World City Guide

Mini Guide of Detroit

City Overview

Visitors to Detroit are often led to expect a sprawling industrial centre blighted by urban decay and crime yet surrounded by lavish suburbs. This is a biased vision of Detroit, the product of media exaggeration. While it is true that the Downtown core is not as vibrant as perhaps it could be, Detroit is still the tenth largest city in the United States and the automotive capital of the world, and as such possesses a thriving culture and economy.

Founded next to a narrow strait (d’etroit), in 1701, by the French explorer Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac, Detroit is the oldest city in the Midwest. It began life as a trading post and by 1800 had not significantly outgrown this identity. All of this changed, however, with the arrival of the Industrial Revolution. Automobile empires were established by families like Ford, Olds, Chevrolet and Dodge – names which to this day remain as some of the nation’s top brands. The advent of the assembly line cemented Detroit’s grandeur and importance as the automobile capital of America.

While car culture may be what the city is best known for, the ‘Mo(tor)town’s’ contribution to American music takes a close second. The Motown label was begun in Detroit in the late 1950s and went on to define an entire new genre of black music, with artists such as The Supremes, Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye. More recently, Detroit has again influenced the world of popular dance music with its development of techno, the hard-edged sound that has influenced club culture in recent years.

Unfortunately, Detroit’s history is not entirely one of industrial expansion and cultural development. Its industrial strength led to to the development of vast ghettoes of workers and a neglected Downtown. Tensions finally came to a head in the summer of 1967 when the United States witnessed its bloodiest civil unrest in half a century. Forty people perished and over a thousand buildings were razed; yet even this did not serve to call attention to the city’s problems – it only accelerated flight to the suburbs.

More recently, along with its near neighbours Cleveland and Chicago, Detroit is experiencing something of a renaissance. Its reputation for violence is at least ten years out of date and wealthier residents of the suburbs are once again returning to the city at night to enjoy ice hockey games during its chilly winters or to relax outdoors during its warm summers. The city’s culture continues to flourish with a lively classical music scene, theatre community, vibrant nightclubs and one of the best art galleries in the country. The city’s confidence in its Downtown has been demonstrated by the construction of two new sports stadiums – Comerica Park, new home of the Detroit Tigers baseball team, and Ford Field, home to the Detroit Lions football team.

Getting There By Air

Detroit Wayne Country Metropolitan Airport (DTW)
Tel: (734) AIRPORT/247 7678 or 942 3550.
Website: www.metroairport.com

Detroit Wayne Country Metropolitan Airport is located 32km (20 miles) west of the city centre. Handling over 32.7 million passengers, it is the 16th busiest airport in the world in terms of passengers and the most important airport in the state of Michigan. Metro Airport, as it is known, has four terminals – one international, two domestic and the new state-of-the-art Edward H McNamara Terminal, which serves Northwest Airlines and its partners for international and domestic flights. There is also a new runway, which opened for business in December 2001.

Major airlines: Metro Airport handles scheduled, commuter, chartered and cargo airlines and is served by more than 25 carriers. It is the major hub for Northwest Airlines (tel: (800) 225 2525; website: www.nwa.com). Other major carriers include: Air Canada, American Airlines, America West, British Airways, Continental, Delta, KLM, Lufthansa, TransWorld Airlines and United Airlines.

Airport facilities: These include duty-free shops, banks, ATMs, restaurants, gift shops, bars, tourist information and car hire (Alamo, Avis, Dollar, Hertz, National and Thrifty).

Business facilities: Lap Top Lane (tel: (734) 229 2500) is located in the LC Smith Terminal and offers Internet, fax, printing and telephone services.

Transport to the city: Metro Airport is slightly lacking in the public transport department, but the new Four-Mile Access Road connects the airport with I-94 and the McNamara terminal with I-275. A taxi service is available from Metro Cabs (tel: (734) 942 4690), with journeys into Downtown Detroit costing about US$28. A more luxurious service is offered by Metro Cars (tel: (734) 946 5700), with journeys into Downtown Detroit costing a flat rate of US$42. A non-stop journey into the city centre should take about 20 minutes when traffic is clear and up to one hour during rush hour.

Detroit City Airport (DET)
Tel: (313) 852 6400. Fax: (313) 267 4762.
Website: www.ci.detroit.mi.us/airport

Detroit City Airport is located 16km (ten miles) from Downtown Detroit and services primarily private and corporate air traffic to nearby cities, such as New York, Newark, Baltimore and Indianapolis.

Major airlines: Pro Air Airlines (tel: (800) 939 9551) is the only commercial airline operating out of Detroit City Airport.

Airport facilities: These include a restaurant, a gift shop and car hire services (Enterprise, Hertz and National).

Business facilities: None.

Transport to the city: A taxi to the city centre costs approximately US$10.

Approximate flight times to Detroit: From London is 9 hours 30 minutes; from New York is 2 hours 15 minutes; from Los Angeles is 5 hours 30 minutes; from Toronto is 1 hour 15 minutes and from Sydney is 19 hours.

Arrival/departure tax: US$3 (included in ticket price).

