Detroit Tours & Activities

Plan your trip to Detroit, Michigan — handpicked tours and activities, the best time to visit, where to stay and eat, how to get there, and a sample itinerary.

Top things to do in Detroit

• Detroit Institute of Arts. One of the country's premier art museums, the DIA houses 65,000 works spanning ancient Egypt to contemporary America — anchored by Diego Rivera's monumental 27-panel Detroit Industry Murals (1932–33), considered the finest Mexican fresco cycle in the United States. Admission is $20 for adults, with free guided tours…
• Motown Museum (Hitsville U.S.A.). The birthplace of the Motown Sound at 2648 West Grand Boulevard, where Berry Gordy launched Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, and The Temptations from a modest house in 1959. Studio A still holds the original recording equipment, and guided tours bring the golden era of soul vividly to life.
• Belle Isle Park. A 985-acre island state park in the Detroit River and the second most-visited state park in the U.S., Belle Isle offers swimming beaches, the historic Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory, the Belle Isle Aquarium, fishing piers, and sweeping views of the Windsor skyline. Entry by vehicle requires a Michigan Recreation…
• Detroit Riverwalk. A 3-mile award-winning waterfront promenade — named best riverwalk in the country by USA Today three years running — stretching from Rosa Parks Boulevard to the Belle Isle Bridge, lined with plazas, a vintage carousel, the 63-foot-tall Milliken State Park lighthouse, and kayak launches. It is free,…
• Guardian Building. A National Historic Landmark designated in 1989 and one of the world's boldest Art Deco skyscrapers, the 1929 'Cathedral of Finance' stuns visitors with its soaring Aztec-influenced tilework, gold-leaf ceilings, and hidden bank vaults. One-hour guided tours run Thursday through Monday at $12 for adults and offer…
• Eastern Market. The largest historic public market district in the United States, Eastern Market's six-block spread draws up to 40,000 visitors on peak Saturdays for fresh produce, smoked fish, breads, flowers, and live music. Summer Sundays add an arts-and-food-truck Street Market, and Flower Day — running since 1967 — is the…
• Fox Theatre. Opened in 1928 and today a National Historic Landmark, the Fox is one of the grandest surviving movie palaces in America — its 5,000-seat auditorium draped in gold-leaf plasterwork, red velvet, and an elephant-head sculpture above the stage. It hosts touring Broadway shows and major concert acts year-round, and…
• Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. Home to 'And Still We Rise,' a 22,000-square-foot interactive core exhibit tracing African American history from Africa to the present, the Wright is the world's second-largest institution dedicated to the African American experience and holds more than 35,000 artifacts and archival materials. Located in Midtown at…

Best time to visit Detroit

Late June through mid-September, with the third week of August cited as the tourism-score peak. WeatherSpark identifies mid-June to mid-September as optimal for warm-weather visits, with clear skies and temperatures between 65-80F. U.S. News Travel concurs that June-August offers the best mix of festivals, events, and pleasant weather without the cold of the long Michigan winter

Detroit weather by month

Getting to Detroit

Detroit is primarily a car city, but within the core you have three free or low-cost options: the QLine streetcar (free) runs 3.3 miles along Woodward Avenue connecting Downtown, Midtown, and New Center; the People Mover monorail loops through Downtown; and Uber/Lyft are widely available and recommended over public transit late at night. Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) is about 20 miles and a 30-minute drive from downtown. The Detroit Air Express (DAX) is an express bus connecting DTW directly to Downtown Detroit — check DDOT for current schedules. All major rental car companies are consolidated at the DTW Rental Car Center, reachable by free shuttle from the terminals.

• DTW Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport — 25 min drive
• YQG Windsor International Airport — 35 min drive
• FNT Bishop International Airport — 70 min drive

Where to stay in Detroit

Where to base yourself, by neighborhood.

• Downtown Detroit. The most convenient base for first-time visitors, Downtown puts you within walking distance of the Riverwalk, sports stadiums (all clustered together, uniquely for a major city), Greektown, the Fox Theatre, and the Coney Island diners. Hotel density is high,… Good for: First-time visitors, sports fans, business travelers, couples.
• Midtown. Home to the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Charles H. Wright Museum, Wayne State University, SheWolf, Selden Standard, and Chartreuse, Midtown is highly walkable with a genuine neighborhood feel — independent cafes, galleries, and music venues spill out… Good for: Culture seekers, food lovers, art enthusiasts, longer stays.
• Corktown. Detroit's oldest neighborhood — founded by Irish immigrants in the 1840s — has reinvented itself as the city's most exciting dining and drinking district, anchored by Michigan Central Station, Slows Bar BQ, and a cluster of industrial-chic bars and breweries… Good for: Foodies, history lovers, nightlife seekers, design-minded travelers.
• Greektown. A compact, lively entertainment district on the eastern edge of Downtown with two major hotels, a sprawling Hollywood Casino, authentic Greek restaurants (Pegasus Taverna, New Parthenon), and a complimentary shuttle to Little Caesars Arena. It is the most… Good for: Casino visitors, group travelers, sports fans, nightlife.
• Dearborn. Twenty minutes southwest of Downtown, Dearborn is the ideal base for visitors prioritizing The Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village, and it also sits at the edge of Dearborn's Arab American restaurant corridor — one of the most vibrant Middle Eastern… Good for: Families, museum lovers, travelers with a car.

