Detroit suggestions?

[devonpow]

We will be in Detroit for about a day and a half in February with my almost 17 year old and almost 12 year old - the beginning of a college visits tour we are going on. We have been to Michigan before (in laws live in Grand Rapids) but never Detroit. And…. February might be unpleasant lol

Any suggestions of museums, things to do, restaurants, etc?

[fernweh]

Are you looking at the city or the metro area?
The Detroit Institute of Arts
The Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village is also great but is outside in city in Dearborn.
I think they have a pretty good zoo also but I wouldn’t recommend at that time of year.

[fernweh]

Campus Martius downtown also has an ice skating rink if that is something your family would be interested in.

[Whitecaps]

The Henry Ford and DIA are musts.
I’d also highly recommend an architecture tour if the kiddos would be remotely interested; there are self-guided options online and Detroit has some of the most incredible building interiors I’ve ever seen. It would be a great option for a cold day because you get to go inside. Use the People Mover and Q Line to get around downtown.

Eat at Green Dot Stables! It’s a tiny, dark, semi-hole-in-the-wall serving fancy sliders and everything on the menu (including drink) is $3 or $4.
Slow’s BBQ is always busy, but worth it.
And brunch at Dime Store is delicious.

ETA: How could I forget Belle Isle! It has an aquarium, conservatory and more and is a great spot to explore. 

[devonpow]

Jan 20, 2024 23:10:40 GMT -5 fernweh said:

Are you looking at the city or the metro area?
The Detroit Institute of Arts
The Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village is also great but is outside in city in Dearborn.
I think they have a pretty good zoo also but I wouldn’t recommend at that time of year.

I have no idea where we are staying yet lol. We may just go straight to Ann Arbor (our first tour) but we are flying in two days early so I figured we could hit some Detroit high points since none of us have been before

[cap]

The Henry Ford is amazing and so is the Ford factory tour. I wasn’t expecting to really like it, but it was so interesting. I sometimes think I missed my calling in a career in logistics. That said, we all really enjoyed it.

Also, if you’re coming to MSU, pm me.

[hermione]

When you say you’re flying into Detroit…you really aren’t. Detroit is the opposite way from Ann Arbor from the airport. I always consider the airport halfway between the two. That said, with two days, I’d go to Detroit first.

Lots of good suggestions already. The DIA is world class, the zoo is great all year long, the main branch of the Detroit Public Library is cool to see (and across the street from the DIA. The Motown Museum is fun. The Science Center is cool. See if anything good is happening at the Fox Theater. Or you could check out Broadway in Detroit…Wicked is in town in February. Hudson’s Cafe for brunch!

[fryjack2]

Hmmm. The airport isn't really Detroit, but not that far from it. I'd spend the time in Ann Arbor-it reminds me of Cambridge-but Detroit does have some cool things to check out. Henry Ford Museum and Motown Museum are a couple. Very good middle eastern food in Dearborn- if you go to the H.Ford Museum and Greenfield Village (they are in Dearborn), eat in Dearborn for sure. Your kids might be a bit old for Belle Isle and I'd skip it with limited time. The Institute of Art is always good.


I spend my childhood until age 11 in Ann Arbor and then later years in East Lansing and then college in West Michigan. Most of my mom's family live in GR and on the water. I didn't realize you also had a connection to GR! We were just there in December and I always say if it wasn't so conservative in West Michigan, I would consider moving back. Its changed a lot in the last 20 years, but still a bit too much Jesus for me

[fryjack2]

Jan 21, 2024 9:08:44 GMT -5 cap said:

The Henry Ford is amazing and so is the Ford factory tour. I wasn’t expecting to really like it, but it was so interesting. I sometimes think I missed my calling in a career in logistics. That said, we all really enjoyed it.

Also, if you’re coming to MSU, pm me.

If you do go to MSU, hit up the Dairy Store on campus.   Insanely good ice cream for so cheap with servings the size of your head made on site.  You can see the inner working of the dairy processing as well. 

www.canr.msu.edu/dairystore/menu

[fivechickens]

You have gotten a lot of good suggestions so far.

I suggest looking into Detroit History Tours www.detroithistorytours.com

I took a tour with them and it was a lot of fun and interesting. They people that run it are great people.

[devonpow]

Jan 21, 2024 9:08:44 GMT -5 cap said:

The Henry Ford is amazing and so is the Ford factory tour. I wasn’t expecting to really like it, but it was so interesting. I sometimes think I missed my calling in a career in logistics. That said, we all really enjoyed it.

Also, if you’re coming to MSU, pm me.

not going to MSU, but thanks!

[devonpow]

Jan 21, 2024 9:51:55 GMT -5 fryjack2 said:

Hmmm. The airport isn't really Detroit, but not that far from it. I'd spend the time in Ann Arbor-it reminds me of Cambridge-but Detroit does have some cool things to check out. Henry Ford Museum and Motown Museum are a couple. Very good middle eastern food in Dearborn- if you go to the H.Ford Museum and Greenfield Village (they are in Dearborn), eat in Dearborn for sure. Your kids might be a bit old for Belle Isle and I'd skip it with limited time. The Institute of Art is always good.


