The List - Detroit
The top 10 must-dos in Detroit
Heidelberg Project
© JAMES LEYNSE/CORBIS
1 Heidelberg Project
Twenty-five years ago, artist Tyree Guyton took a paintbrush to the blighted East Side neighborhood of his youth, turning it into a magnificent, two-block open-air gallery. Download a map and explore polka-dot houses and sculptures made from found objects. 3600 Heidelberg St; 313-974-6894; www.heidelberg.org
2 The Henry Ford
This sprawling, history-buff nirvana features five attractions, including a museum and 80-acre backin-time Greenfield Village. Watch an 1867 baseball game, check out the Wright Brothers’ shop or take in the world’s largest living roof at Ford’s oldest manufacturing complex. 20900 Oakwood Blvd, Dearborn; 313-271-1620; www.thehenryford.org
3 Detroit RiverWalk
This scenic 3-mile path puts walkers, joggers and bikers right next to the Detroit River. You can ride a carousel, take a riverboat cruise or enjoy spectacular city views. Look south and you'll spot Canada; Detroit is the only major city in the lower 48 where it's possible to do that. Detroit River, from Joe Louis Arena to Gabriel Richard Park; 313-5668200; www.detroitriverfront.org
4 Motown Historical Museum
Explore “Hitsville USA” — the original home of Motown Records — where The Temptations, Diana Ross and the Supremes, and Marvin Gaye got their start. Don’t miss Berry Gordy’s upstairs apartment, which looks just like it did in the 1960s. 2648 W Grand Blvd; 313-875-2264; www.motownmuseum.com
5 Slows Bar B Q
This hotspot with up-to-two-hour waits has nabbed national notice for its juicy, slowcooked barbecue with offbeat toppings like smoked gouda and onion marmalade. It’s just one of co-owner Phillip Cooley’s projects that’s breathing new life into a once-rundown neighborhood. 2138 Michigan Ave; 313-9629828; www.slowsbarbq.com
6 Fox Theatre
Musicals, comedy and concerts get a run for their money at this jawdroppingly opulent 1928 former movie house. With more than 5,000 seats, it’s one of the largest theaters in the US. Catch The Color Purple (April 8-9) and indie champs The Pixies (April
22). 2211 Woodward Ave; 313-471-6611; www.olympiaentertain.ment.com
7 Bureau of Urban Living
A perennial on the city’s Best Of lists, this cheery boutique carries Detroitthemed goods (like City Bird’s totes and jewelry printed with vintage city maps) and trendy home accessories, including vases by notNeutral. 460 W Canfield St; 313-8339336; www.bureauliving.com
8 Detroit Institute of Arts
If you see just one thing at this acclaimed fine arts museum, make it Diego Rivera’s masterful Detroit Industry frescoes. Once controversial for their socialist themes, they celebrate the city’s 1930s manufacturing and labor force. 5200 Woodward Ave; 313833-7900; www.dia.org
9 The Whitney
This former home of a lumber baron is the perfect spot for elegant American cuisine after a visit to DIA or Fox Theatre. A work of art itself, the 1894 mansion features 20 fireplaces and an elaborate staircase in the Great Hall. Have a nightcap in the third-floor Ghost Bar. 4421 Woodward Ave; 313-832-5700; www.thewhitney.com
10 Detroit Zoo
This animal lover's Shangri-La has a butterfly garden and North America’s largest polar bear exhibit. Walk through the 70-foot-long underwater Polar Passage to see swimming bears and seals. 8450 W 10 Mile Rd, Royal Oak; 248-541-5717; www.detroitzoo.org
Reader Comments
- There are no comments posted yet. Be the first one!
