardian Building. All are approved by yours truly. Happy Travels!!!