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Detroit

Detroit is a major metropolis in the US state of Michigan that has had a profound impact on the world. From the advent of the automotive assembly line to the Motown sound, modern techno and rock music, Detroit continues to shape both American and global culture. The city has seen many of its historic buildings renovated, and is bustling with new developments and attractions that complement its world-class museums and theatres. After a long economic slump and decrease in population, Detroit has developed a reputation for crime and urban decline, but revitalization means that it is an exciting destination filled with technological advance and historic charm.

Understand

Downtown Detroit is unique: an International Riverfront, ornate buildings, sculptures, fountains, the nation's second largest theater district, and one of the nation's largest collection of pre-depression era skyscrapers. Two major traffic circles along Woodward Avenue surround Campus Martius Park and Grand Circus Park, both gathering points. The city has ample parking much of it in garages. Many historic buildings have been converted into loft apartments, and new businesses have opened in the Central Business District. Downtown Detroit features the Renaissance Center, including the tallest hotel in the Western Hemisphere, the Detroit Marriott. Many restaurants emanate from the Renaissance Center, Greektown, the arts and theatre district, and stadium area. Joining the eastern, riverfront parks, the city has the 982-acre (3.9 km²) Belle Isle Park with the large James Scott Memorial Fountain, historic conservatory, gardens, Dossin Great Lakes Museum, and spectacular views of the city skyline.

Visitors may reserve a public dock downtown at the Tri-Centennial State Park and Harbor. Great Lakes Cruises are also available. Shorter pleasure trips provided by Diamond Jack's River Tours and The Detroit Princess Riverboat. Surrounding neighborhoods such as Corktown, home to Detroit's early Irish population, New Center, Midtown, and Eastern Market (the nation's largest open air market), are experiencing a revival. Detroit has a rich architectural heritage, such as the restored historic Westin Book-Cadillac Hotel, the Guardian and Fisher buildings with exquisitely ornate interiors and exteriors, the Detroit Institute of Arts (top five museums in the country) to name a few. In 2005, Detroit's architecture was heralded as some of America's finest; many of the city's architecturally significant buildings are listed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as among America's most endangered landmarks.

Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. to offer casino resorts. The three major casino resorts are MGM Grand Detroit, Greektown, and MotorCity. A fourth major casino is just across the river in Windsor, Canada. Detroit Metro Airport is one of the few to offer world class hotel and meeting facilities inside the terminal. The Renaissance Center and the Southfield Town Center are among the nation's finest mixed use facilities for large conferences. Downtown Detroit serves as the cultural and entertainment hub of the metropolitan region, Windsor, Ontario, and even for Toledo, Ohio residents, many of whom work in metropolitan Detroit. While most of the region's attractions are in the city of Detroit, tourists will find that nearly all of the shopping malls are in the suburbs, such as Troy, Dearborn, Novi and Clinton Township. The Detroit-Windsor metro area population totals about 5.9 million; it jumps to 6.5 million if Toledo is included. An estimated 46 million people live within a 300 mi (480 km) radius of Detroit. The city's northern inner ring suburbs like Ferndale, Southfield, Royal Oak, and Birmingham provide an urban experience in the suburbs complete with dining, shopping and other attractions. The Detroit area has many regal mansions, within the city and especially in Grosse Pointe, Bloomfield Hills, and Birmingham. Ann Arbor provides the nearby experience of a college town.

Detroit is an international destination for sporting events of all types; patrons enjoy their experience in world class venues. The Detroit Convention and Visitors bureau maintains the Detroit Metro Sports Commission. The city and region have state of the art facilities for major conferences and conventions.

Detroit is known as the world's "Automobile Capital", "Motown" (for "Motor Town"), and "Motor City", the city where Henry Ford pioneered the automotive assembly line, with the world's first mass produced car, the Model T. During World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt called Detroit the "Arsenal of Democracy." Today, the region serves as the global center for the automotive world. Headquartered in metro Detroit, General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler all have major corporate, manufacturing, engineering, design, and research facilities in the area. Hyundai, Toyota, Nissan, among others, have a presence in the region. The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor is a global leader in research and development. Metro Detroit has made Michigan's economy a leader in information technology, life sciences, and advanced manufacturing. Michigan ranks fourth nationally in high tech employment with 568,000 high tech workers, including 70,000 in the automotive industry. Michigan typically ranks among the top three states for overall research and development investment expenditures in the U.S.

