A- Overview:
Detroit is still the fascinating city of all things automotive, but it is also a city transformed. Have you visited Detroit lately?
Arrival at Detroit’s Metro Airport sets the stage for the new Detroit. The Northwest Airlines World Gateway Terminal provides nearly 100 gates, an elevated tram, spacious walkways, unique Detroit-themed shops and restaurants. A second terminal is under construction. Detroit’s largest convention hotel recently renovated its rooms and its over 100,000 square feet of meeting space.
The Wintergarden, a new five story glass atrium overlooking the Detroit River has opened with a wide selection of boutiques and shops. Other hotels have upgraded and enhanced their facilities; early 20th century office buildings have been restored and converted to trendy condos in a remarkable revitalization effort throughout the whole city of Detroit.
New side-by-side stadiums for the Detroit Tigers and Detroit Lions anchor Detroit’s entertainment district. The world’s largest Polar Bear exhibit, The Arctic Ring of Life, is now open at the Detroit Zoo. The state-of-the-art, interactive facility encompasses over four acres and features a 70-foot underwater glass tunnel for easy viewing.
Campus Martius, in the heart of the business district, includes Compuware’s world headquarters. This software and technology giant anchors the 10-block area. Its 15-story office building will overlook a new city park with an ice-skating rink, band shells and outdoor cafes. Fountains and public benches are plentiful. Up to 150 special events a year are scheduled for Detroit’s newest public green space.
A $500 million development project is underway along the Detroit River. Tri-Centennial Park (the state’s first urban state park to be opened in more than 100 years) will be the first phase completed. Two other parks will be connected with a network of bike and jogging trails. In addition to the “greening” of the riverfront, a new harbor for cruise ships and pleasure boats will open near GM World Headquarters. This phase will complete a 3-mile network of parks that stretch from Belle Isle’s MacArthur Bridge to Joe Louis Arena.
Greenfield Village re-opened in June 2003 after extensive renovations and improvements. Visitors can experience 300 years of American history through 83 historic structures, including the actual Wright Brothers Cycle Shop from Dayton Ohio, where Orville and Wilbur built their first airplane or explore Thomas Edison’s Menlo Park Laboratories from New Jersey, where Edison invented the light bulb and phonograph. Celebrate the 100th anniversary of flight with a special 40,000-square-foot permanent exhibit,‘Heroes of the Sky’, featuring the stories and airplanes from the first 40 years of aviation.
MotorCity Casino and MGM Grand Detroit Casino are each in the process of enlarging their gaming space to 100,000 square feet. Convention space and hotels are being added.
It’s a great time to visit Detroit!
B- City Information:
Population: 925,051
Elevation: 600 feet
County: Wayne
Land area: 138.8 square miles
Average Temperatures and Precipitation
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Average temp. (°F)
24.8
27.4
36.7
48.0
59.7
69.0
73.6
72.0
64.5
52.5
41.3
30.3
High temperature (°F)
32.5
35.8
46.0
58.7
71.4
80.4
84.8
82.9
75.6
63.0
49.6
37.6
Low temperature (°F)
17.0
19.0
27.4
37.3
48.0
57.6
62.4
61.1
53.3
41.9
33.0
22.9
Precipitation (in)
1.9
1.9
2.6
3.2
2.9
3.5
3.2
3.1
3.4
2.5
2.8
2.5
Local Seasons
Summer is the most popular time to visit Detroit and the Great Lakes area. Prices in most places peak in July and August. Daily temperatures average in the 70s in Michigan. July and August heat waves can push them into the high 80s. Depending on the weather, the leaves usually begin to turn in mid-September and reach their most colorful by mid-October. In winter, Michigan has the only significant downhill skiing in the region. Sudden snowstorms can make winter driving unpredictable and treacherous. Spring is damp and can be chilly, with unpredictable weather and temperatures ranging from the 30s to the low 60s.
Major national holidays in the United States
New Year’s Day (Jan. 1)
Martin Luther King, Jr., Day (3rd Mon. in Jan.)
