Michigan, United States

Detroit

Spend 2 days: DIA and Midtown, Eastern Market on Saturday, the RiverWalk, and Corktown for dinner and drinks. Two nights for the downtown rink, Rivera's murals and Holiday Nights. Below: 4 sights, 2 activities and 3 outdoor spots, plus how Detroit fits into a longer trip.

Plan Detroit with friends Browse 16 places

Places: 16
Curated routes: 2
Best season: May – Sep
Warmest month: July
Coolest month: January
Wettest month: May

Climate: NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages.

Things to do in Detroit

16 places from our curated routes, grouped by what you will do there. Each one has its own page with the address and full notes.

See

4 sights worth building a day around across Midtown, Downtown and Dearborn.

Photo: Sailko · CC BY 3.0
See
Detroit Institute of Arts
Major art museum anchored by Diego Rivera's Detroit Industry murals.
Tip Free for residents of 3 local counties; others pay. Closed Mon.
- Midtown
- $$
- 2.5 hr
- Weekday morning
Photo: Quick fix · CC BY-SA 2.0
See
Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History
Midtown museum whose core exhibit walks from a slave-ship hold to Detroit's civil-rights and Motown years.
Tip Closed Mondays; open until 7pm Thursdays.
- Midtown
- $
- 2 hr
- Weekday morning
Photo: WMrapids · CC0
See
Guardian Building
1929 Art Deco skyscraper with a tiled, vaulted lobby open to the public.
Tip Weekday lobby visits are easy; free.
- Downtown
- Free
- 30 min
- Weekday
Photo: Detroit Publishing Company · Public domain
See
The Henry Ford
Huge museum of American innovation in Dearborn, with Greenfield Village next door.
Tip Plan most of a day if adding Greenfield Village.
- Dearborn
- $$$
- 4 hr
- Weekday

Do

2 activities for when the group wants to do more than look across Downtown and Dearborn.

Photo: Michael Barera · CC BY-SA 4.0
Do
Campus Martius Park
Downtown square with the city's Christmas tree, a skating rink and lit trees, next to the Cadillac Square holiday market.
Tip Skate after dark, then browse the holiday market chalets in Cadillac Square next door.
- Downtown
- $
- 1.5 hr
- After dark
Do
Greenfield Village Holiday Nights
Evening walks through The Henry Ford's historic village with carolers, horse-drawn wagons and fireworks.
Tip Book ahead and dress for a long walk outside; the village is lit mostly by lanterns and fires.
- Dearborn
- $$$
- 3 hr
- Evening

Outdoors

3 outdoor spots for fresh air across Riverfront and Belle Isle. 2 of them are free.

Photo: Asim Nabi · Google
Outdoors
Detroit RiverWalk
Waterfront path from Joe Louis Arena site to Gabriel Richard Park, with views to Windsor.
Tip Rent a MoGo bike to cover more of it.
- Riverfront
- Free
- 1.5 hr
- Evening
Photo: WMrapids · CC0
Outdoors
Belle Isle Park
Island park with a conservatory, aquarium and city views.
Tip Michigan Recreation Passport needed for cars.
- Belle Isle
- $
- 3 hr
- Afternoon
Photo: TracieMichelle · CC BY-SA 4.0
Outdoors
Belle Isle Conservatory
Glass-domed conservatory on Belle Isle with palms, cacti and a seasonal flower show, warm on a cold day.
Tip Check hours before you go; it is usually closed early in the week.
- Belle Isle
- Free
- 60 min
- Afternoon

Eat

Where we would book a table in Detroit across Eastern Market and Downtown.

Photo: Abdullah · Google
Eat
Supino Pizzeria
Thin-crust pizza in Eastern Market, a local favorite.
Tip Order the Supino pizza with black olives and ricotta.
- Eastern Market
- $$
- 60 min
- Lunch
Photo: Chris Freeman · Google
Eat
Lafayette Coney Island
Downtown hot-dog counter serving Coney dogs since 1917.
Tip Order 'one with everything'; compare with American Coney next door.
- Downtown
- $
- 30 min
- Lunch
Photo: Michael Barera · CC BY-SA 4.0
Eat
American Coney Island
Coney dogs with chili, mustard and onions on Lafayette Boulevard since 1917.
Tip Order 'one with everything' and a side of chili fries.
- Downtown
- $
- 30 min
- Late night

Drink

Our picks for a drink in Detroit across Corktown and Downtown.

