Donald Hiscock | Articles | The Independent
Why go now?
Detroit is known for being the location of the Motown sound and the hometown
of many popular musicians; Bob Seger, Alice Cooper and Eminem to name three.
The Hitsville recording studio is a place to go and drink up the atmosphere
of a glorious slice of musical history, but there are plenty of other places
in the city that are worth exploring. You won't have a problem with crowds
in Detroit as it does not feature on many people's lists of top US destinations.
Be sure to pack a personal stereo and a compilation of Motown classics as
you check out the motor city that is trying hard to put life back into its
downtown area. If you go soon you can hear The Isley Brothers live at the
splendid Fox Theatre. They might even sing their only Motown hit, 'This Old
heart of Mine'. Or the following month Tina Turner will be on the same stage.
The music is still in Detroit, even if the music-making has moved on.
Beam Down
Flight prices range from about ££00 to £450. Northwest/KLM
and British Airways are the main carriers. Commuter Express (888 854 6700)
runs regular buses to the city centre from Metro Airport (1), $19 one-way.
You can buy tickets in the baggage reclaim areas. Ideally, you need a car
to zip around Detroit. Driving is easy at the weekends and parking isn't much
of a problem.
Get Your Bearings
There is a Convention and Visitors Bureau at 211 West Fort Street (2) not
far from the river in Hart Plaza. This is a good place to get your bearings,
with Ontario behind you and the main arterial Woodward Avenue leading away
into the distance. This avenue divides the city into east and west. The city's
impressive museums, Symphony Hall and restored grand theatres are all along
this route. In the words of Martha and the Vandellas: "Come and get these
memories".
Watch out for...
Detroit has a reputation for being dodgy, but you should not feel uneasy in
the downtown area, even at night. Obviously, use common sense when walking
into some of the areas that appear run down
Check in
There isn't a great deal of choice in the city centre, particularly those
looking for cheap accommodation. The Ramada Downtown Detroit offers rooms
starting at $80 (3). But if you want to splurge and get a good view for the
price then the Detroit Marriott Renaissance Centre (313 568 8000) with its
revolving restaurant and cocktail lounge on the 71st floor is the place to
stay (4). In the same complex is the world headquarters of General Motors.
Rooms here cost from around $150. You will find many of the reasonably priced
chain motels in the suburbs on the edge of the interstate freeways, only ten
minutes away by fast roads. Expect to pay somewhere between $70 - $100 including
taxes.
Take a ride
Public transport is sparse; this is the motor city after all. It is also a
city of neighbourhoods, connected by short expressway rides. The downtown
is easy to cope with on foot, but even getting between the area on Woodward
around Comerica Park (5) and the museums near Wayne State University (6) might
be preferable by taxi or a rental car. However, for the tourist only, a ride
on the People Mover is a good way to get your bearings. A driverless monorail
that loops around the downtown area is good value for 50c. A circuit takes
fifteen minutes and reveals most of the sights, including Greektown (7) where
you will most likely end up finding a restaurant and a bit of nightlife.
Take a hike
To get an idea of what the city was like as a bustling metropolis about fifty
years ago, wander up and down Woodward Avenue (8). You'll be doing what Gladys
Knight asked when she sang, 'Just walk in my shoes.' Take a side detour to
look at the Art Deco Guardian Building on Griswold and Congress (9), before
heading for the unmissable modern architecture of Comerica Park baseball stadium.
Stop in at a small store called Pure Detroit (1551 Woodward) (10) for city
memorabilia, coffee and friendly advice from the staff. Go on up to the start
of the theatre district above Beech Street. The renovated 1920s Fox Theatre
(11) is the site of the famous Motown Reviews, featuring Stevie Wonder, Marvin
Gaye and The Supremes. Free tours of the sumptuous theatre run on weekdays
between 11am and 3pm. (313 596 3200).
Lunch on the run
In a city famous for hot dogs smothered with chilli sauce, called Coney Islands
or Coney Dogs, then for lunch it has got to be the local delicacy. They are
always cheap, served fast and taste good too. For a trip back in time to those
movies of the fifties call into Lafayette Coney Island at 118 W Lafayette
Boulevard (12). I heard about the place through the grapevine. Worth a visit,
as it certainly got me dancing in the street. A dog with everything costs
$1.89 and a plate of chilli fries is $2.26.
Cultural Afternoon
Three good museums huddle close together at Wayne State University. The absolute
must-see is the Detroit Institute of Arts (13). Works by Bruegel, Rembrandt,
Van Gogh and large murals by Diego Rivera will reward hours of your time.
