Top Things To Do In Detroit

Detroit has many activities to choose from. We’ve put together a list of the best things to do, including cultural museums and historical sites that have helped to define Detroit as a city. If this will be your first time in Detroit, check out these places for a guaranteed good time.

The best attractions near Detroit include:

• Viewing every brewery in the downtown and metro area on a Motor City Brew Tour
• Visiting the historic site and local treasure that is the Ford Piquette Avenue Plant
• Walking along Detroit's RiverFront and taking the people-mover back
• Attending Sunday mass at the beautiful Old St. Mary’s Church
• Experiencing the city center and sandbox (complete with jazz) that is Campus Martius Park

Detroit has recently become more of a tourist-friendly city. With some of the best tourist attractions in the state of Michigan, there are quite a few activities to discover while you’re in this city, including sights, sounds and tastes that’ll have you looking up open houses and neighborhood data.

Popular attractions near Detroit include:

• Detroit’s very own Historical Museum and its unique collection of items
• Exploring the volumes held at John K. King Used & Rare books
• Playing ball on the actual bases of the city’s Old Tiger Stadium
• Shopping for antiques and old memorabilia at the Detroit Antique Mall and Detroit Mercantile Co.
• ‘Gramming your way through the 319 acres of Cranbrook’s gardens

Visiting Motor City soon? There are everyday deals available that you can take advantage of including theatre shows and sports games to lunch spots and cafes in Detroit. All you need to do is walk a few blocks and you’ll find something fun.

Exciting activities near Detroit include:

• Viator’s four-hour long urban exploration and photography tour of Detroit
• Seeing “Burt & Me” at Wilson Hall’s Meadow Brook Theatre
• Escaping from one of the area’s thrilling escape room puzzles
• Witnessing the glory of the Joe Louis Monument live and in person
• Taking a tour of the Morley Candy Makers candy factory

The excitement begins once the sun sets in Detroit. The city boasts a lively nightlife where you’ll find locals dancing the night away at one of many downtown hotspots.

Nighttime activities near Detroit include:

• Partying the night away to live piano performances at the Ghost Bar
• Rolling through the city streets for a couple of hours with the Detroit Rolling Rub
• Dancing the night away at City Club, an industrial nightclub
• Meeting someone new and learning about a new artist at an underground electronic scene like Elektricity
• Tapping your foot to some bluegrass and folk jams at Otus Supply

Believe it or not, there are many attractions just for kids in downtown Detroit. With its unique architecture, ample parks, family-friendly festivals, and ice cream shops, it’s easy to find things to do with kids while in the city.

Family-friendly things to do near Detroit include:

• Taking your kids to the Detroit Zoo to see the animatronic Dinosauria exhibit
• Cheering alongside thousands of other fans on the bleachers of Ford Field
• Showing them the wonders and creatures of the Belle Isle Aquarium
• Energizing their minds and encouraging learning at the Michigan Science Center
• Impressing your kids with how cool you are by taking them to Legoland Discovery Center Michigan

Not a huge fan of outdoor adventure? Need something to do on a rainy day? Avoiding a Detroit snowstorm? Lucky for you, there are plenty of things to do indoors when you’re in Detroit. Some of these indoor activities take the form of solo activities like spa treatments or yoga classes, but others, like art shows and wine and painting, beg invitations.

Indoor attractions in Motor City include:

• Seeing the Ghost Gardens play at the Detroit Repertory Theatre
• Listening to the expertise of the Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival throughout the metro Detroit area
• Dropping in on a Yoga & Summer Solstice yoga class (or starting your own)
• Seeing the bus Rosa Parks rode on at the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation
• Bouncing, flying, soaring and flying in Sky Zone's trampoline park

Sightseeing and outdoor activities might not be the first things that come to mind when looking for fun in a city, let alone the city of Detroit. It may surprise you then, to find that there are plenty of things to do outdoors both in and near the city of Detroit – everything from brewery tours and watersports to peaceful outdoors walks.

Outdoor attractions in Detroit include:

• Taking a Metro Detroit brewery tour with D&D Brewery Tours
• Fishing and enjoying the view of the cityscape at William G. Millken State Park
• Kayaking, canoeing, or paddle boarding along the Detroit River
• Watching wildlife that includes pheasants, bald eagles and deer at any of the area’s local parks
• Shopping the day away at the Great Lakes Crossing Outlets