Getting There By Water

Detroit is a major port, connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Great Lakes–St Lawrence Seaway. Passenger traffic is gaining popularity in the Port of Detroit but service is erratic and there is, as yet, no designated facility to handle passengers arriving by ship, although there are intentions to construct one in the future.

Transport to the city: There is no scheduled public transport servicing the port, although it lies close to various freeways, making the city easily accessible by car or taxi.

Getting There By Road

Automobiles are a way of life in Michigan, perhaps even more than any other US state – as it is home to Detroit, the ‘Motor City’. The state is covered by an extensive network of freeways and highways. Multi-lane freeways, which have a maximum speed limit of 113kph (70mph), are distinguished by a thick line on maps. Highways may be more than two lanes but are marked by thinner lines and have a maximum speed limit of 89kph (55mph). All freeways and highways are named according to numerical convention. Traffic drives on the right and seatbelts must be worn at all times. The minimum driving age is 16 years. Proof of insurance is compulsory and foreign drivers must possess a licence from their country of origin. The maximum legal alcohol to blood ratio for driving is 0.10%.

The American Automobile Association (AAA; tel: (800) 222 6424; website: www.aaamich.com) offers emergency road service, as well as other automobile-related services, throughout the USA.

Emergency breakdown service:
AAA (800) AAA HELP/222 4357

Routes to the city: Major freeways connecting Detroit with its suburbs and beyond include: I-75, which connects to Ohio in the south and Flint to the north; I-94, which connects with Ann Arbor and Kalamazoo to the west and Sarnia to the northeast; and I-96, which connects with Lansing and Grand Rapids to the west. The Detroit–Windsor Tunnel is a toll tunnel connecting Detroit with Windsor, Ontario, Canada, which is just to the north.

Driving times to Detroit: From Flint (Michigan) – 1 hour; Cleveland (Ohio) – 3 hours 45 minutes; Toronto (Canada) – 4 hours 30 minutes.

Coach services: Greyhound (tel: (313) 961 8011; website: www.greyhound.com) operates regular intercity services out of the Detroit Greyhound Bus Terminal, 1001 Howard Avenue. Facilities include vending machines, toilets, lockers and tourist information. Charter coach services can also be hired from Greyhound (tel: (800) 454 2487).

Getting There By Rail

Amtrak (tel: (800) 872 7245; website: www.amtrak.com) operates decent intercity rail services from Detroit Amtrak Station, 11 Baltimore Avenue West, located in the northern end of the city’s Downtown. Facilities include telephones, toilets and car hire (Hertz).

Rail services: Detroit is directly connected with Cleveland and Chicago (journey time – 7 hours). Other cities, such as Washington, New York and Los Angeles, are accessible via Chicago and Cleveland, although the considerable journey time limits the practicality of such a journey.

Transport to the city: The city can be accessed by bus and taxi.

Getting Around

Public Transport
Detroit’s public transportation system is somewhat lacking compared to other cities of equal size. Nevertheless, a dependable public bus service is operated by the Detroit Department of Transportation (D-DOT; tel: (313) 933 1300; website: www.ci.detroit.mi.us/ddot/default.htm) within the city centre. The service operates 24 hours a day, every day. Buses run as frequently as every six minutes during rush hour on some routes and about every 20 minutes at other times of the day. Adult tickets cost US$1.25 and a weekly pass is available for US$12. Transfers are available for US$0.25 and can be used to change to up to two buses.

SMART buses (tel: (313) 962 5515) service the suburbs. Major routes begin operating around 0500 and terminate after midnight. Fares cost US$1.50. Transfers cost US$0.25 and allow passengers to transfer to a D-DOT bus as well. A monthly pass costs US$47. A monthly pass for both companies costs US$49.50.

There is also a light rail system called the People Mover (tel: (313) 224 2160), which navigates a 4.6km (2.9-mile) elevated single track surrounding Detroit’s Downtown business district, Monday to Thursday 0700-2300, Friday 0700-2400, Saturday 0900-2400 and Sunday 1200-2000. Fares costs US$0.50 and a monthly pass is available for US$20. Tickets are not transferable to buses.

Taxis
Taxis are a popular form of transport in Detroit. They can be hailed on the street in the city centre. For more remote locations, taxi services can be ordered by telephone from such companies as Checker (tel: (313) 963 7000), Taxi Dearborn Lorraine (tel: (313) 582 6900) and Ace-Tell-Joy LaSalle Taxi Service (tel: (313) 531 6262). An initial charge of US$2.50 is levied, with an additional US$1.60 for each mile. For standard pick-up and drop-off services, tipping is not very common in Detroit. However, it is common to tip a driver between US$1-3 for help with directions and luggage etc.

Limousines
Chauffeur and limousine services are available from Arbor Limousine (tel: (734) 663 5959; website: www.arborlimo.com), Detroit Limousine (tel: (248) 471 0980; website: www.detroitlimo.com) and Golden Limousine (tel: (734) 668 8282; website: www.goldenlimo.com). Prices start from around US$45 per hour for a four-door sedan service.