Where to eat in Detroit

A curated set of standout tables and local favorites.

Local favorites & classics

• Selden Standard. Midtown · New American (wood-fired, farm-to-table) — James Beard Award Outstanding Restaurant semifinalist led by Chef Andy Hollyday; the constantly rotating small-plates menu is driven by seasonal…
• SheWolf Pastificio & Bar. Midtown · Contemporary Italian — Modern Rome transplanted to Detroit: flour milled on-site daily for house-made pasta, a constantly changing menu heavy on vegetables and seasonal ingredients, and a…
• Leila. Downtown (Capitol Park) · Modern Lebanese — A chic, open-kitchen restaurant on Griswold Street offering a creative twist on Lebanese cuisine — standouts include tomato kibbeh, haloumi, and batata…
• Chartreuse Kitchen & Cocktails. Midtown · New American (seasonal small plates) — Named Detroit's best restaurant by the Detroit Free Press and recognized multiple times by the James Beard Foundation; the seasonal American menu and…
• Xochimilco Restaurant. Mexicantown (Southwest Detroit) · Traditional Mexican — A beloved Mexicantown anchor on Bagley Street serving generous, inexpensive plates of enchiladas, tamales, wet burritos, and sizzling fajitas;…
• Cliff Bell's. Downtown · Jazz supper club / American — A restored 1935 Art Deco jazz club where live jazz plays Wednesday through Sunday in two nightly sessions; the intimate venue has hosted legends from Dr.…
• Experience Zuzu, Detroit. 511 Woodward Ave Ste 100 · 4.7★ (4,575 reviews)
• HopCat. 4265 Woodward Ave · 4.4★ (6,489 reviews)

Cafés, bakeries & casual

• Slows Bar BQ. Corktown · Barbecue / American — The restaurant that helped spark Corktown's revival when it opened in 2005, Slows serves award-winning smoky brisket, pulled pork, and the Yardbird sandwich in a…
• Lafayette Coney Island. Downtown · American diner / Coney dogs — The next-door sibling-rival to American Coney Island, open since 1924 and known for a richer, beefier all-beef chili and a no-frills cash-only atmosphere…
• Treat You Batter. 6915 Greenfield Rd · 4.9★ (1,275 reviews)
• MexicanTown Bakery & Cafe. 4300 Vernor Hwy · 4.5★ (2,304 reviews)
• Astoria Pastry Shop. 541 Monroe St · 4.4★ (2,604 reviews)
• Cannelle by Matt Knio. 45 W Grand River Ave · 4.6★ (1,688 reviews)
• The Congregation. 9321 Rosa Parks Blvd · 4.7★ (1,254 reviews)
• Shatila Bakery. 14300 W Warren Ave · 4.1★ (3,041 reviews)

Fine dining & Michelin

• El Barzon. Mexicantown (Southwest Detroit) · Mexican-Italian fusion — James Beard Award semifinalist Chef Norberto Garita brilliantly bridges two culinary traditions — his family-recipe mole poblano (days in…
• American Coney Island. Downtown · American diner / Coney dogs — Opened in 1917 by Greek immigrant Gust Keros, this Detroit institution is the originator of the iconic Coney dog — a natural-casing beef frank in a steamed…
• Andiamo Detroit Riverfront. 400 Renaissance Center A-03 · 4.6★ (5,637 reviews)
• Sexy Steak. 1942 Grand River Ave · 4.6★ (3,252 reviews)
• The Whitney. 4421 Woodward Ave · 4.6★ (3,226 reviews)
• Grey Ghost Detroit. 47 Watson St · 4.6★ (3,173 reviews)
• Prime + Proper. 1145 Griswold St · 4.5★ (3,344 reviews)
• Sullivan's Steakhouse. 1128 Washington Blvd · 4.6★ (2,608 reviews)