President’s Day (3rd Mon. in Feb.)
Memorial Day (last Mon. in May)
Independence Day (July 4); Labor Day (1st Mon. in Sept.)
Thanksgiving Day (4th Thurs. in Nov.)
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (Dec. 24 and 25)
New Year’s Eve (Dec. 31)
Canadian national holidays (in neighboring Windsor, ON)
New Year’s Day,
Good Friday, Easter Monday, (date varies)
Victoria Day (May 22), Canada Day (July 1),
Ontario celebrates a Civic Holiday (August 7).
Labour Day (first Monday in September),
Thanksgiving (second Monday in October), Remembrance Day (November 11),
Christmas, and Boxing Day (December 26).,
Telephones: The country code for the United States is 1. The area codes for Detroit are 313 and 248. To reach Canada, dial 1 + area code + number. The area code for Windsor, Ontario, is 519.
Getting There
By Plane:
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) 1 Rogell Dr., 734/247-7265) is in Romulus, about 26 miles west of downtown Detroit. It is served by most major airlines, with nearly 1,000 arrivals and departures daily. Some sample flying times to Detroit are from New York (2 hours) and London (10 hours)
By Train: Amtrak (tel. 800/USA-RAIL) provides daily service from Chicago (trip time: 6 1/2 hr.) and Ann Arbor (1 hr.) to its station at 11 W. Baltimore St. at Woodward Avenue. Trains also stop at Amtrak stations in Dearborn, 16121 Michigan Ave.; Royal Oak, 201 S. Sherman Dr.; Birmingham, 449 S. Eaton St.; and Pontiac, 1600 Wide Track Dr.
By Car: Major routes into Detroit are I-75 from the south (Toledo) and north (Flint), I-94 from the west (Chicago), and Route 401 from the east (Toronto).
Transfers Between the Airport and Town
By Bus
Commuter Express runs buses from the metropolitan airport to major downtown hotels from 6:45 AM to midnight;
By Taxi
Taxis to and from the airport take about 45 minutes.
By Car
I-75 enters Detroit from the north and south, U.S. 10 from the north. Approaching from the west and northeast is I-94; from the west, I-96 and I-696. From the east, Canadian Route 401 becomes Route 3 upon entering Detroit from Windsor via the Ambassador Bridge and Route 3B upon entering via the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel.
By Bus
Greyhound 1001 Howard St.,: 800/231-2222
Getting Around the City
The People Mover 313/224-2160 is an elevated, automated monorail that makes a 14-minute, 3-mile circuit of 13 downtown stations. Trains run about every three minutes; the fare is 50¢ (tokens are sold at each station).
C- Attractions/Things To Do:
Belle Isle Park
Jefferson Ave. and Grand Blvd.
Deroit, 48215
313-852-4078
This famous floating park in the middle of the Detroit River was designed by the same architect who created Central Park in New York City. Visiting the park’s freshwater aquarium, Belle Isle Zoo, and Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory, your family can spend a whole day just in this park.
Cranbrook Institute of Science
1221 N. Woodward Ave.
Bloomfield Hills, 48304
800-GO-CRANBrook
Parents and children alike can try hands-on experiments to learn about physics, the laws of motion, and how life works. If dinosaurs excite your family, come face to face with the only Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton in Michigan. Call before you visit to learn what exhibits will be offered that day.
The Detroit Historical Museum
5401 Woodward Ave.
Detroit, MI 48202
313-833-1805
All of the history of Detroit is all presented here. Come and see what made Detroit famous. The exhibit on The Motor City allows you to travel from the assembly line to current graphic design technology.
The Detroit Institute of Arts- DIA
5200 Woodward Ave.
Detroit, MI 48202
313-833-7900
This fifth largest art museum in the country holds collections including American Art, Ancient Art, and European Art, to name just a few. Especially for the kids, the museum holds specials activities on the weekends including storytelling, making your own puppets, and much more.