Climate
Detroit's climate is continental, therefore subject to rapid change and a variety of weather. Winters are snowy and very cold, with an even colder wind-chill factor. Snow usually doesn't remain the entire winter. Spring and fall are normally pleasant but colder temperatures will likely creep in during late fall and remain during early spring. Summer is rather short, but often times it is hot and muggy with sometimes strong to occasionally severe thunderstorms.

Orientation
Downtown Detroit is bordered to the south by the Detroit River, which divides the US and Canada. The downtown is on the riverfront; the rest of the city expands north, east, and west from downtown. The Cultural Center, home to most of the city's museums, is just north of downtown, in Midtown.

Tourist information

 * Visit Detroit website

Talk
The traditional white working class Detroit accent falls within the category of Great Lakes English, making it similar to the traditional Chicago and Buffalo accents.

Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport
is in Romulus, about 20 minutes west of the city, at the junction between I-275 and I-94 with many nearby hotels. The airport is a major Delta hub and operational headquarters, so it offers direct flights to and from a surprising variety of cities, from Seattle to Osaka. The airport has been modernized and has six major runways.

The quickest way to get to downtown Detroit is to rent a car or take a taxi. Standard cab fare to downtown is $45-50. Uber & Lyft are also popular options. You can also get to Detroit using the SMART (Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation) bus system. In 2018, SMART began a frequent regional service called FAST (Frequent Affordable Safe Transit). Buses run 7 days a week on Gratiot, Woodward & Michigan Ave all day. FAST Michigan #261 picks up at the McNamara and North terminals every 30-40 minutes on weekdays and every 45-60 minutes on weekends. This bus follows Michigan Ave, making limited stops in Dearborn, Corktown, Rosa Parks Transit Center, Grand Circus Park and ends downtown Detroit on Larned. Route #125 Fort serves the airport every 60 minutes, beginning alternately at the McNamara and North terminals, and takes about 75 min to get downtown. This bus only reaches downtown on weekdays during peak hours. The fare is $2. Familiarize yourself with the route map and schedule before you try this–-it is more commonly used by workers at the airport than tourists.

Airport Shuttle and Taxi services are available by reservation. Reservations 9AM-9PM, +1 313 759-7741. Rates from Detroit Metropolitan Airport to downtown Detroit are $49, plus a $10 airport fee charged by the airport to all licensed transportation providers picking up passengers at the airport.

Windsor International Airport
may be a cheaper alternative for those traveling to Detroit from a Canadian city. Transit Windsor offers limited bus service (on the Walkerville 8 route, weekdays only) from the airport to the Windsor International Transit Terminal, from which you can transfer to the Tunnel Bus that will take you into Detroit. If renting a car from Windsor Airport, make sure the rental agency allows their cars to be taken into the United States.

By car
Several interstates converge in downtown Detroit. I-75/the Chrysler (north of Downtown)/the Fisher (south of Downtown) Freeway North/South runs from Toledo through downtown Detroit to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I-94/the Ford Freeway East/West runs from Chicago to Detroit and continues up to Sarnia. I-96 East/West heads from Detroit to Lansing, Michigan. I-696/the Reuther Freeway runs along about 3 mi north of city limit (8 Mile), connecting the eastern suburbs (such as St. Clair Shores) to Southfield. I-275 connects with the suburb of Livonia. Highways, the Lodge Freeway, M-14, M-23, and the Southfield Freeway are major freeways which interconnect with the Interstates in the Detroit metro area to ease navigation. The Southfield Freeway connects Dearborn to Southfield. The Lodge Freeway, connects Southfield to downtown. Highway M-14 connects Ann Arbor to Detroit via the Jeffries Expressway. Bypassing Ann Arbor, highway M-23 connects I-94 to I-96.

The metro area's major Interstates and freeways were overhauled in preparation the 2006 National Football League Super Bowl XL in Detroit and are in good condition.

