Motor City weekender: 67 things to do around Detroit, from an island jaunt to a Ramadan food fest
Detroit and Chicago have been in a state of synergy since their very earliest days.
Both cities were founded as colonial trading posts and reached new heights in the 20th century as major industrial hubs. Both enjoy access to Great Lakes waterways, and both share in interesting architecture, cuisine scenes and migration patterns.
Detroit makes for a great spring travel option for Chicagoans: big enough to enjoy a new experience each time you visit, yet small enough to hit most major attractions within a long weekend. And at just over four hours away by car, a six-hour train ride or a 45-minute flight, it’s a doable last-minute destination.
So buckle up, grab your best fur coat and don’t forget your passport — here are 67 things to do, see, eat and explore during a Detroit-area weekender.
Getting around
Driving from Chicago is most likely your cheapest, quickest and most convenient option for maneuvering around the city and region. Should you want to break up your drive between Chicagoland traffic and I-94, check out the awesome views of Lake Michigan at Warren Dunes State Park in Sawyer, Michigan.
Public transit includes the city-operated bus, and a streetcar service called the QLine that operates between downtown and the New Center neighborhood. The QLine stops at Detroit’s Amtrak Station, and visitors can buy one- or seven-day passes for unlimited bus and streetcar rides.
Get your steps in on Belle Isle
While Chicago boasts its own stretch of waterfront, Detroit’s 985-acre Belle Isle takes the prize for the largest city-owned island.
Immortalized by Detroit rapper Gmac Cash’s viral hit “Giant Slide,” Belle Isle is the city’s playground for good reason — roam around the hiking paths on the island to see the region’s original swampy marshland that was urbanized and industrialized. The park is home to attractions like Belle Isle Aquarium, Dossin Great Lakes Museum, Belle Isle Nature Center, golf courses and the James Scott Memorial Fountain.
There is no cost to enter the park as a pedestrian or cyclist, but you’ll need a state recreation passport ($7-$18, depending on the vehicle) that you can buy on-site to drive on the island.
The revamped Detroit RiverWalk has been repeatedly voted Best Riverwalk by USA Today readers. It extends 3½ miles and offers scenic views of the Detroit River and downtown Windsor, Ontario.
Dequindre Cut Greenway is a 2-mile stretch of reclaimed railroad that divides the riverfront. Spend a relaxing afternoon renting bikes from MoGo or Wheelhouse Detroit and exploring sites including the Aretha Franklin Amphitheater, Dequindre Cut Freight Yard, Eastern Market, GM Plaza, Milliken State Park and Harbor and Hart Plaza.
Cross the river for a spectacular view, historic house
Did you know that Detroit is the largest U.S. city on the Canadian border? Crossing the Detroit River from underground through the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel is a one-of-a-kind experience as the only existing subaqueous international automobile border crossing in the world. While it can be deceptively easy to accidentally end up on the freeway exit that takes you across the border, for Detroit visitors a quick trip to Windsor, with a valid passport in tow, makes for great use of a spare sunny afternoon.
Once over the border, get photos of the Detroit skyline at Windsor Riverfront, a spacious floral promenade with great views. Though dining options abound in Canada’s southernmost city, just a four-minute drive from the riverwalk in Windsor’s Little Italy neighborhood is Nooch, a vegan comfort food restaurant that serves superb poutine as well as a vegan Detroit coney dog.
For a bit of history, stop by the historic Duff Baby House in Windsor, a home built in 1798 and known for its role as a military headquarters during the War of 1812. An upcoming interior tour of the house is April 15 from noon to 4 p.m.
Chow on classic coneys, brick-oven pizza and more
In Detroit, we dress our dogs differently, and we take our coney islands very seriously. You may already be familiar with the downtown American or Lafayette coneys, notable for their historic rivalry and for starting the tradition of topping hot dogs with beefy chili, diced white onions and mustard.
But the deliciousness doesn’t stop at the dogs. Coneys (in Detroit, the term refers to both the dish and the restaurants that serve it) serve a mashup of hearty offerings — burgers, breakfast combos, deli sandwiches, Greek salads and gyros or pita and hummus. Some may be cash only, others may be open 24 hours, great for a low-key breakfast after a long night out. Regional chains like National Coney Island, Leo’s and L. George’s proliferate.
And, of course, grab a slice of Detroit-style pizza, known for its thick, crispy crust that pairs perfectly with a can of Detroit’s best thirst-quenching Vernor’s Ginger Ale or Faygo Redpop (both got their starts here). I’d argue it’s more satisfying and less challenging to eat than a Chicago-style slice, balancing the savory layers of deep dish with the delectable crispy crunch of tavern-style pizza. Every Detroiter you ask will have a different recommendation: Shield’s, Loui’s Pizza in Hazel Park, Cloverleaf in Eastpointe and Buddy’s chains are all over the region.
An honorable pizza mention: This Oakland County born-and-raised writer will point to Tomatoes Apizza, not for Detroit-style, but for the very best of New Haven-style pizza in the area. And their $13 lunch buffet is an unbeatable deal.
If you’re looking for something a little more formal than pizza and hot dogs, Ima chef-owner Michael Ransom is a James Beard award nominee for best chef in the Great Lakes region. The Detroit ramen staple recently opened a robata grill and cocktail bar called Ima Izakaya in Corktown, with entrees like lamb katsu curry, and a 14-day dry-aged ribeye with crispy leeks, shishito peppers and a Japanese whisky steak sauce.