A 7-Day Detroit Plan

1. Day 1 — Art, Soul & Architecture. Start your Detroit journey at the Detroit Institute of Arts, one of the largest art museums in the US — allow two hours for the Rivera Court murals and the encyclopedic permanent collection. Walk or drive to the Guardian Building, a stunning Art Deco skyscraper in the financial…
2. Day 2 — The Sound of Motown. Spend the morning at the Motown Museum (Hitsville U.S.A.) on West Grand Boulevard — tour Studio A where Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, and Diana Ross recorded, and soak in the backstory of the label that changed American music. Explore the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American…
3. Day 3 — Markets, Food & Local Life. Rise early and head to Eastern Market, Detroit's historic wholesale and retail hub operating every Saturday (year-round) and select weekdays — browse stalls of local produce, flowers, artisan foods, and Detroit-made goods. Explore the surrounding Eastern Market neighborhood murals…
4. Day 4 — Industrial Icons & Rebirth. Visit Michigan Central Station in Corktown — Ford Motor Company's stunning restored Beaux-Arts station is now a tech and innovation campus with public access to the grand hall and exterior grounds. Drive out to Dearborn to spend the afternoon at The Henry Ford Museum of American…
5. Day 5 — Craft, Clay & Neighborhoods. Visit Pewabic Pottery on East Jefferson Avenue, a National Historic Landmark operating since 1903 — tour the studio, see artists at work, and browse the gallery of distinctive iridescent glazed tiles and vessels. Explore Indian Village, one of Detroit's grandest historic…
6. Day 6 — Island Escape on the River. Take the MacArthur Bridge (or the ferry in summer) to Belle Isle Park, a 982-acre island in the Detroit River — explore the Belle Isle Aquarium, Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory, and peaceful lakeside paths. Rent a bike or walk the island's perimeter trail for stunning views of…
7. Day 7 — Beats, Brews & Farewell Night. Spend a final morning at any highlight you missed — the DIA has a world-class collection that rewards a second visit, or return to Eastern Market if it's a Saturday — then explore the New Center district around the Fisher Building. If visiting in late May, immerse yourself in…

Events & festivals in Detroit

• Detroit Auto Show (NAIAS) (January; 2026 edition January 14-25). Annual international auto show at Huntington Place in downtown Detroit. One of the world's most influential automotive events, featuring new model reveals, ride-and-drive tracks, and The Gallery luxury showcase.
• Movement Electronic Music Festival (Memorial Day weekend (late May); 2025 edition May 24-26). Annual techno and electronic music festival held at Hart Plaza on the Detroit riverfront since 2000. Commemorates Detroit as the birthplace of techno. Six stages; 2025 headliners included Carl Cox, Charlotte de Witte,…
• America's Thanksgiving Parade (Thanksgiving Day (fourth Thursday of November)). One of the oldest Thanksgiving parades in the United States, first held in 1924 on Woodward Avenue. Features marching bands, large balloons, floats, and celebrity guests. Co-founded the same year as the Macy's parade…

Top-rated tours & activities in Detroit

• Best Detroit Architecture Walking Tour: Inside Access & Landmarks — 4.9★ (238 reviews)
• Best Downtown Detroit Historical Walking Tour — 4.8★ (93 reviews)
• Detroit Sweet Treats Food Tour: Donuts, Coffee, Pastries & More — 5.0★ (110 reviews)
• Detroit's Hidden History Guided Walking Tour — 4.9★ (70 reviews)
• SEA LIFE Michigan Aquarium Admission Ticket — 3.7★ (78 reviews)
• Macabre, Murder, & Mayhem in Motor City : Detroit Ghost Tour — 3.7★ (61 reviews)
• Detroit Downtown Food Tour with 6+ Iconic Tastings in Motor City — 4.5★ (59 reviews)
• LEGOLAND® Discovery Center Michigan Admission Ticket — 3.5★ (66 reviews)

Detroit travel FAQ

When is the best time to visit Detroit?

Late June through mid-September, with the third week of August cited as the tourism-score peak.

What are the top things to do in Detroit?

Top experiences include Detroit Institute of Arts, Motown Museum (Hitsville U.S.A.), Belle Isle Park, Detroit Riverwalk, Guardian Building.

Which airport is closest to Detroit?

Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) is the nearest, about 25 minutes away.

Where should I stay in Detroit?

Popular areas to base yourself include Downtown Detroit, Midtown, Corktown, Greektown.

How do I get around Detroit?

Detroit is primarily a car city, but within the core you have three free or low-cost options: the QLine streetcar (free) runs 3.3 miles along Woodward Avenue connecting Downtown, Midtown, and New Center; the People Mover monorail loops through Downtown; and Uber/Lyft are widely available and recommended over public transit late at night.