Detroit Science Center
5020 John R. St.
Detroit 48202
313-577-8400
Small children with a lot of interesting things to do — what could be more perfect? With more than 50 hands-on displays for them, your children can’t complain that they are bored. Take in several experiments, and then watch a movie in the IMAX Theatre about Egypt or the Rainforest. Just have fun!
Detroit Zoo
8450 W. 10 Miles Road
Royal Oak 48067
248-398-0900
Debuting in 1928 as the first zoo with roam-free areas, the Detroit Zoo is still going strong. The Arctic Ring of Life is a favorite. Some other exhibits include domestic farm animals, the Rackham Memorial Fountain, and the Elephant House. If you become a little tired from all the walking, there is a miniature railroad that can take your family from one part of the zoo to another for a nominal fee.
Hart Plaza
Jefferson Ave at Woodward Ave
Detroit
313-877-8077
Named after the late Senator from Michigan Philip A. Hart, Hart Plaza is a wonderful place to take to your family for a break on your busy vacation. Sit back, relax and watch the water from the fountain — you can’t miss it — it’s the centerpiece of the plaza known as Isamu Noguchi. If you are lucky enough to visit Detroit on Labor Day weekend, take in the world’s largest jazz festival, Ford Montreux Detroit Jazz. Other outdoor events at the plaza include the African World Festival and the Budweiser Downtown Hoedown.
Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village
20900 Oakwood Blvd.
Detroit 48121
313-271-1620
There are two separate parts to this museum, the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village. On display in the Henry Ford Museum are kitchens from past, jewelry, things made in America from the 18th to the 20th century and, of course, automobiles in America (and these are just a few of the displays). Greenfield Village offers the family glimpses of different lifestyles from around the country. You can stop in the Phoenixville Post Office, or visit Henry Ford’s birthplace. It’s a great history lesson for the whole family.
Motor Sports Hall of Fame
Novi Expo Center
43700 Expo Center Drive
Novi, MI 48050
810-349-7223
Car lovers, this place is for you! Designed for all ages, from newcomers to the sport to veterans, the Sports Hall includes everything from Indy cars to open-wheelers, from driving simulations to mind-boggling automotive displays.
Motown Museum
2648 West Grand Blvd.
Detroit, MI 48208
313-875-2264
Take a tour of the original place where Motown music was born back in the 1960’s. See the recording studio where The Supremes and many other Motown superstars recorded. Find out why this is called “Hitsville, USA”!
Museum of African American History
315 E. Warren Ave.
Detroit, MI 48201
313-494-5800
Of particular interest is the exhibit entitled Of the People: The African American People. Feel the history and culture of the African American experience come alive.
Pewabic Pottery
10125 East Jefferson Ave.
Detroit, MI 48214
313-822-0954
This National Historic Landmark is home to one of the last operating Arts and Crafts potteries. Some samples of the work completed are on display in the gallery. They also offer one-day workshops that your family might want to attend, but call ahead to confirm dates and times.
Spirit of Ford
1151 Village Road
Dearborn, MI 48124
313-317-7474
Located just outside Detroit. Here, visitors will discover the Spirit of Ford. At the Spirit of Ford, learning and fun come together. The hands-on exhibits allow you to build a car, make a commercial, learn about recycling in car manufacture, and much more. The museum was designed to foster the knowledge of how cars are designed, tested, engineered and manufactured.
University of Michigan is a great resource for the entire family.
Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum
219 E. Hurron St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
734-995-5439
Not far from Detroit, on the University of Michigan’s campus in Ann Arbor, is the newly expanded Hands-On Museum. On the four floors of the building, there are 250 hands-on exhibits ranging including watching optical illusions, making the Bernoulli Ball stay afloat, and creating your own laser show. Part of the expansion includes a section solely for preschoolers, the Kids at Work Preschool Gallery.