I spend my childhood until age 11 in Ann Arbor and then later years in East Lansing and then college in West Michigan. Most of my mom's family live in GR and on the water. I didn't realize you also had a connection to GR! We were just there in December and I always say if it wasn't so conservative in West Michigan, I would consider moving back. Its changed a lot in the last 20 years, but still a bit too much Jesus for me

yeah, we don’t visit the in laws a lot because they are super conservative Trumpers It’s beautiful where they live but I can’t get passed some of the social stuff.

We may just end up spending our time in Ann Arbor - we are there to visit U of M before heading to Chicago/other colleges, but we are flying in a day early since I was worried about weather and potentially missing the tours etc. I figured Detroit would have some neat things to see but maybe it’s better to just go straight to Ann Arbor. We will see!

[origami]

There's plenty to do in AA. If you like museums there's the natural history museum, archeology, art museum. There may be plays, sports games or other performances going on. The Arboretum is nice but could be rough in february of course. Also plenty of cute restaurants and shops. The campus is so big that being there an extra day to get your bearings may be helpful in figuring out if your kiddo wants to go there. (as a grad I hope they do! go blue)

[definitelyO]

GO BLUE!!!!
I graduated from Michigan - but moved away 30 years ago so don't have much to add... But - love Ann Arbor.

we lived near the airport - and it's not really Detroit - but we did have a nice time walking along the river front a few years ago and Greek Town - but not sure about how safe that area is - it's changed since I've been there - not saying good or bad - just saying that I don't have a perspective. But did love the flaming cheese.

[cap]

Jan 21, 2024 9:55:42 GMT -5 fryjack2 said:

Jan 21, 2024 9:08:44 GMT -5 cap said:

The Henry Ford is amazing and so is the Ford factory tour. I wasn’t expecting to really like it, but it was so interesting. I sometimes think I missed my calling in a career in logistics. That said, we all really enjoyed it.

Also, if you’re coming to MSU, pm me.

If you do go to MSU, hit up the Dairy Store on campus.   Insanely good ice cream for so cheap with servings the size of your head made on site.  You can see the inner working of the dairy processing as well. 

www.canr.msu.edu/dairystore/menu

Unfortunately, the Dairy Store isn't making the ice cream themselves anymore due to a lack of money to keep the equipment properly maintained. It's still good, just no longer made on campus and I'm not sure if the milk comes from MSU cows anymore or not, either. 

[jeaniebueller]

The two things I think would be great are the DIA and The Henry Ford, of course they both aren't in Detroit proper. I think a day trip to the DIA would be awesome and the science center is across the street too. There aren't a ton of restaurants immediately near the DIA, however. But if you only have 1.5 days, it might be best to stay in AA like you are thinking. 

[janegold]

If you're looking for something to fill your day that's not Ann Arbor, I think the Henry Ford Museum would be a great choice. It's fascinating for all ages.

The Henry Ford is not in Detroit but if you want to try some Detroit dining:

- Classic: Coney dogs at either/both American Coney Island or Lafayette Coney Island; Detroit style pizza @ Buddy's or Shields; barbeque at Slows

- Trendy: Layla, Selden Standard, Wright & Co., Mad Nice (there's soooo many new restaurants opening up all the time; these are just a few that I've been to and liked)

- Treats: Sister Pie


And GO BLUE!  We are years away from college tours still but I can't wait to bring my kids to A2 someday!

[midwestmama]

I agree with others, if you do spend a day in Detroit, the Henry Ford Museum is excellent. I'm not sure if Greenfield Village is open in the winter.

In AA, Zingerman's Deli is a must.

I don't know much else, as I grew up in Lansing and now live in the GR area, and we didn't (and still don't) get to the East side very often (my parents grew up on the West side, but north of GR, and so we had all of our family visits and gatherings in their hometown, and DH's family is from the GR area).

[winnied]

Other great recommendations so far. H and I did an architecture tour, self-guided in that we showed up where/when we wanted to but we did get a tour of one or two places.

If you wanted to do a food tour you could get coney dogs, Detroit pizza, Sister Pie, pierogi from Polish Village Cafe, head out to Dearborn for some great Middle Eastern food.

I live in GR but did a little tourism on the East Side because my family never went there for anything (we always went to Chicago, where our extended family lives).

Go Blue!

[pinkdutchtulips]

If you're going to Ann Arbor, a stop at Zingerman's Deli is a MUST!

Yspilanti (home to Eastern Michigan U) has a cute restaurant called Sidecar and the world's ONLY Hudson car museum is across the street. 

IN Detroit, Pegasus in Greektown is always good. I second Belle Isle, always fun. Eastern Market is fun to explore.