Detroit and surrounding area info needed.
 

Hello!

Flying into Detroit in a few weeks on my continuing quest to see all 50 states. I have a few questions.

1. What is the safest area of Detroit to stay in?

2. Any restaurant suggestions for Detroit, Dearborn or nearby areas -- BBQ, local favorites, etc.

3. Any off the beaten path attractions/sites we should see?

4. Any must do, must see, and/or must eats while in Michigan?

Just a few thoughts....

If you want to stay in Detroit (not one of the suburbs), stay in downtown Detroit, in one of the large hotels. A cheap eat & a Detroit land mark: Lafayette Coney Island. If there is a show at the Fox Theater which interests you, the Fox if worth going to---a really cool old re-furbished theater.

Dearborn would have some great middle eastern restaurants (I'm not familiar off hand with any, but, I'm sure you could google "best dearborn resturants" or something like that) Also in Dearborn: The Henry Ford--they will be having all sorts of holiday events happening--you can go on there web site.

Outside of Detroit, there is a will be lots going on with the holidays approching---an hour away is Frankenmuth--German type town w/fun chicken dinners (if you like that sort of thing) they will be decorated for Christmas.

also, Zingerman's Deli in Ann Arbor

Hi enjoylife,
Definitely find a hotel as close as possible to the Renaissance Center (GM world headquarters) and check out the Wintergarden. GM usually has some sort of cool exhibit there. I think you can still take the glass elevator to the top of the RenCen for awesome views up and down the Detroit River. You could have dinner in Greektown (sorry I can't recommend a specific restaurant). For Detroit swag and souvenirs, ask for directions to the Real Detroit store.

Here are some possible side trips:

Visit The Henry Ford and Greenfield Village (should be all dressed up for the holidays - I haven't been but I hear it is gorgeous at night!); you could also do a tour of the Ford Rouge Plant.

Make a day trip to Ann Arbor for shopping, eating, and wandering around the university - it's definitely the coolest town in Michigan! If you like college campuses and old buildings, seek out the Law Quad and the Law Library - really stunning! (And yes, Zingerman's Deli is awesome!)

Take a drive along Lakeshore Drive through the Grosse Pointes and marvel at all the multi-million dollar mansions along Lake St. Clair.

Other cool suburban cities are Birmingham (high-end shopping and people-watching) and Royal Oak (restaurants, funky shops, big music scene).

Some of the cider mills may still be open - a classic Michigan experience! One favorite is Yates Cider Mill in Rochester Hills.

Take a trip over the Ambassador Bridge to Windsor, Ontario.

If you like hiking and the outdoors - Bald Mountain State Recreation Area in Oakland Township or Pinckney State Recreation Area near Ann Arbor.

I'm living in Germany so I'm not going to tell you what I think of Frankenmuth... :-)

I hope you will have a car because the good stuff is spread far and wide, and it is of course the automobile capital of the U.S.A.!

If you want to stay in the City of Detroit, stay downtown. I would recommend the Marriott Hotel in the Renaissance Center. If you would prefer to stay in the suburbs, there is the Townsend Hotel in Birmingham and the Troy Marriott and the Somerset Inn in Troy. If you want to do some shopping, the Somerset Collection in Troy is fabulous.

We always recommend the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village to visitors.

Michigan is a beautiful state. Mackinac Island, Petoskey, Charlevoix, Traverse City - all great.

Hi enjoylife.

1. RenCen area or Greektown area for lodging. The Athenium in Greektown is really nice.

The Dearborn Inn in Dearborn is right across the street from Henry Ford/Greenfield Village is very nice too. There is also the Ritz and Hyatt which are both great. The brunch at the Hyatt is wonderful.

2. In Detroit, Pegasus in Greektown is a favorite. On that same street there area plenty of other great Greek restaurants too. I am not sure if the Astoria Bakery is still open but it is wonderful and just kitty corner to Pegasus. There is a Pizza Pappailos (sp) which is a Chicago-style pizza place near Pegasus too. There is also Mexican Town. If you want fancier there is The Whitney, The Rattlesnake Club, Leli's.

