edit Detroit Travel Guide

• Greektown - one of Detroit's most popular entertainment districts
• Belle Isle - the nation's largest island park with 983 acres and much to explore
  
• Renaissance Center - makes up the city's impressive skyline and includes the 73-story Marriott Hotel, one of the tallest in the world!
• Cobo Hall - home to the North American International Auto Show

Detroit and the surrounding suburbs provide spectacular views and a dynamic nightlife. Detroit is the largest city and metro region to offer casino resorts. The four major casino resorts include MGM Grand Detroit, Greektown, Motor City, and Caesars Windsor which is just across the river. Downtown Detroit serves as the cultural and entertainment hub of the metropolitan region, Windsor, Ontario, and even for Toledo, Ohio residents, many of whom work in metropolitan Detroit. The Detroit-Windsor metro area population totals over 5.9 million; it jumps to 6.5 million if Toledo is included. An estimated 46 million people live within a 300 mile radius of Detroit. While there's plenty to do in Detroit, it's not along the lines of a Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, etc, in terms of being a tourist destination. The city's northern inner ring suburbs like Dearborn, Southfield, Royal Oak, and Birmingham provide an urban experience in the suburbs complete with dining, shopping and other attractions. Detroit has many regal mansions especially in Grosse Pointe, Bloomfield Hills, and Birmingham. Troy and Livonia provide the best of American suburbia while Ann Arbor provides the nearby experience of a world renowned college town.

Metropolitan Detroit is an international destination for sporting events of all types; patrons enjoy their experience in world class venues. The Detroit Convention and Visitors bureau maintains the Detroit Metro Sports Commission. The city and region have state of the art facilities for major conferences and conventions.

Detroit is known as the world's "Automobile Capital" and "Motown" (for "Motor Town"), the city where Henry Ford pioneered the automotive assembly line, with the world's first mass produced car, the Model T. During World War II, President Franklin Roosevelt called Detroit, the "Arsenal of Democracy." Today, the region serves as the global center for the automotive world. Headquartered in metro Detroit, General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler all have major corporate, manufacturing, engineering, design, and research facilities in the area. Hyundai, Toyota, Nissan, among others, have a presence in the region. The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor is a global leader in research and development. Metro Detroit has made Michigan's economy a leader in information technology, life sciences, and advanced manufacturing. Michigan ranks 4th nationally in high tech employment with 568,000 high tech workers, including 70,000 in the automotive industry. Michigan typically ranks among the top 3 states for overall Research & Development investment expenditures in the U.S. The domestic Auto Industry accounts directly and indirectly for one of every ten jobs in the U.S.

Downtown Detroit is unique -- an International Riverfront, ornate buildings, one of the nation's largest collection of pre-depression era skyscrapers, and the nation's third largest theater district. Many historic buildings have been converted into loft apartments, and over 60 new businesses have opened in the Central Business District over the past two years. Surrounding neighborhoods such as Corktown, home to Detroit's early Irish population, New Center,Midtown, and Eastern Market (the nation's largest open air market), are experiencing a revival. Detroit has a rich architectural heritage, from the restoration of the historic Book-Cadillac Hotel downtown to the Westin Detroit Hotel surrounded by the golden towers of the ulta-contemporary Southfield Town Center. Nearby, explore Somerset Collection in Troy, Metro Detroit's premier shopping mall with an award winning skywalk. Downtown Detroit features the Renaissance Center, including the tallest hotel in the Western Hemisphere, the Detroit Marriott, with the largest rooftop restaurant, the Coach Insignia. In 2005, Detroit's architecture was heralded as some of America's finest; many of the city's architecturally significant buildings are listed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as among America's most endangered landmarks.

By plane

Detroit Metro Airport (DTW) - This is the largest airport in the area and located in Romulus, about 20 minutes west of the city proper located at the junction between I-275 and I-94. It is a Northwest hub and features the recently opened McNamara Terminal.

By train

By car

Several interstates converge in downtown Detroit. I-75 North/South runs from Toledo, Ohio up through to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I-94 East/West comes from Chicago, Illinois and continues up to Sarnia. I-96 East/West heads to Lansing, Michigan. I-696 runs along the northern edge of the city, connecting the eastern suburbs (e.g. St. Clair Shores) to Southfield.

All of the interstates have gone through major overhauls in preparation for Detroit hosting the 2006 National Football League Super Bowl XL. Prior to this, the highways were in poor condition, but since 2004, the road conditions has improved.

As with any major city, traffic during rush hour can make travel really slow. This is especially aggravated during shift changes at the local automotive plants.

For smaller streets, the Detroit area is laid out in both grid and wheel-and-spoke configuration. This was due to first French development (wheel and spoke), followed by British development (grid). Mile roads run east-west, starting at downtown Detroit and increasing as you travel north. These mile roads may change name in different cities, so pay attention. There are also several spoke roads, including Woodward Ave, Michigan Ave, Gratiot Ave, and Grand River Ave.