Driving in the City
Traffic is heaviest in Detroit around rush hour (0730-0930 and 1630-1900), as workers fill the Downtown area in the morning and vacate it by evening. The freeways that connect the city centre with the outlying suburbs can become particularly congested. The city is laid out on a conventional grid system; however, this is sometimes compromised by the meandering shoreline of the Detroit River and Lake St Clair. The most important streets Downtown are Woodwind Avenue and Jefferson Avenue.

Metered street parking is available at a rate of US$0.75 per hour; however, it can be scarce during the day. Parking lots, such as the one at the Cobo Convention Center, often offer a more reliable option. Cobo Center charges US$2.25 per hour or US$6.75 per day until 1800.

Car Hire
Many car hire firms operate in Detroit, including Avis (tel: (734) 942 3450 or (800) 331 1212, toll free in the USA and Canada; website: www.avis.com); Budget (tel: (734) 941 3068 or (800) 527 0700; website: www.budget.com); Dollar (tel: (734) 942 4777 or (800) 800 4000; website: www.dollar.com); Enterprise (tel: (734) 784 1912 or (800) 325 8007; website: www.enterprise.com); National (tel: (734) 941 7000 or (800) 227 7368; website: www.nationalcar.com); and Thrifty (tel: (734) 946 7830 or (800) 367 2277; website: www.thrifty.com).

Hire charges for a small vehicle usually average about US$75 per day without any discounts and when rented from Detroit Metro Airport. Drivers must be 21 years or older and drivers under 25 may have to pay a surcharge with certain firms. Foreign drivers must possess a valid national licence, however, it is always advisable to check in advance with the car hire firm in case an International Driving Permit is required. Insurance is available from the car hire firm.

Bicycle & Scooter Hire
Cycling in downtown Detroit is not popular or advisable. However, many people do explore the park trails (tel: (800) 47-PARKS/477 2757; website: www.metroparks.com) by bicycle. One of the most scenic places to explore is Stony Creek Metro Park (tel: (800) 477 7756), which has a ten-kilometre (six-mile) Hike-Bike Trail. Bicycles are available for hire at Baypoint and Eastwood beaches daily throughout the summer.

Business

Business Profile
Detroit is the largest city in Michigan, the eighth largest in the USA and the automotive manufacturing capital of the world. It has a skilled workforce that exceeds 2.7 million people. In December 2001, Detroit’s unemployment rate was calculated at 5.2%, just below the national average of 5.4%. Contrary to Detroit’s reputation as the ‘Motor City’, however, the city’s economy, like much of North America’s, has shifted toward service industries in recent years. Indeed, the service sector has now become the dominant industry in the Detroit region, accounting for 30% of the region’s employment. Health services are now the region’s largest employer, followed by business services.

Ranking third is the industry that Detroit is famous for – cars. Transportation equipment manufacturing employs over 200,000 people and has grown by 70% in the last decade. Over 1.4 million cars and one million trucks were produced in the region in 1998 and 72 of the top 150 equipment manufacturers are headquartered or have a major presence in Detroit. Automotive research and development, robotics and high-tech manufacturing are experiencing similar growth in servicing the auto industry.

Detroit is home to many large companies, such as the ‘big three’ – General Motors, DaimlerChrysler and Ford. More than 50 firms employing 500 people or more are also headquartered in the region, such as Comerica, Henry Ford Health System and Penske. Some companies, such as General Motors, are located in the heart of Detroit’s Downtown. Others, such as Ford, are located in many of the city’s suburb communities, such as Flint, Dearborn and Southfield.

Business Etiquette
Detroit is a Midwestern city, whose main industry is auto manufacturing, so it is hardly surprising that Detroit is somewhat conservative when it comes to business. Although immensely friendly, its citizens are hardworking and efficient and see to it that the working day is not wasted. Formal business wear is often the norm in the office and certainly always worn for sales calls or when meeting business associates. Working hours are typically 0900-1700, although some variation or even a slightly longer day is not uncommon.

Entertainment commonly takes place in restaurants – occasionally bars – either during lunch or in the evening. It is uncommon to be invited into a business associate’s home for business purposes. Gifts are not normally tolerated, although token gestures, such as a bottle of wine, are usually accepted after a deal has been completed. Business cards are normally exchanged after meals or meetings, not during introductions. Upon introductions, it is normal to call people by their last names, however, once a relationship has been established, people tend to call one another by their first names. The best time to visit Detroit for business purposes is between September and May, as the summer is the most popular time of year for holidays.

Sightseeing

Sightseeing Overview
Although the Downtown of Detroit may not be as vital as those found in New York or Chicago, it nevertheless possesses many of the city’s important attractions. Nestled near the riverfront are: Joe Louis Arena, home of the Detroit Red Wings hockey team; the Cobo Conference Exhibition Center, which houses the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame; and the Renaissance Center, which houses the world headquarters of General Motors. Further north, visitors find the heart of the Downtown area, with attractions such as the recently built Comerica Park, home to the Detroit Tigers baseball team; the MGM Grand Casino; the Detroit Theater for the Dramatic Arts; and the Detroit Opera House. Slightly to the east is Greektown, which is the lively setting for numerous Greek restaurants and bars, and northeast Eastern Market, which houses a farmer’s market and restaurants. Yet further north, one finds more of Detroit’s cultural attractions, such as the Charles H Wright Museum of African-American History, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra Hall, the Detroit Institute of Arts and the Motown Historical Museum. Belle Isle, the 400-hectare (1000-acre) urban sanctuary that includes a zoo and an aquarium, is located five kilometres (three miles) east of Downtown.