Photo: Lena McLean · Google
Drink
Two James Spirits
Corktown tasting room of Detroit's first licensed distillery since Prohibition.
Tip Try a flight with the Catcher's Rye.
- Corktown
- $$
- 75 min
- Evening
Photo: Mx. Granger · CC0
Drink
Cliff Bell's
Restored 1930s jazz club near Grand Circus Park, with live music most nights and a full dinner menu.
Tip Reserve a table for the evening set; walk-ins usually end up at the bar.
- Downtown
- $$
- 2 hr
- Evening

Shop

Markets and shops worth the detour in Eastern Market.

Photo: Michael Barera · CC BY-SA 4.0
Shop
Eastern Market
Historic public market with produce sheds, murals and specialty food shops.
Tip Saturdays are biggest; come before 10am.
- Eastern Market
- $
- 2 hr
- Saturday morning

Stay

1 place to stay we would book in Downtown.

Photo: Michael Barera · CC BY-SA 4.0
Stay
Shinola Hotel
Woodward Avenue hotel in restored commercial buildings, a short walk from Campus Martius.
- Downtown
- $$$
- Overnight

How to fit Detroit into a trip

Detroit shows up on 2 of our curated routes, so you can work it into more than one kind of trip.

Stop 1 of 3
Great Lakes Hidden Gems
Detroit design, dune country & island calm
Trip length
7 days
Best season
May – Sep
Pace
easy
- Next: Traverse City
See the full itinerary
Stop 2 of 2
Frankenmuth & Detroit
Bavarian Michigan and a downtown rink
Trip length
4 days
Best season
Late Nov – Dec
Pace
easy
- Before: Frankenmuth
See the full itinerary

Getting here and onward

Frankenmuth to DetroitFrankenmuth is about 125 km / 78 mi away in a straight line
Detroit to Traverse CityTraverse City is about 341 km / 212 mi away in a straight line

Distances are straight-line estimates between destination centers, not road distances.

Detroit month by month

Average daily highs run from -1°C / 30°F in January to 28°C / 82°F in July. May is the wettest month, with about 97 mm of rain. Outlined months fall in the best season on our routes.

Average daily highs, NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages. Detroit weather and the best time to visit →

Near Detroit

8 other destinations from our guides within about 300 km (186 mi), measured in a straight line.

Detroit questions, answered

How many days do you need in Detroit?

Our route notes suggest 2 days or 2 nights in Detroit. On our Great Lakes Hidden Gems route it is stop 1 of 3 in a 7-day trip. The listed visit times for our 16 places add up to roughly 26 hours, before travel between them, so you will need to choose.

What is Detroit best known for?

Spend 2 days: DIA and Midtown, Eastern Market on Saturday, the RiverWalk, and Corktown for dinner and drinks. Standouts on our list: Detroit Institute of Arts (Major art museum anchored by Diego Rivera's Detroit Industry murals); Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History (Midtown museum whose core exhibit walks from a slave-ship hold to Detroit's civil-rights and Motown years); Guardian Building (1929 Art Deco skyscraper with a tiled, vaulted lobby open to the public).

When is the best time to visit Detroit?

Our routes through Detroit are best May – Sep or Late Nov – Dec. NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages put the warmest highs in July (28°C / 82°F), the coolest in January (-1°C / 30°F) and the most rain in May (about 97 mm).

What are the best things to do in Detroit?

Start with Detroit Institute of Arts, Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, Guardian Building, Detroit RiverWalk and Belle Isle Park. Our guide lists 16 places in all, from 4 sights, 2 activities, 3 outdoor spots, 3 places to eat, 2 bars & cafés, 1 shop and 1 place to stay.

Where should a group eat in Detroit?

Our picks: Supino Pizzeria (Eastern Market); Lafayette Coney Island (Downtown); American Coney Island (Downtown). Order the Supino pizza with black olives and ricotta (Supino Pizzeria).

What is near Detroit?

The closest destinations in our guides are Downtown Detroit (about 0 km / 0 mi), Belle Isle (about 5 km / 3 mi) and Frankenmuth (about 125 km / 78 mi). Distances are straight-line estimates, not road distances.

Plan Detroit with your crew

Open the Great Lakes Hidden Gems route in TripsCircle, invite friends with a link, settle which of these 16 places make the cut with a quick poll, then split costs and share one packing list.

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Plan around Detroit

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