Automobiles are virtually a necessity for travel in the Detroit area. Public transportation is practically non-existent when compared to other metropolitan areas of similar size.

By bus

• Greyhound
• Megabus from Chicago hub

By boat

By Car

Detroit suburbs spread over a large area, and getting around may prove to be difficult without a car. Nonetheless, an extensive highway system and ample parking make the region one of the most auto-friendly in North America. However, driving here can be confusing, especially downtown. The street plan of downtown Detroit, designed by Judge Augustus Woodward in the early 1800's, is patterned after Washington, D.C. and abandons the traditional grid design that dominates most American cities. Detroit has one of America's most modern freeway systems.

By Mass Transit

SMART bus (Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation) provides a large number of transportation options.

In downtown, you can hop on the People Mover, an elevated rail system that runs a three mile loop between center-city attractions. Detroit Trolley travels along Jefferson Avenue and Washington Boulevard.

Transit Windsor travels back and forth through the tunnel with selected stops, call (519)944-4111 for fares. Some downtown hotels may offer shuttles to Windsor.

By Foot

Police

Fire Department

Hospitals

Crime

In Detroit, like other major cities, crime tends to occur in areas where most tourists have little reason to visit. As with most urban areas, precautions should be taken when out after dark: stay in groups; do not carry large amounts of money; and avoid seedy neighborhoods.

Contrary to some people's perceptions, downtown Detroit is generally well-policed and among the safest parts of the city. Crimes can and do occur in downtown, but exercising common sense will go a long way toward keeping you and your valuables safe.

Sporting events, festivals and other large public events are always heavily policed and very safe. Sporadic crime events, mostly alcohol-related, have been reported at some of these events but they are by far the exception.

Smoking

Motown Museum on W Grand blvd in detroit is a great place to visit and see how the Motown empire started from humble beginings

Although Detroit itself provides the majority of the region's visitor attractions, the metropolitan area is large and diverse and contains many hot spots and attractions that are also well worth visiting.

• Ann Arbor -- Home to the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor offers many attractions of a self-enclosed small city. A thriving downtown, lots of culture, and plenty of students.
• Dearborn -- Detroit's suburb to the Southwest and home of Ford Motor Company, Dearborn, has a leading attraction, The Henry Ford (the Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village) a large historical and entertainment complex, and the Automotive Hall of Fame. Dearborn has the second largest Middle-Eastern population in the World, with mosques being a common sight and a wide selection of Middle-Eastern food and shopping. Detroit's public information campaign, "The World is Coming, Get in the Game" has created an online tour of Dearborn's cultural scene.
• Flint -- The home of the modern labor union movement in the US. While not as tourist-friendly as Ann Arbor, Flint has a great art scene for a city of its size and is much less pretentious.
• Plymouth -- With attractive downtown, the suburb is popular with local youth. Enjoy a world class golf experience at PLymouth's luxury resort, the Inn at St. John. Each year, the Plymouth Art Fair in July is well worth a visit.
• Royal Oak -- Home to the Detroit Zoo, Royal Oak is a gentrified suburb outside of Detroit which boasts a night scene with exciting dining and a diverse avant-garde bar culture.
• Troy -- Troy contains the magnificent Somerset Collection, one of the most upscale malls in the midwest, and even the country. Visit Nordstom, Marshall Field's, Henri Bendel, Ralph Lauren/Polo, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Tiffany & Co, Barney's New York, and more than 180 other specialty shops.
• Wyandotte -- The "Downriver Royal Oak" as it has been dubbed by locals, Wyandotte has a bustling, family-friendly downtown strip with mom-and-pop shopping, art galleries, a golf course, ice-cream parlor, a charming riverside park, and numerous dining opportunities. Come the third Friday of the month for free food, trolley and carriage rides, and themed fun events sponsored by local businesses. July of each year sees the Wyandotte Art Fair, one of the best in the country.
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Other destinations outside the Metro Detroit area include:

• Canada -- specifically, Windsor, Ontario -- lies just across the Ambassador Bridge. Or through the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel which is located right next to the Renaissance Center (good to use if you see traffic backed up onto I-75) This is the most heavily trafficked border crossing in the world, and it's shaped Windsor more than anything else; well-maintained, walkable streets, shops and restaurants, Casino Windsor (Canada's largest), and adult entertainment. The lower drinking age (19) draws young Americans and ensures a vibrant club scene on weekends. Windsor provides great views of the Detroit skyline.

• Lake Erie Tour Route and Lighthouses. Go back to the mainland and see the shoreline. The drive (or boat ride) around Lake Erie takes you through the Working Waterfronts around Buffalo NY, Cleveland OH, Detroit MI, Erie PA, Toledo, OH, and southern Ontario and is intermingled with beautiful preservations of flora and fauna as well as the history of North America's first westward expansion, the Old Northwest Territory.