Tourist Information
Metropolitan Detroit Convention and Visitors Bureau
Suite 1000, 211 West Fort Street
Tel: (800) DETROIT/338 7648. Fax: (313) 202 1833.
Website: www.visitdetroit.com
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1700.

Passes
There are no longer any dedicated tourist passes in Detroit.

Key Attractions

Detroit Institute of Arts
The surprisingly little-known Detroit Institute of Arts is the fifth largest fine arts museum in the USA. Best known for Detroit Industry, a 1932 mural of the auto industry by Diego Rivera, the gallery’s collection encompasses a wide diversity of genres, including Ancient Art, American Art, Asian Art, European Art and 20th-century art. Masterpieces among these include works by Rembrandt, Matisse, Picasso, Van Gogh, Degas and Francis Bacon.

5200 Woodward Avenue
Tel: (313) 833 7900.
Website: www.dia.org
Transport: Woodward Avenue bus.
Opening hours: Wed-Thurs 1000-1600, Fri 1000-2100, Sat and Sun 1000-1700.
Admission: US$4 (recommended donation).

Charles H Wright Museum of African-American History
The Charles H Wright Museum of African-American History was the vision of a black doctor who wanted a centre to document and preserve black history, life and culture. Once a travelling museum housed in a mobile home, it has grown into the world’s largest museum dedicated to African-American history. It houses exhibits that focus on many aspects of black history, from the initial journey from Africa to the Underground Railroad, jazz, Malcolm X and Dr Martin Luther King, and the Harlem Renaissance.

315 East Warren Street
Tel: (313) 494 5800. Fax: (313) 494 5855.
Website: www.maah-detroit.org
Transport: Crosstown bus.
Opening hours: Wed-Sat 0930-1700, Sun 1300-1700.
Admission: US$5 (concessions available).

Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village
Founded by Henry Ford himself, the Henry Ford Museum is interesting as it chronicles American ingenuity, invention and technical achievement through its astounding collection of Americana. Cars are particularly well represented, with the only existing 1896 Duryea Motor Wagon, the first production car in America and five presidential limousines, including the one in which President John F Kennedy was shot. Articles on the more bizarre side include a bicycle for ten people, motorised roller skates, the theatre seat in which Abraham Lincoln was murdered and Thomas Edison’s last breath – preserved in a test tube. Recent additions include a model of an 1884 steam locomotive repair factory, an IMAX Theatre and Buckminster Fuller’s Dymaxion House, which is a 1920s-designed, environmentally efficient and easily transportable aluminium structure.

Neighbouring Greenfield Village is a recreation of a 19th-century town and includes larger items that Henry Ford transported to Detroit, such as the actual home he was born in, the Wright Brother’s cycle shop and Thomas Edison’s laboratory.

20900 Oakwood Boulevard, Dearborn
Tel: (313) 271 1620. Fax: (313) 982 6230.
Website: www.hfmgv.org
Transport: SMART bus Michigan Avenue 200.
Opening hours: Daily 0900-1700.
Admission: US$13.50 (Henry Ford Museum), US$16 (Greenfield Village), US$20 (combined); concessions available.

Detroit Historical Museum
The Detroit Historical Museum takes visitors on a tour of old Detroit, tracing its beginnings as an Indian settlement, through its development over the years as a Midwestern city, to its emergence as the home of car manufacturing. The main highlight is the ‘Streets of Old Detroit’ exhibit, which recreates a historically accurate 19th-century Detroit street with actual material from old shops and theatres. Other attractions include antique trains, classic cars, a fashion library and an automated device that demonstrates how car bodies were lowered onto chassis.

5401 Woodward Avenue
Tel: (313) 833 1805. Fax: (313) 833 5342.
Website: www.detroithistorical.org
Transport: Woodward Avenue bus.
Opening hours: Wed-Fri 0930-1700, Sat and Sun 1000-1700.
Admission: US$4.50 (free on Wed).

Motown Historical Museum
The Motown record label, Detroit’s greatest cultural contribution, is celebrated in this museum. It is located in the actual house that Berry Gordy, the former auto worker who founded the label, bought in 1959 and used as a recording studio until 1972. The museum contains the actual recording studio used by legendary musicians, such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder and Smokey Robinson, who were responsible for developing the classic ‘Motown’ sound. Equipment on display includes a control room, tape machines and a disc-mastering lathe. Also displayed are personal items of the musicians, as well as assorted instruments.

2648 West Grand Boulevard
Tel: (313) 875 2264. Fax: (313) 875 2267.
Transport: Dexter bus.
Opening hours: Tues-Sat 1000-1700, Sun and Mon 1200-1700.
Admission: US$7.

The New Detroit Science Center
The stars at this planetarium are even bigger than the ones at Motown Records. The Digital Dome Planetarium has Digistar technology and Sky-Skan automation, which allows the audience to take a virtual trip through the rings of Saturn or any other universe destination. This is the main attraction, although the centre also has a variety of hands-on exhibits, demystifying subjects like matter and energy, waves and vibrations, life sciences, ecosystems and motion. There is also an IMAX cinema.