Henry Ford Estate Fair Lane
4901 Evergreen Road
Dearborn 48128
313-593-5590
A few miles outside of Detroit rests the home of Henry Ford and his wife Clara. This 56-room mansion on 72 acres is a National Historic Landmark. The hydropower powerhouse, built in 1915 with the help of Thomas Edison, currently supplies electricity throughout the mansion. Public tours show the many fascinating features of the mansion including Ford Discovery Trail, vegetable garden, pony barn, skating house and much more. This is an attraction that the whole family will find is definitely worth seeing.
Matthaei Botanical Gardens
1800 N. Dixboro Road
Ann Arbor
734-998-7067
Discover natural wonders from around the world across the 350 acres of the Matthaei Botanical Gardens. Well-marked signs along the five-mile trails will educate you and your family about the thousands of plants at the Garden.
University of Michigan Exhibit Museum of Natural History
1109 Geddes Avenue
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
734-764-0478
Throughout the many floors of the museum there are numerous displays including evolution, the fossils and skeletons of dinosaurs, the environment of Michigan and the Great Lakes, anthropology, biology, and of course the planetarium. To keep the children busy and happy, go on a family scavenger hunt and then take in the planetarium to see the stars.
D- Family Fun Attractions:
Belle Isle Park
Jefferson Ave. and Grand Blvd.
Deroit, 48215
313-852-4078
This famous floating park in the middle of the Detroit River was designed by the same architect who created Central Park in New York City. Visiting the park’s freshwater aquarium, Belle Isle Zoo, and Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory, your family can spend a whole day just in this park.
Cranbrook Institute of Science
1221 N. Woodward Ave.
Bloomfield Hills, 48304
800-GO-CRANBrook
Parents and children alike can try hands-on experiments to learn about physics, the laws of motion, and how life works. If dinosaurs excite your family, come face to face with the only Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton in Michigan. Call before you visit to learn what exhibits will be offered that day.
The Detroit Historical Museum
5401 Woodward Ave.
Detroit, MI 48202
313-833-1805
All of the history of Detroit is all presented here. Come and see what made Detroit famous. The exhibit on The Motor City allows you to travel from the assembly line to current graphic design technology.
The Detroit Institute of Arts- DIA
5200 Woodward Ave.
Detroit, MI 48202
313-833-7900
This fifth largest art museum in the country holds collections including American Art, Ancient Art, and European Art, to name just a few. Especially for the kids, the museum holds specials activities on the weekends including storytelling, making your own puppets, and much more.
Detroit Science Center
5020 John R. St.
Detroit 48202
313-577-8400
Small children with a lot of interesting things to do — what could be more perfect? With more than 50 hands-on displays for them, your children can’t complain that they are bored. Take in several experiments, and then watch a movie in the IMAX Theatre about Egypt or the Rainforest. Just have fun!
Detroit Zoo
8450 W. 10 Miles Road
Royal Oak 48067
248-398-0900
Debuting in 1928 as the first zoo with roam-free areas, the Detroit Zoo is still going strong. The Arctic Ring of Life is a favorite. Some other exhibits include domestic farm animals, the Rackham Memorial Fountain, and the Elephant House. If you become a little tired from all the walking, there is a miniature railroad that can take your family from one part of the zoo to another for a nominal fee.
Hart Plaza
Jefferson Ave at Woodward Ave
Detroit
313-877-8077
Named after the late Senator from Michigan Philip A. Hart, Hart Plaza is a wonderful place to take to your family for a break on your busy vacation. Sit back, relax and watch the water from the fountain — you can’t miss it — it’s the centerpiece of the plaza known as Isamu Noguchi. If you are lucky enough to visit Detroit on Labor Day weekend, take in the world’s largest jazz festival, Ford Montreux Detroit Jazz. Other outdoor events at the plaza include the African World Festival and the Budweiser Downtown Hoedown.
Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village
20900 Oakwood Blvd.
Detroit 48121
313-271-1620
There are two separate parts to this museum, the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village. On display in the Henry Ford Museum are kitchens from past, jewelry, things made in America from the 18th to the 20th century and, of course, automobiles in America (and these are just a few of the displays). Greenfield Village offers the family glimpses of different lifestyles from around the country. You can stop in the Phoenixville Post Office, or visit Henry Ford’s birthplace. It’s a great history lesson for the whole family.
