Saturday, January 1, 2011

Detroit - Sports, Cars, Motown and So Much More


To say that Detroit is a sports town is an understatement. Detroit not only is about professional sports, but the city is all about catering to the sports fan! Casinos, major sports franchises, food, cars and of course Motown, Detroit will surprise you before or after the game.

But let's get to some basics first. To get a feel for the place, watch our Detroit Videos.

Getting to the Big D you will probably be flying Northwest/Delta airlines. Detroit Wayne Airport (or DTW) is a major hub for Northwest and you will find plenty of non-stop flights from NYC and other major gateway cities. From the airport, you can be in downtown (by cab in about 20 minutes). That being said, a car rental is appropriate if your stay is longer than two days.


Just like any other major metropolitan city, Detroit has plenty of hotel options in every price range. However, I would plan on staying close to the ballpark, Ford Field or the Fox Theatre. A couple of suggestions include: Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center, Hotel St Regis and the MGM Grand.

On your visit, you definitely have to check out Ford Field, it is home to the Detroit Lions and hosted Superbowl XL. You can take a public tour (for a small fee) and see the field, luxury boxes, press rooms, concessions and locker rooms of this legendary complex. In addition, Comerica Park is a must see sports attraction. According to the site: http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/index.jsp?c_id=det tours are held from June through September also for a small fee. Go Tigers!

In case you didn't know, Detroit is a gaming town! You'll find Greektown Casino and MGM Grand (just to name a couple). If you feel like it, pull up a chair in a poker room, double down at a Blackjack table or just kick back with the one-armed bandits. Don't miss Greektown for some mouthwatering Greek food and you can take in a show at the Fox Theatre.I'm not saying you HAVE TO, but one of my afternoons was spent at the Henry Ford Museum! The Ford Museum and Greenfield Village is a fascinating place to learn about the history of the automobile. You can take a ride in a real Model T and spend in afternoon watching a baseball game where they play by the original rules! It's pretty impressive.
Ever heard of Motown? It was invented here. And even if a visit to the original Motown Museum isn't your "thang", Detroit is a town FILLED with a lot of live music. Rap to Rock and R&B to Jazz, Detroit's music is alive at just about every turn.
Detroit was one of the biggest surprise destinations I've visited over the years. I expected an unsafe, rundown, crime-infested, rust belt city. What I found is a city full of residents that are proud of their town, infrastructure that is being renovated and plenty of activities to fill the schedule from day 1. Enjoy the Big D!

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