Flights to Detroit

 

After years of financial freefall, resulting in bankruptcy in 2013, Detroit is back in the black and beginning to rebound, thanks to $24 billion in commercial, retail, and residential development over the last dozen years.

A port city located on the Detroit River, the city is affectionately called Motor City because of its role as the epicenter of the U.S. auto industry. It is home base for the big three American automakers – General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler.

Detroit has a rich musical history. Berry Gordy Jr. started the influential record label Motown Records in Detroit in 1960. It would go on to produce artists such as Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, and Michael Jackson, among others.

But R&B isn’t the only musical product of Detroit. It’s also an important outlet for electronic music, which is celebrated with three days and nights of nonstop music every Memorial Day at the Movement Electronic Music Festival.

Detroit is also a big professional sports town. It is home to the MLB’s Detroit Tigers, the NFL’s Detroit Lions, the NBA’s Detroit Pistons, and the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings.

Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW) has two, self-contained terminals each with its own baggage claim and ground transportation areas. The North Terminal has a single concourse, serving 11 domestic and international airlines. Restaurants include Legends Bar, Earl of Sandwich, Mediterranean Grille, and Starbucks. Shopping is limited to a souvenir shop, bookstore, duty free store, and In Motion electronics store.

The McNamara Terminal has three concourses and serves three domestic and international airlines, including Delta Air Lines. It also features a Westin hotel, a full-service hotel complete with a fitness center, business center, indoor pool and a private security entrance to the airport.

Eateries in the McNamara Terminal run the gamut from fast-food offerings such as Chick-fil-A, McDonald’s, and Popeye’s to full-service restaurants and bars such as Cat Cora’s Taproom, the Shed, and Embers Fire & Ice Lounge.

Like a mini-mall, McNamara Terminal has a wide range of shopping options, including. Brighton, Brooks Brothers, Pandora Jewelry, Hugo Boss, PGA Tour Shop, and The Body Shop.

  • SMART provides public bus transportation to and from both terminals to stations throughout south Michigan
  • Taxi and private car service is available on level 4 of both terminals.
  • Ann Arbor airRide provides public bus service to and from both terminals to stations in the Ann Arbor area
  • There is a designated pickup area at both terminals for Uber, Lyft and other rideshare services
  • Rental car agencies provide free shuttles on level 4 to the rental car campus on the northeast corner of the airport grounds

Stroll along Detroit RiverWalk, a 3.5-mile promenade along Detroit Riverfront, featuring plazas, pavilions, and greenspaces. It’s an ideal place to walk, run, bike, and inline skate.

Test your gambling skills at one or more of Detroit’s three casinos: The Greektown Casino, the MGM Grand Casinos, and the Motor City Casino.

Visit Belle Isle State Park, a 982-acre island greenspace designed by landscape architect Frederick Law Olmstead, creator of New York’s Central Park. Accessible by bridge, the park offers plenty of attractions including a zoo, an aquarium, the Belle Isle Nature Center, and the Dossin Great Lakes Museum.

Immerse yourself in the American history of auto making at The Henry Ford, a 250-acre home to three educational attractions, The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, Greenfield Village, and the Ford Rouge Factory Tour.

See Mexican muralist Diego Rivera’s historic murals of American industrialism at the Detroit Institute of Arts, home to one of the top six museum collections in the country with more than 66,000 pieces.

Cruise the Detroit River with Windsor River Cruises, Detroit Princess Riverboat, or Diamond Jack’s River Tours.

MGM Grand Detroit offers modern luxury with a casino, live shows, and a Wolfgang Puck restaurant all under one roof. Other amenities include a spa, a fitness center, and Topgolf Swing Suite for virtual play.

When Book Cadillac opened in 1924, the 33-floor Italian Renaissance hotel in downtown Detroit was the tallest hotel in the world and the epitome of luxury hospitality. Today it is the Westin Book Cadillac Hotel, and it has been restored to its former glory. It’s also home to Michael Symon’s Roast steakhouse.

Formerly the headquarters for the fire department, Detroit Foundation Hotel is a boutique hotel combining history with modern touches and earth tones with bright whites for a cool, contemporary feel. Amenities include free bike rentals, complimentary car service, fitness center and free Wi-Fi.

Architecture buffs may want to check out the Palmer House in nearby Ann Arbor. Originally a private residence designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, the three-bedroom, two-bath house is available for overnight stays.

Detroit summers are fairly mild, but the winters can get bitterly cold. January and February are the coldest months with average highs in the low 30s and average lows in the high teens. July and August are the hottest months with average highs in the low 80s and average lows in the low 60s. Rainfall is fairly steady throughout the year, averaging about 2 to 3.5 inches a month.

Detroit is one of the windiest cities in the country, experiencing an average annual wind speed of 10.4 mph.