In Dearborn, you will want to eat at La Shish. There are two locations on Michigan Ave. The one closer to Outer Drive serves alcohol and the other one does not.

3. Ice skating at the RenCen is fun. Take the People Mover around town. You can go over to Windsor for the day but have your passports. The zoo will have lights up and is really pretty. There is a holiday light display you can drive through along Hines Drive.

4. Shopping in Birmingham is great, Summerset mall in Troy also great shopping.

You could see something at the Fischer or Fox theaters.

There is always Frankenmuth which is a fun experience at the holidays and there is Birch Run (huge outlet mall) nearby.

Grand Rapids has Gerald Ford museum/info and Battle Creek has Kellogg's factory and tours (you can take the train there from Ann Arbor).

There are tons of things to do in Ann Arbor.

Detroit has a great art institute and science center.

If you have any other questions, let me know!

Clarification of previous post - Ice Skating is at Campus Martius not at the RenCen. Campus Martius is downtown but several blocks from the RenCen.

If you stay at the RenCen Marriott, I recommend Seldom Blues or Andiamo's for dining. If you want to splurge, have dinner at Coach Insignia at the top of the hotel - fantastic views - but, it is pricey!

mikesmom, thanks for catching that. I actually meant to say Heart Plaza for ice skating but I guess that is old school now.:)

I also spelled Somerset wrong...meds are out of whack this morning. Don't turn me into the spelling police!

If you opt for the Marriott at Ren Cen, be sure to request a room above the 40th floor. The office towers in the complex are 39 floors and if you're lower, you'll probably get a full view of someone's desk.

Somerset is ok, but not much different than malls in Houston or Rosslyn, VA or several other places.

Spend some time to see the Fisher Building and Cadillac Place (old GM Building) in the New Center area. It was supposed to be similar to midwotn Manhattan, but was cut short by the depression.

There are several LaShish Restaurants around town including one in Livonia, Troy and the one at 22309 Michigan Ave near Monroe Street in Dearborn.

For great Italian food, go to Roma Cafe in the Eastern Market area. It's been around since 1890. In Windsor, head to Little Italy on East Erie Street. You can't go wrong at almost any restaurant in that area.

You can also tour some of the auto barons' houses. The best of the lot are the Edsel and Eleanor Ford house in Grosse Pointe Shores or Meadowbrook Hall on the campus of Oakland Univ in Rochester Hills. Both are decorated for the holidays.

The Cranbrook Community in Bloomfield Hills, about 20 miles north of the city, has a science and art museum and buildings designed by Eliel and Eero Saarinen and Albert Kahn.

How much time do you have?

You might want to take a factory tour of the Rouge Plant: http://www.thehenryford.org/rouge/

If you book a room at the RenCen Marriott, you can have a room below the 40th floor, but you must be facing the river. Otherwise, I agree - a room facing the city below the 40th floor will have a view of an office tower.

Hi - visit www.detroityes.com for info on what to see and do.

Oh gosh, can't you change your ticket and come see us in the summer? Michigan in the summer is one of the most beautiful places on the planet. Detroit in December, after leaves and before snow, is not.

Leaving for Detroit on Friday. Any last minute suggestions?

Dress warm..do stop in to a Coney Island and have a dog...Greek town is fun..the Henry Ford is wonerful...dress warm! Our Tiger's have a new home..

We just got some lovely snow last night. It is very pretty. I put this in the other post, but I will rewrite it here:

"I really don't want to poop on your parade, but just so you are informed, they don't actually make the trains at the Lionel factory anymore. We took the tour last year and basically you see a movie and can play with their very nice train display.

If you want a tour with more action you might try the Rouge River plant tour and see them build cars and Greenfield Village is doing their Holiday Nights event on the weekends. That is fun. We went last year and there are carolers and hot chocolate and Model T rides.

Both can be found here:

http://www.thehenryford.com/

And I see the Red Wings are in town this weekend."

Welcome to Michigan!