Visiting Detroit for a weekend - what should I do? (Dearborn: house, theater)

[ssscz]

Hi all. I'm coming in for a weekend in early December from Brooklyn. One of my friends that I am traveling with LOVES Detroit and is super excited to go back. She knows a ton of good places to eat, drink and visit. BUT I'd also love to have some input. I like good food, funky dive bars, art, shopping and would love to hear some suggestions!

[highlanderfil]

Honestly, while we can all list our personal favorites and argue the merits of each until we're blue in the face, Thrillist.com isn't a bad place to start. I've used it in a variety of cities and it's never steered me wrong.

[Coldjensens]

Hopcat
Cliff Bells (pricy food - good but big $, just have a drink and enjoy some Jazz
For Art - DIA
If it is cold and you want to stay inside go to the Henry Ford Museum.
Slows smokehouse is kind of a detroit icon, also one of the coney island places (American or Layfayette - I much prefer Layfayette)

Greektown - dont bother witht he casino, it is just a casino, but the area can be neat

Campus Martius - better in the summer, but you can ice skate there and roast mashmallows.

ren Cen - just to say you visited GM headquarters. It is kind of cool but vey empty.

If you want to see some spectacular architecture, visit the guardian building lobby, Fisher theater, Detroit Opera house, there are a lot of others, but that is a good start.

The puppet theater is actually kind of cool.

that is more than a weekend worth.

[Coney]

Originally Posted by Coldjensens

Hopcat
Cliff Bells (pricy food - good but big $, just have a drink and enjoy some Jazz
For Art - DIA
If it is cold and you want to stay inside go to the Henry Ford Museum.
Slows smokehouse is kind of a detroit icon, also one of the coney island places (American or Layfayette - I much prefer Layfayette)

Greektown - dont bother witht he casino, it is just a casino, but the area can be neat

Campus Martius - better in the summer, but you can ice skate there and roast mashmallows.

ren Cen - just to say you visited GM headquarters. It is kind of cool but vey empty.

If you want to see some spectacular architecture, visit the guardian building lobby, Fisher theater, Detroit Opera house, there are a lot of others, but that is a good start.

The puppet theater is actually kind of cool.

that is more than a weekend worth.

Don't let that name fool you. It bears no resemblance to an old-fashioned Nathan's or Yankee stadium hot dog. It's some sort of Greek-style hot dog. And I'm sure you know better to stay away from anything called "pizza."

The opera house has a very interesting history, but don't expect it to look like an "opera house." It's more like a theater and seats about 3,000. They have a lot of Broadway road tour company shows and tickets are usually less for those shows than what it costs at home.

Seconding the recommendation for the Ford Museum , Greenfield Village, Ford Rouge Factory Tour, etc.

[MaryleeII]

Originally Posted by Coldjensens

Hopcat
Cliff Bells (pricy food - good but big $, just have a drink and enjoy some Jazz
For Art - DIA
If it is cold and you want to stay inside go to the Henry Ford Museum.
Slows smokehouse is kind of a detroit icon, also one of the coney island places (American or Layfayette - I much prefer Layfayette)

Greektown - dont bother witht he casino, it is just a casino, but the area can be neat

Campus Martius - better in the summer, but you can ice skate there and roast mashmallows.

ren Cen - just to say you visited GM headquarters. It is kind of cool but vey empty.

If you want to see some spectacular architecture, visit the guardian building lobby, Fisher theater, Detroit Opera house, there are a lot of others, but that is a good start.

The puppet theater is actually kind of cool.

that is more than a weekend worth.

Henry Ford's home on Lakeshore Drive is open to the public for an admission fee. They decorate for Christmas!

[MaryleeII]

Originally Posted by Coney

Don't let that name fool you. It bears no resemblance to an old-fashioned Nathan's or Yankee stadium hot dog. It's some sort of Greek-style hot dog. And I'm sure you know better to stay away from anything called "pizza."

The opera house has a very interesting history, but don't expect it to look like an "opera house." It's more like a theater and seats about 3,000. They have a lot of Broadway road tour company shows and tickets are usually less for those shows than what it costs at home.

Seconding the recommendation for the Ford Museum , Greenfield Village, Ford Rouge Factory Tour, etc.

I also recommend Ford Museum, Greenfield Village, Ford Rouge, but do realize they are NOT located in the city of Detroit itself. They are some distance outside the city limits. They are world-class attractions, but a day in themselves.

[Coldjensens]

Originally Posted by MaryleeII

I also recommend Ford Museum, Greenfield Village, Ford Rouge, but do realize they are NOT located in the city of Detroit itself. They are some distance outside the city limits. They are world-class attractions, but a day in themselves.

You can do a dash tour. When my daughters worked there we would sometimes drop in and just look at one section or special presentation for an hour or less then leave, or even just basically run thorough the entire thing and stop and look at something that caught our eye on that particular visit. But it was free for us and we were there often. If you are only going there once, it would be a shame to spend only an hour or two. I think it costs $15 - $20 to get in so spend at least as long as you would spend at a movie.


The museum and the village are each a day by themselves. I refer the villiage, but
I would not go to the village in weather like we are having now. To me it is just miserable.

[djmilf]

Originally Posted by MaryleeII

Henry Ford's home on Lakeshore Drive is open to the public for an admission fee. They decorate for Christmas!

I think you mean the Edsel and Eleanor Ford home on Lakeshore Drive in Grosse Pointe.

[craig11152]

Originally Posted by djmilf

I think you mean the Edsel and Eleanor Ford home on Lakeshore Drive in Grosse Pointe.

Actually its in Grosse Pointe Shores I believe.

[Coldjensens]

You can also tour the ford home in Dearborn, but it is not very exciting.