Weekend leisure activities in Detroit

Of all the places, I am off on business to Detroit/Lansing...

For a US Virgin - what do i expect?!?!

I have the weekend there and in total a week to play around...

hi arshoo,

i haven't been to detroit, but i think the great lakes are very beautiful. maybe you can find some nice nature place like a state park, that has some forests and beaches nearby. i hope the weather will be nice.

One word: Windsor

i'm sorry. Detroit is ugly.

I'll second that, everytime I went to Detroit, I stayed in Windsor... however that was due to the drinking age though. The place is filled with American teens at night.

Poor darling. Read this (Letters from America), you might consider quitting your job.

Ah, should add for our milka-chocolate friend that Windsor is Canada (right across the lake). he might need a visa for that.

Oooohhh, good call! That might be a problem. And I believe it's across the river, not a lake. But then I have only been there twice and got completely drunk both times.

poor you!
if you're bored and heaps of time go down to Chicago. or take the Lake Express across Lake Michigan and i'll pick you up there (i live near the boat) and you can hang out in Milwaukee for a bit! i promise although Milwaukee may seem drab and boring you'll have a good time!

You probably weren't in Dee-troit at all.

Detriot centre is a dangerous dump and even the posh areas are not by EU standards unless you like driving everywhere and strip malls. If you must stay in Detroit go see some sports or the Motown museum, Greek street OK too for a meal but you must not venture out of the ends or risk a shooting. Avoid the restaurant call the Big Fish the food is dire unless you like prawn cocktails or no flavour fish pre cut so you can stab it with your fork.

If you are staying there stay in the posh areas (ask your colleages) and get a hotel there. Some Ok bars for chillies and a beer etc

My advice is to go to Canada (Windsor nearlest as above) where you can walk around without getting a cap in your ass. The difference is amazing it's like being back in civilised europe again, walk into bars restaurants etc etc. Don't buy anything or customs will get pissed. Negative side: you need to go through US customs again (wankers mainly) to get back to Detroit Hell.

Why not look for a cheapo internal flight out of Detroit...get on expedia, I was in one of the rich parts when I was there and there ain't nothing doing ... Seems a shame to waste your 1st trip to the US!

Dude, you are all set. Take that deal immediately before she changes her mind.

Good luck. Lock and load. Visit 8-Mile road if you get the chance.

I hope you have a kevlar vest and a 9mm

I would agree with most of the posters here - hope a boat or a flight and see something else. If it were me, I'd hop a flight to Chicago. Love the place, great town for a nice young traveller to lose your US virginity. You wont have to hassle with customs and theres loads of sightseeig recs already posted. Though make sure you get a non-stop flight eh. If you're seriously considering windsor, check with iceberg slim. Knows the place well he does.

generally you take the bordercrossing over the River, but there is also boats across the small lake there. So, you are all right. And most people to cross over to Canada for the 'Windsor Ballet' meaning the strip joints, as in Canada they remove more than they do in the US, and the beer is better.

i still say you should take the Lake Express over to Milwaukee, WI. fun truly can be had here... and we could do a trip down to Chicago too

Okay, as someone who actually grew up near metro Detroit, thought I'd offer a bit of a different perspective...
Windsor can be nice...if you are 19 or 20 and cannot yet drink in the states. Expect large weekend crowds, lots of young drunk people and long lines to get across the border at the tunnel and bridge.

Detroit itself, yes, is not the nicest of cities. However, in the past ten years certain areas have been built up and the area around Ford Field and Tiger Stadium (do try and go to a game if you can) is actually quite nice and trendy, lots of decent bars to go to (Fifth Ave, Hockey Town Cafe, Old Shilelagh, Town Pump, etc..) Granted, I wouldn't wander outside the direct area. The suburbs will be nicer, but you will have to drive to get anywhere which rather sucks after being used to public transit here. I would personally suggest Novi or Royal Oak or even Plymouth as a decent going-out place as they have actual downtown areas with fairly good nightlife options (for Michigan..)

