Detroit, Michigan

Guide to Detroit: how to get there and where to stay, what to see and where to go in the evening. The most interesting in Detroit: fresh reviews and photos, places to see, branded entertainment and shopping.

According to toppharmacyschools, Detroit is an ambiguous city, but that is why it has some kind of mystical attraction. Its triumph came in the middle of the 20th century, when the giant automobile corporations and enterprises of the US military-industrial complex placed production here. At that time, Detroit was one of the richest cities in America, but as a result of the oil and energy crises, everything collapsed. For decades, he plunged into depression – people dispersed due to unemployment, entire residential areas were empty, crime was growing. The notoriety of the former automobile capital has spread far beyond the borders of the country.

Today, Detroit is a resurgent ghost town, a visual aid to the success and failure of capitalism in a given county. Insanely interesting, even dangerous, it is considered one of the most remarkable places in the US Midwest. People come here for the supernatural shots of abandoned skyscrapers, the “cinematic” architecture of America in the 1950s, the atmosphere of old despair and vague hope.

How to get to Detroit

There are no direct flights from Moscow to Detroit. Air France and KLM have one-stop flights in Paris ( Charles de Gaulle ) and Amsterdam ( Schiphol ). The minimum travel time is 13 hours, if the change of aircraft takes no more than an hour and a half. Aeroflot, Lufthansa and Delta offer to get to Detroit with two transfers – cheaper, you will have to spend about a day on the road.

From airport to city

From the Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, where all international flights arrive, SMART buses run to the city. Route number 261 is the most convenient – it passes through both terminals, its final stop is located on Michigan Avenue in Downtown.

A taxi ride to downtown Detroit will cost 40-45 USD.

Find cheap flights to Detroit

A bit of history

The development of the economy contributed to the cultural and architectural flourishing of the city. Once upon a time, American Paris, as Detroit was once called, with its Washington Boulevard, the public library building, the Institute of Arts and the Cobo Hall exhibition center, the 73-story high-rise Renaissance Center and the bronze composition “Spirit of Detroit” was the personification of well-being, stability and luxury. But everything is changing.

The development of the assembly line automobile industry at the Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler factories required cheap labor, which attracted a wave of black migrants from all over the country to the city, and they gradually began to push the white intelligentsia to the suburbs – and then completely beyond its borders.. With the advent of poor neighborhoods, Detroit began to slowly die from growing crime, prostitution and drug trafficking.

The phrase “Sex, drugs and Rock’n Roll” very accurately characterizes Detroit in the 1950s and 1960s.

However, if all of America successfully recovered from this fever, then the golden capital of Michigan, decimated by the oil crisis, demographic catastrophe, robbery and violence of criminal gangs, steadily rolled into poverty and oblivion. Looting, desolation and the government’s decision to demolish historic buildings in the city center to make way for parking spaces added a juicy touch to the picture of decline.

And yet, Detroit, with the remnants of cultural heritage, has managed to maintain the glory of the city, which tourists from all over the world want to see. We can say that the unstable economic situation, abandoned skyscrapers, theaters and an unspoken curfew for white citizens give a certain harsh romance to the western city. But lest walking around Detroit become a blockbuster for you, do not leave the hotel in the evening and stay away from Downtown.

Detroit Transportation

Detroit is geared primarily for cars – that’s how it was 70 years ago, that’s how it is now. However, there is some public transport. It is convenient to move around Downtown on the People Mover skytrain. True, the route is short – about 5 km (13 stops), but tourists will be able to see local sights and take good shots. Municipal buses MDOT run within the city, the carrier SMART delivers passengers from the suburbs. In 2017, the QLine light rail was launched, which runs from Grand Blvd to Congress Street.

An alternative to public transport is bike rental. It is even more interesting to ride a “two-wheeled friend” without forgetting the main rule – do not drive into suspicious places and dark alleys. The Mogo city system rental stations ( off. site in English) are located throughout Downtown and beyond (43 points in total). Not only standard units are available, but also adapted ones for people with disabilities.

A trip around the city by taxi – from 15 USD.

Rent a Car

Renting a car can be much more convenient than being tied to public transport, which is not so much in Detroit. Car rental agencies operate at the airport and the city itself. Almost all well-known companies are represented: Hertz, Avis, Budget, Alamo, Dollar, Kayak. There are also less famous ones: Payless, Thrifty, National, Enterprise, Executive. Their tariffs are quite acceptable, the cost of fuel is also good, so the service is popular.

There are almost no traffic jams in Detroit, there are plenty of parking lots in any area – even at rush hour there is guaranteed to be a place. Due to the lack of law enforcement officers (by the way, a very urgent problem for the city), the chance to run into the traffic police is small, but it is still not recommended to neglect the rules.

Detroit Hotels

You can’t call Detroit budget hotels – even for a bed in a hostel (there are not so many of them in the city) they ask for 30 USD / day. For an economy class room for two in a mid-range hotel or motel, you will have to pay at least 60-70 USD. However, a motel is not a dubious establishment near gas stations or on the outskirts, as is usually shown in Hollywood films, but a quite decent place with a good repair and a modern interior. For a night in a hotel of one of the world’s chains, you need to fork out for 150-400 USD.

It is better to stay in hotels in Downtown, Greektown, Foxtown and Rivertown – it is quite safe there. Do not settle in areas outside of Midtown. This is especially true of Forest Park, Highland Park, Hamtramck.

Detroit, Michigan