Motor Sports Hall of Fame
Novi Expo Center
43700 Expo Center Drive
Novi, MI 48050
810-349-7223
Car lovers, this place is for you! Designed for all ages, from newcomers to the sport to veterans, the Sports Hall includes everything from Indy cars to open-wheelers, from driving simulations to mind-boggling automotive displays.
Motown Museum
2648 West Grand Blvd.
Detroit, MI 48208
313-875-2264
Take a tour of the original place where Motown music was born back in the 1960’s. See the recording studio where The Supremes and many other Motown superstars recorded. Find out why this is called “Hitsville, USA”!
Museum of African American History
315 E. Warren Ave.
Detroit, MI 48201
313-494-5800
Of particular interest is the exhibit entitled Of the People: The African American People. Feel the history and culture of the African American experience come alive.
Pewabic Pottery
10125 East Jefferson Ave.
Detroit, MI 48214
313-822-0954
This National Historic Landmark is home to one of the last operating Arts and Crafts potteries. Some samples of the work completed are on display in the gallery. They also offer one-day workshops that your family might want to attend, but call ahead to confirm dates and times.
Spirit of Ford
1151 Village Road
Dearborn, MI 48124
313-317-7474
Located just outside Detroit. Here, visitors will discover the Spirit of Ford. At the Spirit of Ford, learning and fun come together. The hands-on exhibits allow you to build a car, make a commercial, learn about recycling in car manufacture, and much more. The museum was designed to foster the knowledge of how cars are designed, tested, engineered and manufactured.
University of Michigan is a great resource for the entire family.
Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum
219 E. Hurron St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
734-995-5439
Not far from Detroit, on the University of Michigan’s campus in Ann Arbor, is the newly expanded Hands-On Museum. On the four floors of the building, there are 250 hands-on exhibits ranging including watching optical illusions, making the Bernoulli Ball stay afloat, and creating your own laser show. Part of the expansion includes a section solely for preschoolers, the Kids at Work Preschool Gallery.
Henry Ford Estate Fair Lane
4901 Evergreen Road
Dearborn 48128
313-593-5590
A few miles outside of Detroit rests the home of Henry Ford and his wife Clara. This 56-room mansion on 72 acres is a National Historic Landmark. The hydropower powerhouse, built in 1915 with the help of Thomas Edison, currently supplies electricity throughout the mansion. Public tours show the many fascinating features of the mansion including Ford Discovery Trail, vegetable garden, pony barn, skating house and much more. This is an attraction that the whole family will find is definitely worth seeing.
Matthaei Botanical Gardens
1800 N. Dixboro Road
Ann Arbor
734-998-7067
Discover natural wonders from around the world across the 350 acres of the Matthaei Botanical Gardens. Well-marked signs along the five-mile trails will educate you and your family about the thousands of plants at the Garden.
University of Michigan Exhibit Museum of Natural History
1109 Geddes Avenue
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
734-764-0478
Throughout the many floors of the museum there are numerous displays including evolution, the fossils and skeletons of dinosaurs, the environment of Michigan and the Great Lakes, anthropology, biology, and of course the planetarium. To keep the children busy and happy, go on a family scavenger hunt and then take in the planetarium to see the stars.
E- Events & Entertainment:
Events
January
Mid-January for a week
Detroit Auto Show: An annual event since 1907. Held at the COBO Convention Center:
1 Washington Blvd.
Detroit, MI 48226
313-877-8777
January
Late January
Motown Winter Blast
Snow Maze, ice skating, music stages, food, warming tents, and more. (313) 833-7900.
March
Early March
Detroit Autorama
Held at the COBO Convention Center: A premier auto show.
1 Washington Blvd.
Detroit, MI 48226
313-877-8777
May
Annual Movement Festival
313-567-0080
Held at Hart Plaza
The annual Detroit Electronic Music Festival has changed names and stewardship with techno pioneer Derrick May. In the past, the fest has drawn an impressive 1.5 million fans who adore the blips and bass of electronic music. The biggest attractions perform in Hart Plaza, and the stage is brought down off the top of the amphitheatre to bring the DJs and bands closer to the people.