Lansing is also a decent place to go out in -- huge college town with MSU being there so you shouldn't have a problem finding something doing, though might have quieted down a bit now that the semester has just ended. Also, might as well plug my home town of Ann Arbor, which you should visit if you get the chance (ca. 20 min drive from metro airport)

Have a good trip!

Not to create negative energy but do you remember the Worst city in the US thread? Detroit was mentioned quite a few times.

Aw shucks!! I might be dead!

Thanks for all the advice people, really nice. Well it seems kevlar and 9mm it is

I shall stick to the center and not venture out.

mere - thanks so much for the offer, if I have time (have to ask for the schedule from office) I will PM you and take the boat to you!

The roughest towns generally produce some pretty good music, and Detroit has spawned some aces in it's time. If I were you, I'd been checking out all the local music scene for a whole week. It keeps you occupied, and I'll bet there is some good stuff around.

While I agree with many of the negative points about Detroit, you can still manage to find some stuff to do. Michigan isn't a bad state at all... good fishing and some nice siteseeing is possible. The Warren Dunes (if thats the right spelling) are nice in the summer (along Lake Michigan).

As a Chicago native and having just returned from Chicago on Sunday, I'd say you'd be making a MAJOR mistake not to hop a short flight or drive over to Chi-Town for a weekend. Definitely hit Millenium Park and some Blues Clubs; Buddy Guy's Legends, House of Blues, Blue Chicago or Frankie's Blues Room in Naperville. If you're adventurous after a night out on the town, venture to Weiner Circle for a char-dog in the early morning hours on Clark (near Belmont/Fullerton). You won't be disappointed by the experience...just don't be offended by the screaming, its all in good fun After a weekend in Chicago you may choose to miss your flight back to Detroit

Best thing to do in Detroit at the weekend is leave, either go under the river via the tunnel and go to canada, or if you have a hire car go and visit the niagara falls, there are a number of Casinos around The Grand and Greek Street, I like Sin thought there should be good music but in the 3X2 week stints I did out there I never found any. The other option is to shop, there are some good and huge shopping malls. Also Lansing has absolutly nothing there, its completely dead. One other thing you will need a hire car.

Priceless!

well its true, even the locals try and escape

do not take the Amtrak. it takes sooooo damn long. it surprised me how long it took. at least 5 hours? i cannot remember. i took the train from Chicago to Detroit, however. i felt sometimes i could run faster than the train! driving would be better.

i know i visited some large, outdoor museum (I stayed with friends in Novi). there was even the lab where Edison worked, brought over from New York (I think). lots of other replicas, even women weaving with old weaving machines & wearing the clothes of the time. nice to walk around. i even had a tour of Henry Ford's house!

The Ford museum is also worth a trip round, but its only a few hours at most, there is also a so called german town thats there that makes christmas decorations all year round, its fun to look at what the americans actually think german towns are really like, but again only worth a quick trip

From what DrivinWest told me last night, sounds like you will really be in Lansing and not so much in Detroit. Lansing is a good 70 miles away from Detroit.

My advice is to do a bar night in East Lansing, the home of Michigan State University. The main strip of bars is on Grand River. I think that you, being a US virgin and all, will find the MSU college girls to be a worthwhile experience in itself.

Depending on the time you have, you can drive over to Lake Michigan or Lake Huron, but they are both quite a drive, about 50 miles or so.

Having grown up in Detroit, its not so bad, but the weak are definitely killed and eaten there.

you can call my ex for beers, he is a good guy, and lives in the area.

I was seeing a girl who was from Metro Detroit for a while and i had a really enjoyable trip when i went over there to visit. OK yes Detroit itself is a bit of a hole but Michigan is a really pretty state if you've got a rental car and don't mind a couple of hours drive. And it's nowhere near as depressing as being in a 1960s new town in London's commuter belt

Places to see:

Henry Ford Museum
Ann Arbor or Royal Oak (great for a bar crawl...not like the other horrible spread out suburbs around there)
Go to a Tigers game and have a look round Downtown. There are a few blocks that ARE safe and full of bars & restaurants

A bit further out:

Traverse City...gorgeous...great beaches, nice shops, cool bars & restaurants
Sleeping Bear Dunes
Cedar Point Amusement Park
Chicago