Detroit, Michigan is an early industrial city in post-industrial times. Detroit is historically known as Motown (for "Motor Town") since Henry Ford started here and the city forms the heart of the American automobile industry. Modern Detroit still clings to the image of the glory days gone by and is working hard to maintain strength in the automobile business as well as expand to other industries. Downtown Detroit is great -- beautiful buildings, a riverfront. It's also strikingly empty. The immediate surrounding downtown is in ruins -- mile upon mile of abandoned buildings, the ghetto -- and beyond that are the suburbs where most "Detroiters" live, work, and play. The most happening parts of Detroit are right downtown, or in the northern suburbs like Royal Oak or Birmingham. With the newly built stadiums for the Detroit Tigers and Lions, seeing a football or baseball game is a must for any sports fan! After the game there are some good sports bars to hang out in.

Get in

By plane
 • Detroit Metro Airport (DTW) - This is the largest airport in the area and located in Romulus, about 20 minutes west of the city proper located at the junction between I-275 and I-94. It is a Northwest hub and features the recently opened McNamara Terminal.

By car
Several interstates converge in downtown Detroit. I-75 North/South runs from Toledo, Ohio up through to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I-94 East/West comes from Chicago, Illinois and continues up to Sarnia. I-96 East/West heads to Lansing, Michigan . I-696 runs along the northern edge of the city, connecting the eastern suburbs (e.g. St. Clair Shores) to Southfield.

All of the interstates have gone through major overhauls in preparation for Detroit hosting the 2006 National Football League Superbowl. Prior to this, the roads were in poor condition, but since 2004, their status has improved. As with any major city, traffic during rush hour can make travel really slow. This is especially aggravated during shift changes at the local automotive plants.

For smaller streets, the Detroit area is laid out in both grid and wheel-and-spoke configuration. This was due to first French development (wheel and spoke), followed by British development (grid). Mile roads run east-west, starting at downtown Detroit and increasing as you travel north. These mile roads may change name in different cities, so pay attention. There are also several spoke roads, including Woodward Ave, Michigan Ave, Gratiot Ave, and Grand River Ave. Automobiles are virtually a necessity for travel in the Detroit area. Public transportation is practically non-existent when compared to other metropolitan areas of similar size.

By bus - Greyhound.

Activities

Detroit is the birthplace of American electro/techno music, with Juan Atkins, Kevin Saunderson, and Derrick Mays all hailing from the area. Although other cities around the world have picked up Detroit's torch and carried it further in some ways, Detroit is still a great place to dance and see the masters at work.
 • The Magic Stick/The Majestic Theater at 4120-4140 Woodward Avenue combines a show space, a theater, cafe and a bowling alley. You can get up close and personal to the bands or shoot pool while listening to live music. Highly recommended for checking out some new music whether it be local or a touring band.
 • Palazzo di Bocce, 4291 S. Lapeer Road in Orion Township, about 40 minutes north of Downtown, is the largest and most elaborate bocce facility in the United States, and perhaps the world. You can play bocce on one of 10 indoor tournament-sized courts with court hosts and hostesses to help if you don't know the game. You can have cocktails and eat courtside while playing, or later in the restaurant, which serves authentic Italian food. Palazzo was the site of the 2005 U.S. national tournament, and hosted the 2005 Singles World Bocce Championships attended by athletes from 17 nations in September. Very popular for group events; Friday and Saturday nights are more crowded. .

Education

University of Michigan is one of the best universities in America, and is pleasantly located in Ann Arbor. Former alumni include Former President Gerald Ford. Some other universities include Wayne State University, Catholic universities, University of Detroit Mercy and Marygrove College. For the artsy people, Center for Creative Studies is also there, too! Some of the most outstanding secondary colleges are located here, too. These include Cranbrook Academy and Eton Academy.