5020 John R Street
Tel: (313) 577 8400.
Website: www.sciencedetroit.org
Transport: Crosstown bus 14.
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0930-1500, Sat and Sun 1030-1800.
Admission: US$7 (general exhibitions); US$2 (Digital Dome Planetarium); US$2 (IMAX).

Detroit Zoo
Located in the suburb of Royal Oak, the Detroit Zoo boasts cage-free enclosures and the largest outdoor display of wildlife in America. Known for its chimpanzee and gorilla enclosure, other highlights include animal feedings and demonstrations and a 45-minute guided tour of the zoo on-board a scenic tractor train. The latest additions to the zoo include the National Amphibian Conservation Center and the Arctic Ring of Life. Amphibiville, as it is known, shows the diversity of the world’s amphibian life, while also being dedicated to husbandry, animal reproduction and research, and the interactive Arctic Ring of Life contains a recreation of an Innuit Village, tundra, open sea and pack ice complete with foxes, polar bears and snowy owls.

8450 West Ten Mile Road, Royal Oak
Tel: (248) 398 0900.
Website: www.detroitzoo.org
Transport: Woodward Avenue bus.
Opening hours: Daily 1000-1600 (until 1700 Apr-Nov).
Admission: US$8 (concessions available).

Automotive Hall of Fame
Opened in 1997, the strikingly designed Automotive Hall of Fame celebrates the achievements and innovations of the leading figures of the world’s auto industry. Interactive exhibits and displays recount the history of the automobile, especially as shaped by the individuals who brought it to the world – Ferdinand Porsche, Soichiro Honda and others. Visitors can match their own skills against the giants of the industry by attempting to answer actual problems experienced by car manufacturers.

21400 Oakwood Boulevard, Dearborn
Tel: (313) 240 4000. Fax: (313) 240 8641.
Website: www.automotivehalloffame.org
Transport: SMART bus Michigan Avenue 200.
Opening hours: Daily 1000-1900 (Jun-Oct); Tues-Sun 1000-1700 (Nov-May).
Admission: US$6 (concessions available).

Further Distractions

Belle Isle
Once, long ago, known as Hog Island, the more aptly named Belle Isle is a picturesque island in the Detroit River connected to the city by a small bridge. It first became been public land in 1701 and was made into a public park in 1879 – designed by Frederick Law Olmstead, who also designed New York’s Central Park. Albert Kahn, a well-known turn-of-the-century architect, designed the Belle Isle’s Whicomb Conservatory, which contains regional flora from all over the country, as well as the Belle Isle Aquarium. Today, the island is host to the Detroit Grand Prix every June. Features include a nature centre, beaches, waterslide, tennis courts and playgrounds.

Jefferson Avenue and Grand Boulevard
Tel: (313) 852 4078 or 222 0024.
Transport: Belle Isle bus.
Opening hours: Daily 0600-2200 (Belle Isle); May-Oct daily 1000-1700 (conservatory and aquarium).
Admission: Free (Belle Isle); US$2 (conservatory and aquarium).

Dossin Great Lakes Museum
The brainchild of Dossin, a power-boat racing magnate, the Dossin Great Lakes Museum chronicles the flavourful history of Great Lakes boating and shipping through models, exhibits, paintings and memorabilia. One of its most enticing attractions is the Gothic Room, which features 7.5 tonnes of carved gothic oak removed from an elegant turn-of-the-century riverboat. The Ship Model Gallery features many different kinds of ship models (the oldest is one of the Mayflower, dating from 1884), while another model of a hydroplane won a prestigious remote-controlled boat race. Other attractions include the working pilothouse from an actual freighter, as well as the yachts owned by the barons of the auto industry.

100 Strand Drive, Belle Isle
Tel: (313) 852 4051.
E-mail: info@detroithistorical.org
Website: www.detroithistorical.org/html/information/dossin.html
Transport: Belle Isle bus.
Opening hours: Wed-Sun 1000-1700.
Admission: US$2 (free on Wed); concessions available.

Tours of the City

Walking Tours
As Detroit is very spread out, walking tours of the city are uncommon. Visitors wishing to get a general sense of Detroit’s attractions and neighbourhoods would be well advised to partake in a guided bus tour instead. That being said, areas of Downtown, such as the waterfront, are well suited to leisurely strolling, as are many of the city’s suburbs, such as Dearborn, Southfield, Ann Arbor and Grosse Pointe.

Bus Tours
Various four-hour bus tours of Detroit are offered by Grayline Tours (tel: (313) 870 5012; website: www.grayline.com). The ‘Downtown and Greektown’ tour costs US$30 and sights include the Edsel and Eleanor Ford House, Downtown, and the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village.

Other Tours
Diamond Jack’s River Tours (tel: (313) 843 9376; website: www.diamondjack.com) offers a two-hour narrated cruise of the Detroit River from on-board a 27m (90ft) ship. Sights include the Detroit skyline and Belle Isle. The tour departs from the Hart Plaza in the city centre and costs US$14. Portofino Friendship (tel: (734) 281 6700) offers a cruise of the Detroit River, which lasts two-and-half hours and begins at the Portofino Restaurant.

