Excursions from Detroit

Ironically, the same fast cars that made Motown [1] what it was in its heyday are also what crippled it. Bigger and better cars, and more and more efficient freeways only served to take Detroiters farther and farther away from the core city. Most suburbs are bedroom communities that bear little interest for the visitor.

Some exceptions include Hamtramck [2], a Polish neighborhood north of downtown Detroit; Dearborn [3], where Henry Ford was born and later founded what became one of the state’s largest tourist attractions [4]; Royal Oak [5], home to the Detroit Zoo; Birmingham [6], home to chic boutiques and fine art galleries; and Grosse Pointe [7], where Lakeshore Drive still boasts some of the area’s finest homes.

In the towns surrounding the Detroit [1] metropolitan area, visitors will find nostalgic downtown districts, historic museums, inland lakes, and recreation areas galore—all a relatively quick drive from Detroit, via interstates and major highways.