Open 11 -4 Wednesday to Friday, 11 - 5 Saturday and Sunday, late night until
9 the first Friday of each month. $4 adults, $1 children and students (313
833 7900). The Detroit Historical Museum (14) is great for getting a sense
of how the city has evolved from fur trading post to industrial centre. Open
9.30 - 5 Tuesday to Friday, 10 - 5 Saturday and Sunday. $4.50 adults, under
12s free (313 833 1805). Nearby is the splendid Museum of African American
History in a striking new building (15). A huge slave ship is the centrepiece
exhibit. Open 9.30 - 5 Tuesday to Sunday. $5 adults, $3 children 17 and under,
under 5s free (313 494 5800). A few miles north at 2648 West Grand Boulevard
is the Motown Historical Museum, housed in the former Hitsville USA recording
studio (16). Open 10 - 5 Tuesday to Saturday, 12 - 5 Sunday and Monday. $6
adults, $3 under 12s. The famous Motown studio was started by berry Gordy
in 1959 and a visit to Studio A is where the early greats like Smokey Robinson,
Marvin Gaye and a young Stevie Wonder recorded their hits.
Window shopping
Time to select a new track on your stereo. This time it can only be 'Shop
Around' by The Miracles. A trip to the neighbourhoods is in order for some
decent shopping, unless you want to fill up on tourist souvenirs at the Renaissance
centre and Trappers Alley in Greektown. Try to get to Hamtramck (17) for bustling
life and small stores close to the city centre. Along its main street, Joseph
Campau, you will find Polish bakeries, coffee shops and old fashioned stores.
For things that you might want to put into your suitcase head further up to
Royal Oak (18). This is affluent, quasi-trendy Detroit. Sip iced latte as
you browse the boutiques for designer goods and objets d'art. Make sure you
stop in the name of love and try Noir Leather at 124 Fourth Street for something
special to wear (248 541 3979). For good value music with used CDs head to
Repeat the Beat at 520 S Washington (258 543 4310).
An aperitif
Have almost anything you can think of to order Bo-Mac's Lounge at 281 Gratiot
Avenue (19) (313 961 5152). It isn't really a place to drink so much as to
listen to the R+B at the weekends or the jazz jam session on Thursdays. Not
far away is the Town Pump Tavern at 100 W Montcalm (20) for a pre-dinner drink
(313 961 1929).
Demure dinner
The place to head for is Monroe Street at the heart of Greektown. As the name
suggests Greek food is easy to find. Join the queue in the lobby of Pegasus
Taverna at 558 Monroe (21) (313 964 6800). You can wait for your table to
be called in the bar. Food is good value and all your Greek favourites are
on the menu. A good blow out with wine for two can be had for around $70.
Another good value place is Pizza Papalis Taverna almost opposite at 553 Monroe
(22) (313 961 8020).
Sunday morning, go to church
Head back to Greektown and you have a choice of two of the city's most interesting
churches. The Roman Catholic St Mary's (23) dates from 1835, the interior
is bright and colourful and there are two elaborate grottoes either side of
the main door. Just down Monroe Street is Second Baptist Church (24) founded
by former slaves and famous for having Aretha Franklin as one of its former
singing parishioners.
Bracing brunch
A good place to be late on Sunday morning is the cultural district around
Wayne State. A brunch at Twingo's Café, 4710 Cass (25) will prepare
you for another turn at the neighbourhood's museums. Omelette of the day costs
$6, but there is the full range of brunch food to choose from. Indulge. Agree
with The Four Tops: "I can't help myself'. You can have plenty to eat
and a choice of specialist coffees for around $20 (313 832 3832). Brunch at
the Gallery Grill inside the Institute of Arts is also available.
A walk in the park
The obvious destination is Belle Isle (26), a 1,000 acre park designed by
Olmstead of New York Central Park fame. Sitting in the middle of the Detroit
River a few miles from downtown, the park offers tame deer, a nature centre
and the nation's oldest fresh water aquarium. Good for birdwatching or just
idly rollerblading, the park has the dubious distinction of being the location
for the annual Detroit Grand Prix.
The icing on the cake
How about a quick trip to another country? Head due south into Canada, for
this is the only place in the US that you can do just that. A frequent shuttle
bus runs between major downtown locations via a tunnel to Windsor, Ontario
(27). This is where many Detroiters head on a Saturday night to eat, drink
and take advantage of good exchange rates to gamble in the casino. Why not
pop over to get a photograph of the Detroit skyline. The journey takes a few
minutes, but will depend on queues and customs formalities. The trip costs
$2.35 (Canadian) one way. And the final number on your personal stereo? Why
not try The Supremes' 'I'll be there'.