Excursions

For a Half Day

Ann Arbor: When the University of Michigan decided to move its campus here from Detroit in 1837, it shaped the rise of a cultural and radical, albeit small, oasis. Less than one hour’s drive from the centre of Detroit, Ann Arbor offers an ideal venue for walks down quiet streets lined with cafs, restaurants, bookshops and record shops, or tours of the scenic university campus. Cultural attractions include the University of Michigan Museum of Art (tel: (734) 764 8662; website: www.umich.edu/~umma), housing the second largest collection of art in Michigan, and the University of Michigan Kelsey Museum of Archaeology (tel: (734) 764 9304; website: www.lsa.umich.edu/kelsey), which houses over 100,000 artefacts from ancient Egypt, the Middle East, Greece and Rome. Ann Arbor can be reached by car via I-94, by Amtrak train or by Greyhound bus. Further information can be obtained from the Ann Arbor Convention and Visitors Bureau (tel: (800) 888 9487; website: www.annarbor.org).

For a Whole Day

Windsor, Ontario: Located only a few minutes’ drive from Downtown Detroit, the Canadian city of Windsor is separated from its large American neighbour by the Detroit River. Apart from offering superb views of Detroit’s skyline, Windsor provides a number of other incentives to attract the visitor. Shopping is the chief draw for American visitors, the weak Canadian Dollar offering significant savings to holders of US Dollars. Its riverside cafs also offer a pleasant alternative to the busier streets of Detroit. There are also a number of prime tourist attractions. First among these is Casino Windsor, 377 Riverside Drive East (tel: (800) 991 7777; website: www.casinowindsor.com), a large-scale gaming venue located right on the Detroit River, offering over 100 table games and 3000 slot machines. The Canadian Club Distillery, 2072 Riverside Drive (tel: (519) 254 5171; website: www.canadianclubwhisky.com), where the famous Canadian Club whisky is made, is also a popular destination for its free distillery tour. Bus transport to Windsor is provided by Transit Windsor (tel: (519) 944 4111), operators of the Tunnel Bus. Windsor can also be easily accessed by car via the Detroit–Windsor Tunnel. Further information is available from the Windsor Convention and Visitors Bureau (tel: (800) 265 3633; fax: (519) 255 6192; website: www.city.windsor.on.ca/cvb).

Sport

Detroit is one of the few American cities that has a team in each of the four major spectator sports – ice hockey, baseball, basketball and football. The most recent team to bring home a championship was the Detroit Redwings ice hockey team (tel: (313) 396 7444; website: www.detroitredwings.com) in 1997. They play at Joe Louis Arena, 600 Civic Center Drive, in the heart of Downtown. The Detroit Tigers baseball team (tel: (313) 962 4000 or (313) 471 BALL/2255; website: www.detroittigers.com) recently moved to the new Comerica Park stadium, 2100 Woodward Avenue. The brand-new, state-of-the-art Ford Field, Brush Street and East Adams Avenue, located very near Comerica Park, will be home to the Detroit Lions (tel: (800) 616 7627; website: www.detroitlions.com), who play their first football game there on 24 August 2002. Detroit’s basketball team, the Pistons (tel: (248) 377 0100; website: www.detroitpistons.com), play at the Palace of Auburn Hills, 2 Championship Drive, Auburn Hills.

Information and tickets for all teams and games are available through their websites or box office telephone numbers; alternatively Ticketmaster (tel: (248) 645 6666; website: www.ticketmaster.com) also sells tickets for all games.

Fitness centres: The Eastside Family YMCA, 10100 Harper Avenue (tel: (313) 921 0770), is in the east of the city centre and offers a swimming pool, weight room, two gyms and racquetball courts. North of the city centre in Warren, the Ridgewood Center, 13333 Racine Street (tel: (586) 751 8080), offers facilities such as a track, pool and fitness room.

Golf: Although golf may be consigned to warmer months due to the harsh Michigan winters, it is nevertheless very popular. A number of courses exist in Downtown Detroit, including the Belle Isle Golf Course, Belle Isle Park (tel: (313) 852 4075 or 4186; US$15), which offers a nine-hole course on the picturesque Belle Isle. Palmer Park, Woodward Avenue (tel: (313) 883 2525; US$17), located closer to Downtown, offers an 18-hole course.

Tennis: The Eastside Tennis Club, 18201 East Warren Avenue (tel: (313) 886 2944), has six hard courts and two clay courts. The minimum fee is US$24. There is a surcharge of US$10 for a non-member, who must be accompanied by a member.

Shopping

Perhaps the most representative gift a visitor could bring home from Detroit would be a car. On the more practical end, the mall-oriented nature of the city offers good shopping for visitors. Downtown offers a number of shops to get something in the way of a memento, while the suburbs bring together a large number of big-name retail American shops, although visiting them may require a 20-minute drive. Michigan charges a 6% sales tax that cannot be refunded. Shops are usually open 1000-2100 Monday-Saturday and 1200-1800 Sunday. Some smaller shops may not be open on Sundays.