Enjoy rich traditions in Dearborn, Mexicantown
While there’s plenty to see within city limits, the suburbs contain a wealth of rich experiences worth a little extra time in the car. Dearborn, just west of Detroit, is home to the Ford Motor Company World Headquarters. While tours of the Ford Rouge Factory, Greenfield Village and The Henry Ford museum are obvious draws for enthusiasts of the region’s automotive history, Dearborn also offers a look into the history and culture of Arab Americans who have made the Detroit area home to the largest concentration of people with Arabic-speaking ancestry in the United States.
The Arab American National Museum and the Islamic Center of America are both in Dearborn. And with the month of Ramadan celebrated into April, restaurants are offering late-night specials for Muslims observing the fast. The city of Dearborn will put on its first Ramadan Nights, an outdoor food festival on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays through April 21.
After exploring Dearborn, head to southwest Detroit, where you can find panaderias such as La Gloria Bakery, taquerias and Hispanic groceries on Bagley Street and Vernor Highway in Mexicantown. Mexican Village on Bagley Street is the city’s oldest Mexican restaurant, and recently reopened after a small fire last fall. Regulars love the spot for its margaritas, enchiladas and sizzling-hot fajitas.
For a more contemporary take in Mexicantown, consider El Barzon, whose chef Norberto Garita, is among six Detroit semifinalists nominated for a James Beard award for Best Chef in the Great Lakes region. The Mexican-Italian restaurant specializes in Pueblan cuisine, with deeply flavorful mole sharing a menu with Italian dishes boasting freshly made pasta.
Mexicantown is also distinct for its vibrant and irresistibly Instagram-worthy murals. If you visit on a warmer day and packed your board or skates, a short walk to Riverside Park offers the area’s best skate park, a dog park, a basketball court and grand views of the Ambassador Bridge.
Marvel at world-class art museum
The Detroit Institute of Art boasts one of the nation’s best collections and is among the most-visited museums in the world. Thousands of pieces are on display, spanning from European sculptures to contemporary art. An hourlong museum highlights tour departs from the Great Hall at 1 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays.
You could spend hours absorbing the detail in Diego Rivera’s fascinating “Detroit Industry Murals,” a series of frescos that takes center stage. Named a National Landmark in 2014, the frescos are a testament to the city’s history of manufacturing, technology and scientific advancement, commissioned by auto scion Edsel B. Ford.
Also at the DIA is the Detroit Film Theatre, which showcases contemporary and classic cinema in a 1927 auditorium. Upcoming film showings include “The Novelist’s Film,” “The Conformist” and “Leonor Will Never Die.”
Kresge Court is a hidden gem within the museum. For many (including myself), it’s the perfect place to get cozy with a book or laptop while enjoying comfy chairs, exposed brick architecture, atrium ceilings and coffee, wine and small bites.
Dress like a Detroiter
The city’s West Side boasts an Avenue of Fashion for a reason, and with a new Gucci store downtown, Detroit’s fashion scene is gaining greater attention.
For something that stands the test of time, Detroit’s colonial roots as a hub for beaver pelt trading in New France extend to this very day — long-standing family feuds about who will inherit grandma’s Dittritch furs are common. Other longtime furriers include Silver Fox Furs and Wolverine Furs.
The workwear brand Carhartt also has roots in Detroit, with a flagship store on the Wayne State University campus. While the brand still offers its classic bib overalls, cozy hats and practical jackets, its Work In Progress line also embraces the brand’s contemporary influence on streetwear.
Tommey Walker’s Detroit Vs. Everybody brand has been a citywide call to action and staple since 2012, originally created to “rebuild Detroit’s image through the restored pride of Detroiters universally.” Walker also honors Chicago with a Chicago Vs. Everybody version in Bulls red and black. Corner Store Goods, founded in 2015, is another Detroit brand that embraces the people and culture of “the D,” with apparel in area Foot Locker stores.
Enjoy the nightlife at Baker’s and The Belt
Music lovers have swayed to the stylings of jazz greats like Charlie Parker, Gene Krupa, John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, Dizzy Gillespie and more at Baker’s Keyboard Lounge for generations. Likewise, many local jazz band students have played a set or two in the legendary club. Originally opening in May 1934, Baker’s Keyboard Lounge claims it’s the oldest jazz club still open anywhere in the world. As a full-service restaurant as well, the lounge serves up sandwiches, T-bone steaks, smothered pork chops, catfish nuggets and sweet potato pie.
On a warm night, don’t miss The Belt, located downtown between Broadway and Library streets, an artsy alleyway that showcases murals and hanging lights. It’s home to al-fresco bar The Skip, James Beard semifinalist cocktail bar Standby and the nightclub Deluxx Fluxx, with other great bars like Queens Bar in walking distance.
For a faster-paced evening out, try your hand at roller skating Detroit-style. RollerCade Detroit, on the southwest side, is one of the oldest continually open, Black-owned rinks in the country. If you don’t know how to skate, the rink offers lessons on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Since 2021, RollerCade Detroit has also partnered with the developer Bedrock to offer roller-skating outdoors at Monroe Street Midway downtown.
Plans for this summer haven’t been announced yet, but it could provide the perfect excuse to return again.