Late May
Budweiser Detroit Downtown Hoedown
Annual country music fest includes established & new artists and is considered by many to be the largest Country Music show of its kind in the world.
June
Mid-June
Detroit Festival of the Arts
Set in a 20-block area of Midtown Detroit’s University Cultural District, The Detroit Festival of the Arts continues to present outstanding visual and performing artists from around the world, while showcasing the city’s premier arts and cultural institutions Since it began in 1987, the Detroit Festival of the Arts has delighted more than 4 million visitors from all over Southeastern Michigan.
Late June
Cruisin Downriver
Annual car cruise starting in southeast metro Detroit attracts hundreds of thousands of ardent auto fans.
July
Windsor-Detroit International Freedom Festival
The weeklong event celebrates Canada Day (July 1) and American Independence Day, ending with fireworks over the Ambassador Bridge.
Early July
Coamerica Taste Fest
An annual celebration that combines some of the area’s most popular restaurants with local and national musicians, artists and other entertainers, this event truly speaks to what a summer festival ought to be. More than 40 restaurateurs will participate in this year’s festival, offering samplings of their specialties to the throngs of visitors. Meanwhile bands of every flavor perform on four stages positioned throughout the New Center area. 313-872-0188
Mid-July:
Annual Gold Cup Race
Unlimited hydroplane racing on the Detroit River.
Mid-August
African World Festival
features music, art, food, and cultural programs.
Mid-August
Michigan State Fair
Held in Detroit since 1905 at Michigan State Fairgrounds & Exposition Center
1120 W. State Fair Avenue
Detroit, MI 48203
Mid-August- Late September
Michigan Renaissance Festival
In nearby Holly, Michigan
The Holly fairgrounds are redesigned as a late 16th century English village. Elizabethan costumes, Shakespearean drama and heart-pounding jousts on horseback. Each weekend has a theme, so get ready to experience “High Seas Adventure,” “Highland Fling” and “Wonders of the World,” to name a few. Guides are Shakespeare-quoting thespians who work year-round in Metro Detroit theaters. 800-601-4848
September
Early September
Ford Detroit International Jazz Festival
Held on the Riverfront. North America’s largest free jazz event
November
America’s Thanksgiving Parade
America’s Thanksgiving Parade has been sailing down Woodward for nearly 80 years, and is a popular event.
December
Motor City Bowl
NCAA Football
248-645-6666
The annual Motor City Bowl has featured some spirited contests in recent memory. The Fox Town area has undergone a dramatic rebirth in recent years, with nightclubs, upscale eateries and pubs springing up in the shadow of Ford Field and Comerica Park. Detroit’s newest cultural and sports entertainment district, also home to the Fox Theatre, State Theatre and the Second City, will be booming as college football fans converge on the favorite pre- and post-game haunts of Lions, Tigers and Red Wings fans.
Arts and Entertainment
Detroit Symphony Orchestra Hall
3663 Woodward Ave., Detroit, MI, USA
313/576-5100
Detroit Symphony Orchestra Hall hosts the Chamber Music Society of Detroit and the Detroit Symphony. A $60 million expansion of Orchestra Hall has created the Max M. Fisher Music Center with new meeting facilities and educational space.
Detroit Repertory Theater
13103 Woodrow Wilson Ave., Detroit, MI, USA
313/868-1347
The Detroit Repertory Theater is one of the city’s oldest resident theater companies.
Fisher Theater
3011 W. Grand Blvd., Detroit, MI, USA
313/872-1000
Touring Broadway shows and nationally known entertainers appear at the Fisher Theater
Gem Theatre
333 Madison Ave., Detroit, MI, USA
Phone: 313/963-9800
Across the street is the relocated Gem Theatre, which used to stand across from the Fox but was moved to a new site near the Opera House to make way for the new Detroit Tigers ball park.