Downtown, those on their way to visit Windsor in Ontario, Canada, can buy duty-free liquor, tobacco, fragrances, crystal and jewellery at the Ammex Duty-Free Shop, just before the Detroit–Windsor Tunnel. The Detroit Athletic Company, 1740 Michigan Avenue, located near historic Tiger Stadium, sells Detroit-themed sports memorabilia and sportswear. Other Detroit memorabilia, like hubcap clocks, t-shirts and books, can be found at Pure Detroit, 156 Congress Street West. Downtown mall shopping can be found at the Renaissance Center, East Jefferson Avenue at Beaubien Street. Suburban malls and department stores worth visiting include Grosse Pointe Village, intersection of Kercheval and Cadieux, in Grosse Pointe; Marshall Fields (formerly Hudson's), 21500 Northwestern Highway, in Southfield; the Fairlane Town Center, 18900 Michigan Avenue, in Dearborn. There is also a great deal of factory outlet shopping, including Birch Run, 12240 South Beyer Road, north of Flint, and Great Lakes Crossing, 4362 Baldwin Road, in Auburn Hills.

Culture

Unfortunately, Detroit has a reputation that precedes it – as a city scarred by urban waste, surrounded by vast suburbs of malls and parking lots. In some ways, nothing could be further from the truth. Not only was Detroit home to the birth of Motown but it has had a thriving arts scene for a very long time. Professional opera dates back well into the 19th century and continues to thrive within the superb acoustics of the historic Detroit Opera House. Detroit also has a thriving theatre community spearheaded by the well-known Fox Theatre. The city also possesses the most live theatre seats in the United States outside of New York.

Ticketmaster (tel: (248) 645 6666; website: www.ticketmaster.com) sells tickets for a large number of Detroit cultural events. The monthly city magazine, Hour, has good listings and is available from news-stands and some hotels.

Music: Michigan Opera Theatre (website: www.motopera.org) stages opera, operetta, dance and musical works at the Detroit Opera House, 1526 Broadway (tel: (313) 961 3500 or 237 7464, box office). The Detroit Symphony Orchestra (website: www.detroitsymphony.com) performs classical, pop, jazz and holiday concerts at the historically and acoustically acclaimed Orchestra Hall, 3711 Woodward Avenue (tel: (313) 576 5111, box office).

Theatre: The cornerstone of the Detroit theatre district is the Fox Theatre, 2211 Woodward Avenue (tel: (313) 596 3200; website: www.olympiaentertainment.com), which hosts big-name musicals. The Fisher Theatre, 3011 West Grand Boulevard (tel: (313) 872 1000; website: www.nederlanderdetroit.com), plays host to touring productions of New York comedies, dramas and musicals. The Plowshares Theatre Company, 2870 East Grand Boulevard (tel: (313) 872 0279; website: www.plowshares.org), is Michigan’s only African-American theatre company, presenting comedies, new works and state premieres of African-American plays.

Dance: The Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts, 350 Madison Avenue (tel: (313) 963 2366; website: www.musichall.org), dubbed the ‘dance capital of middle America’, is an intimate theatre that possesses good sightlines and acoustics and presents a strong dance programme. The Detroit Dance Collective, 29 East Adams Avenue (tel: (313) 965 3544), and the Eisenhower Dance Ensemble, 1541 West Hamlin Road, Rochester Hills (tel: (248) 852 5850 or 5875; website: www.ede-dance.org), companies perform modern dance throughout the Detroit area.

Film: Visitors wishing to take in a movie in Detroit will find a Motown-themed lobby and stadium-style seating at the Star Theatre, 25333 West 12 Mile Road, Southfield (tel: (248) 372 2222; website: www.star-theatres.com). The AMC Theatre, 44681 Mound Road, Sterling Heights (tel: (586) 254 5663; website: www.amctheatres.com), features no less than 30 different screens, while the Birmingham Eight Theater, 211 South Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham (tel: (248) 644 3456), has eight state-of-the-art screens in restored Art Deco splendour. Tickets may be purchased over the telephone. Repertory and arthouse films can be seen at Detroit Institute of Arts, 5200 Woodward Avenue (tel: (313) 833 7900; website: www.dia.org), and the Landmark Main Art Theater, 118 North Main Street, at 11 Mile Road, Royal Oak (tel: (248) 542 0180; website: www.landmarktheatres.com).

The pleasant community of Grosse Pointe was the setting for the recent romantic comedy starring John Cusack, Grosse Pointe Blank (George Armitage, 1998). The more sinister side of Detroit was explored by Robocop (Paul Verhoeven, 1987), a tale of urban decay, insane corporate greed and technology run amuck.

Cultural events: The North American International Auto Show, held in January every year, is Detroit’s world-famous auto show, where America’s latest car designs are unveiled to the public. In May, the Greektown Arts Festival is a celebration of art, music and food. The Michigan State Fair, the oldest in the country, featuring livestock, agricultural displays, rides and concerts, takes place every summer at the end of August and early September. The Detroit Festival of Arts is an international arts festival featuring over 100 artists, a children’s fair and food. It takes place in September.

