A few weekends ago, I was blessed to be able to visit Detroit, MI and experience much of what this wonderful Midwest city has to offer. Similar to my hometown of Cleveland, OH, Detroit gets a bad reputation. While this gritty city has had it’s fair share of gloom and doom, I’m here to tell you why you should give Detroit a chance. Take a look at the below five places to visit in Detroit, MI and you too may find yourself booking a weekend getaway to the Motor City.
Five Places to Visit in Detroit, MI
1. RiverFront: Need a breath of fresh air? Take a stroll down the Detroit RiverFront. Along the way, you’ll pass gardens, walkers/bikers/runners, boats, monuments, and more! Be sure to stop in Hart Plaza and don’t forget to say hello to Canada across the way!
2. Pop-up Christmas Markets: In need of some holiday cheer? Be sure to check out the pop-up markets currently happening in downtown Detroit. There are blow-up igloos filled with coffee and hot cocoa stations, ping-pong tables and other holiday treats! An ice-skating rink begs you to glide away from the stress of the season and small shops have taken up residence to assist you with those last minute purchases. Twinkling lights and seasonal cardboard cut-outs make for festive photo ops and I bet you’ll leave this area happier than you came.
3. Greektown: As many of you know, I visited Greece for the first time last summer and fell in love with just about everything! When I discovered that Detroit had a Greek town, that sealed the deal…I love Detroit! I recommend stopping here for a meal and eating all the tzatziki, moussaka and baklava that you can get your hands on.
4. Eastern Market: Is there anything better than a lazy day spent at the market browsing local goods, gazing at Christmas decor and tasting sweet treats? I think not! I absolutely loved the Eastern Market. This huge outdoor space includes 6 different sheds filled with local vendors including food, drink, crafts, furniture, home goods and more! There is also amazing street art surrounding the market which makes for excellent photos and enjoyable walks.
5. Heidelberg Project: There aren’t too many things that leave me speechless but this is one of them!
According to www.Heidelberg.org, this project is “is an outdoor art environment in the heart of an urban area and a Detroit based community organization designed to improve the lives of people and neighborhoods through art. The elements of the canvas contain recycled materials and found objects, most of which were salvaged from the streets of Detroit. Each work of art is carefully devised to tell a story about current issues plaguing society. As a whole, the HP is symbolic of how many communities in Detroit have become discarded. It asks questions and causes the viewer to think.”
It definitely made me think and left quite the statement in my heart and mind. Don’t miss this experience!
Isn’t Detroit cool?! I hope that this article encourages you to explore and visit these five places, but also to seek out all of the other amazing experiences that Detroit has to offer. This CLE gal will be back soon…
