NEARBY ATTRACTIONS |
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Belle Isle
Tel: (313) 852-4075
Location : Off Jefferson in Downtown Detroit
No visit to Detroit is too short to enjoy the splendor of historic Belle Isle, the crown jewel of Detroit's public park system.
Located close to the hub of downtown, travel time to Belle Isle by car or bus is about five minutes.
Hours: 24/7
Price: Free
Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History
Tel: (313) 494-5800
315 E. Warren Ave, Detroit
In the mid-1800s, Detroit was a key stop on the Underground Railroad, through which thousands of slaves escaped to Canada. This and other aspects of African-American heritage, from African roots through slavery and civil rights struggles, are celebrated at the world's largest museum of African and African-American history and culture. Allow 1 hour.
Hours: Wed-Sat 9:30am-5pm; Sun 1-5pm
Price: Admission $5 adults, $3 children under 18
Detroit Historical Museum
Tel: (313) 833-1805
5401 Woodward Ave, Detroit
Begin your exploration of Detroit with this repository of the city's history. You can walk a re-created cobblestone and brick street lined with 19th-century shops, and check out the two-story assembly line in the Motor City exhibit. Interactive displays entertain children of all ages. Allow 1 to 2 hours.
Hours: Tues-Fri 9:30am-5pm; Sat 10am-5pm; Sun 11am-5pm
Price: Admission $5 adults, $3 seniors and children 5-18, free for children under 5, $1 for all paying visitors Wed
Detroit Institute of Arts
Tel: (313) 833-7900
5200 Woodward Ave, Detroit
America's sixth largest art museum is undergoing a massive expansion that will leave portions of its collection off-limits until 2006. Brave the sawdust anyway to see some of the world's great masters, including Rembrandt, Rubens, Caravaggio, van Gogh, Cézanne, Whistler, and Rothko. There are also impressive ancient Egyptian, African, Asian, and Native American collections, and Diego Rivera's Detroit Industry murals are must-sees. First Fridays of every month feature free music, tours, artists' demonstrations, and workshops for all ages. Allow 2 to 3 hours.
Hours: Wed-Thurs 10am-4pm; Fri 10am-9pm; Sat-Sun 10am-5pm
Price: Suggested donation $4 adults, $1 children and students
Detroit Zoo
Tel: (248) 398-0900
8450 W. 10-Mile Rd, Royal Oak
The Detroit Zoo is one of the finest in the nation, with all of the expected animals -- elephants, giraffes, bears, lions, and more. The Arctic Ring of Life features the world's largest polar bear display. Visitors watch frolicking bears and seals from outside or through a 70-foot-long underwater Polar Passage. Other highlights include a butterfly and hummingbird garden, a free-flight aviary, and a great apes exhibit. Allow 3 hours.
Hours: Daily 10am-5pm
Price: Admission $11 adults, $8.50 seniors, $6.50 children 2-12, free for children under 2
Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village
Tel: (313) 271-1620
20900 Oakwood Blvd, Dearborn
The Henry Ford Museum, a 12-acre repository of Americana, holds something of interest for everyone. "Heroes of the Sky" is the museum's newest permanent exhibit, featuring dozens of historic airplanes: Byrd's Arctic Fokker, a Sikorsky helicopter, and early commercial and barnstorming planes. But the museum's highlight is, not surprisingly, "The Automobile in American Life," exploring our nation's infatuation with cars. Look for Ford's 1901 Model-T, the Oscar Meyer Wienermobile, Rosa Parks's bus, and a parade of presidential vehicles, including the limousine in which Kennedy was shot. Allow 3 hours.
Greenfield Village encapsulates Ford's infatuation with history and the world's innovators. 100 genuine 17th-, 18th-, and 19th-century homes were transported from throughout the U.S. and Europe to bring history to Detroit. The Wright Brothers' bicycle shop, Edison's laboratory, and a collection of slave quarters are highlights. Note: The village is closed January through March. Allow 2 hours.
New to the mix in 2004, the Ford Rouge Factory Tour depicts the production of Ford's most popular truck, the F-150, through the magic of virtual reality and an assembly plant walking tour. Tours begin in front of the Henry Ford Museum; reservations are strongly recommended. Allow 2 hours.
Hours: Daily 9:30am-5pm; Village open mid-June to mid-Aug Fri-Sat until 9pm
Price: Museum $14 adults, $13 seniors, $10 children 5-12, free for children under 5. Village $20 adults, $19 seniors, $14 children 5-12, free for children under 5. Factory tour $14 adults, $13 seniors, $10 children 3-12, free for children under 3. IMAX $10 adults, $9 seniors, $8.50 children under 13. 1-day combination:$26 adults, $24 seniors, $20 children 5-12; 2-day combination $48 adults, $46 seniors, $38 children 5-12, free for children under 5
Motown Historical Museum
Tel: (313) 875-2264
2648 W. Grand Blvd, Detroit
The Motown sound was born in two simple houses under the sign HITSVILLE U.S.A., and American music has never been the same. See the original control room and studio (with linoleum worn through by tapping feet) where the Supremes, the Temptations, Stevie Wonder, the Jackson 5, and many others made gold records from 1959 to 1972. Also on display are costumes worn by the famous performers; and Berry Gordy's apartment, left just the way it was in the 1960s when artists packed their records for shipment throughout the country. Allow 1 hour.
Hours: Tues-Sat 10am-6pm
Price: Admission $8 adults, $5 children under 13
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