Literary Notes
Mitch Albom is a Detroit native who is one of America’s most recent phenomena after publishing Tuesdays with Morrie (1997). After hearing that one of his former university professors was terminally ill, Albom spent a great deal of time with him and documented the life of his mentor in this moving work, which had a very lengthy run on the New York Times bestseller list.

Elmore Leonard is one of America’s best-known thriller and Western writers and lives in Detroit. He is best known for Rum Punch (1992), which was made into Quentin Tarantino’s Jackie Brown (1997), and Get Shorty (1990), which was made into a movie of the same name starring John Travolta. Having written over three dozen novels, it is not surprising that his hometown and surrounding countryside make it into his subject matter. City Primeval: High Noon in Detroit (1980) is the story of a veteran homicide officer in a showdown with a psychotic killer.

Nightlife

Although Detroit’s blighted urban core may have a reputation for being dangerous after dark, its nightlife often surprises those new to the city. Musically, Detroit has long been an innovative presence, bringing both Motown and techno to popular audiences. Although it is true that Downtown is less populous at night than during the day, it is still home to a number of nightspots and more and more suburbanites are coming back to the area on Friday and Saturday nights. Rivertown is a good place to find jazz and blues bars, while the theatre district at the north end of Downtown has more upmarket eating and drinking establishments. The suburbs too are a good place to find clubs and bars. Younger crowds have plenty to choose from as far as dance clubs and bars in Ann Arbor and Pontiac. Royal Oak and Birmingham offer a more eclectic mix of entertainment. The free weekly Metro Times can help with listings.

Alcohol can legally be served in Detroit until 0200 to over-21-year-olds. Dress at most bars and clubs is casual. When a dress code is in effect, it usually has more to do with style and less to do with any explicit smart dress policy. Bars usually charge admission if a live band is playing and it is common to pay a fee at the door of nightclubs. Mixed drinks cost around US$4-5.

Bars: The Town Pump Tavern, 100 West Montcalm Street, offering 18 draft beers, tends to fill up after work and especially before and after baseball and hockey games. In the heart of Greektown, Athens Lounge, 517 Monroe Street, is known for its karaoke, but unlike most other bars of its kind, the talent is good, some say very good. For a full bar, billiards, great live international and national acts and a large dance floor, visit the Magic Stick, 4120 Woodward Avenue.

Casinos: Those wishing to gamble in Detroit have the option of travelling to Windsor, where the legal gambling and drinking age is 19 years, or staying right in Detroit, where the legal age is 21 years. The MGM Grand Detroit, 1300 John C Lodge (tel: (877) 888 2121), offers over 2400 slot machines and over 80 table games. Casino Windsor, 377 Riverside Drive East (tel: (800) 991 7777), offers more than 100 table games and 3000 slot machines. Neither casino enforces a dress code, although patrons must possess photo identification.

Clubs: As with all other forms of evening entertainment, nightclubs are spread throughout the Detroit area. Lush, 10241 Joseph Campau Street, is located in Hamtramck, just slightly north of Downtown, and offers leopard-pattern carpeting, velvet walls and everything from hip hop to techno DJs five nights a week. The Deck at Hocketown Caf, 2301 Woodward Avenue, features a lively dance floor from Tuesday to Saturday, offering a mixture of DJs and live music right in the heart of Downtown.

Live music: The hottest spot in town for jazz, blues, rock and reggae is the Majestic Theatre, located in the heart of the city’s cultural centre at 4120 Woodward Avenue. Ferndale’s Magic Bag, 22920 Woodward Avenue, is also a popular blues spot, featuring past acts like Bo Didley and Burning Spear and welcoming the grizzled blues veteran and the office worker alike. Closer to Downtown, Hamtramck’s Lili’s 21, 2930 Jacob Street, is the spot for original modern rock where bands have been playing their own music since the 1920s.

City Statistics

Location: Michigan, USA.
Country dialling code: 1.
Population: 951,270 (city).
Ethnic mix: 57% white, 40% black, 1% Asian or Pacific Islander, 2% other.
Time zone: GMT - 5 (GMT - 4 from first Sunday in April to last Sunday in October).
Electricity: 110 volts AC, 60Hz; flat round two-pin plugs are standard.
Average January temp: - 5C (23F).
Average July temp: 22C (72F).
Annual rainfall: 1030mm (41 inches).

Special Events

North American International Auto Show, Jan, Cobo Conference and Exhibition Center
Greektown Arts Festival, celebration of music, art and food, May, Greektown
Michigan State Fair, oldest state fair in the USA, Aug-Sep, Michigan State Fairground
Ford Detroit International Jazz Festival, Aug-Sep, Hart Plaza
Detroit Festival of Arts, international arts festival, mid-Sep, University Cultural Center and the streets surrounding the cultural attractions near Wayne State University
America’s Thanksgiving Parade, Nov, Woodward Avenue

Cost of Living

One-litre bottle of mineral water: US$1
33cl bottle of beer: US$3
Financial Times newspaper: US$1
36-exposure colour film: US$6
City-centre bus ticket: US$1.25
Adult football ticket: US$30-35
Three-course meal with wine/beer: From US$25

1 American Dollar (US$1) = 0.52; C$1.25; A$1.28; 0.77
Currency conversion rates as of May 2005