Five Cities With a Bad Rap: Detroit, The Motor City

October 19, 2009 at 4:36 PM | by Chanize | Comments (7)

Some locales can�t seem to shake their less-than-sparkling reputations despite efforts to lock away the skeletons of yesterday. We�ve decided to highlight five of these Bad Rap Cities that are making moves to shed their grimy and gritty images in hopes of becoming more tourist-friendly. Maybe, just maybe, after reading this series you'll be willing to take a chance on them. Enjoy.

Why Go?
Despite the auto industry�s depressed state, the Motor City has plenty of bright spots. This is Motown, so soul permeates the streets as well as an admirable air of survival. Even Hollywood has infiltrated the city, filming shows like HBO�s "Hung," and making movies like "Red Dawn" and "Gran Torino" on its streets.

People are passionate here, especially when it involves politics and sports, and they don�t apologize for their opinions. Yes, Detroit is a bit messy-- one street can sport beautiful new buildings, but a block away lies a condemned property awaiting its fate--either remodel or eternal eyesore.

Those still raising their eyebrows over Detroit are usually older folks still channeling 1967 riot memories or referring to neighborhoods where tourists wouldn�t visit anyway unless they were courting trouble. And the tales of government corruption? Meh. Unless you plan on moving there, it�s nothing the average visitor would experience. Our advice? Ignore the naysayers and head to Michigan.

After all, a place that counts Aretha Franklin, Madonna and Robert Frost as natives can�t be all that bad.

What to Do:
Get the skinny on "The D" by taking �The Good, The Bad and The Hopeful bus tour from Feet on the Street. The three-hour adventure visits the downtrodden East Side area, but makes a stop at the beautifully bizarre Heidelberg Project�an outdoor art statement of urban plight. You�ll also learn about Detroit's history and see the city�s many revitalization efforts including the new five-mile Riverwalk project.

Visitors of all hues should head to the fascinating Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, the largest of its kind in the country. It�s located in the museum heavy Cultural Center area so make a day of it and check out the Detroit Institute of Arts as well.

Saturday�s bear witness to Detroit�s melting pot scene at the huge outdoor Eastern Market, where Detroiters--from Indian to Jewish suburbanites come together to scoop up the bountiful state�s fruit and veg.

The food scene is another rainbow of flavors. Try flamb�ed saganaki at Greektown�s Pegasus Tavern, savor soul food for a song at Southern Fires, or pop in to Roma�s, Detroit's oldest Italian restaurant, and get a touch of Soprano-like ambiance with your pasta. But don�t leave the city without tasting a Coney, a natural casing hot dog smothered with chili, sweet onions and mustard. Many locals will steer you to American Coney Island, serving the dogs for over 90years.

Sound Sleep:
The gigantic RenCen (local speak for Renaissance Center) is General Motors� headquarters and also houses the towering Marriott. Its downtown location is a major perk, fronting the Riverwalk and rooms offering center views of Windsor, Ontario. It�s also within walking distance of many of the cities best attractions.

Insider Tip:
Sounds silly, but in this town it doesn�t hurt to make sure your rental car is an American model, if just to blend with the crowd. Rent a Hyundai and you risk getting it smashed. Just kidding. Sorta.

Save tons on parking fees by stashing your ride in the $3-per-day GM lot near the RenCen. Use the car to explore areas like Mexican Town and Hamtramck during the day and at night park your car and use the People Mover train (only 50 cents a ride!) to hit spots such as Comerica Park (home to Detroit Tigers), the Detroit Opera House and the Grand Circus Park entertainment district.

Want to share your own experience visiting Detroit? Join the conversation and comment below.

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· Detroit Travel [Jaunted]

Comments (7)

Return to » Five Cities With a Bad Rap: Detroit, The Motor City

Since I watched Hung on HBO. There's so much history there. But I'll wait until the weather gets warmer again.

Thanks for a positive piece on Detroit! Here are a few more reasons to go. http://matadortrips.com/detroit-is-for-lovers/ And a fun fact - the final scenes in the first Transformers movie, when Shia is running through the empty building and through downtown, were fimed in Detroit. The empty building was the Michigan Central Station.

Yes, I drove by the station, Katie and it was awesome. If they do decide to renovate it like I heard they would, it will be gorgeous. How people consider it an eyesore now is beyond me.

Thanks for supporting Detroit and letting the readers know we have lots to offer. I enjoyed showing you Detroit on The Good, The Bad and The Hopeful Tour- it was a pleasure to meet you. For your readers, our correct website is www.FeetOnTheStreetTours.com Thinking about visiting Detroit- we would love to show you around on our walking, bus, car or bike tours. Linda Yellin, founder phone number 248-353-8687

Nice write-up -- Detroit deserves all the props it can get. Great music city with all kinds of special dive bars. I went to Wayne State in the lovely Cass Corridor (now known as MidTown) be sure to check out that area too. Double check transportation stuff though - last I checked the People Mover won't get you to Comerica Park.

Glad you liked the story. Actually, you can take the People Mover to the Grand Circus stop, which is just a short block or three from Comerica.

Great Rap on Detroit! Here are more reasons to come to Detroit: For those who love music and the arts, Detroit has its treasures. In addition to the fantastic Detroit Institute of Arts (be sure to check out the Diego Rivera Court), there are many, many wonderful galleries which feature local artists. Be sure to check out the historic Pewabic Pottery (gallery, museum, shop, production tours, classes) and Detroit Artists Market. On the musical side, Palmer Woods, a historic neighborhood just west of Woodward Avenue and north of Seven Mile Road, has a world class concert series with Detroit-based (and internationally-acclaimed) musicians who perform jazz, classical and global music in magnificent mansions, castles and cool homes. Concerts are held once a month. More info at Palmerwoods.org

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