As with any major city, traffic during rush hour can make travel really slow. This is especially aggravated during shift changes at the local automotive plants. But due to economic hardships for the region, rush hour traffic lasts less than an hour, and some freeways are clear all day. The Mixing Bowl, I-75/696 interchange, the I-94/Ford Freeway through Detroit, and the Southfield Freeway can be slow in late afternoons. However some freeways can be congested.

The following freeways have chronic congestion in the morning and evening rush:
 * Northbound I-75: Between 8 Mile and 12 Mile
 * Southbound I-75: Between Rochester Curve and I-696
 * Westbound I-696: Dequindre Curve to Woodward; Coolidge Highway out the Mixing Bowl; Drake Rd. to I-96.
 * Eastbound I-696: Mixing Bowl to Woodward Ave.; Groesbeck Highway to I-94
 * Westbound I-96: Off of I-696 to Wixom Rd. (due in part to the growing urban sprawl in the area)
 * Eastbound I-94: Warren Ave. to Mt. Elliott St.
 * Westbound I-94: 12 Mile to I-696; Connor to Jeffries Freeway

For smaller streets, the Detroit area is laid out in wheel-and-spoke, grid, and strip-farm configuration. This was due to first French development (strip farms along the river), early city layout (wheel and spoke from the river's edge), followed by the modern North/South grid. Mile roads run east-west, starting at downtown Detroit and increasing as you travel north. These mile roads may change name in different cities, so pay attention. There are also several spoke roads, including Woodward Ave, Michigan Ave, Gratiot Ave, and Grand River Ave. Only in the old downtown business district is the original Washington D.C./L'Enfant-style wheel and spoke layout found (it is quite confusing, with several one-way streets added for fun). In areas along the River and Lake St. Clair, the colonial-era French practice of allocating strips of land with water access is seen as main roads parallel the water, and secondary roads perpendicular to it.

By bus

 * . Service west to Chicago (5-8 hr, $35), south to Toledo (1 hr, $15), and all over Michigan. The terminal is near downtown at 1001 Howard St.
 * Megabus. Discount bus service to and from Chicago (6 hours, $1-25) and Toledo. Megabus has two stops in Detroit: one is at the near Cass and Michigan in Downtown, the other is the  in Midtown on W Forest Ave between Cass and Woodward, outside of WSU Parking Structure #8.

 * Transit Windsor. The tunnel bus from Windsor runs seven days a week for CAD$5 or US$5 (each way). The bus runs from the main bus station in Windsor (300 Chatham St West) to Rosa Parks Transit Center in Detroit, with stops near the tunnel entrance in Detroit and around downtown Detroit.
 * SMART FAST Bus In 2018, SMART began a regional bus service called FAST. Three routes (Michigan, Woodward & Gratiot) run from the suburbs to downtown Detroit making limited stops (every 1-2 miles). Commuters and visitors can park at designated Park&Rides in the suburbs and ride downtown in just under 60 minutes depending on how far away you start out. Cost is $2 for a 4 hour pass ($0.50 reduced), $5 for a 24 hour pass ($2 reduced), $22 for a 7 day pass ($10 reduced) and $70 for a 31 day pass ($29 reduced). Reduced fares apply to students 6-18 & seniors 65+ with proper ID and those with disabilities.

By train

 * Route serving Detroit:
 * Wolverine Service operates several times daily between Pontiac and Chicago including stops along the way in Troy, Royal Oak, Detroit, Dearborn, Ann Arbor, Jackson, Battle Creek, Kalamazoo, Niles, and New Buffalo. Travel time to Detroit from Pontiac is 40 minutes, from Ann Arbor is an hour, from Kalamazoo is 3.25 hours, and from Chicago is 5.25-5.75 hours ($25-50). There are many train connections in Chicago.
 * For travel from the east, a bus connection is available from Toledo, where trains are available with trains from New York (16 hr, $75-150) and Washington, D.C. (15 hours, $65-130), but travelers may find the middle-of-the-night departures unappealing.
 * Neighboring Windsor in Canada is served by multiple trains daily from Toronto on VIA Rail. There are various other options to get from Windsor to Detroit (see below).
 * Neighboring Windsor in Canada is served by multiple trains daily from Toronto on VIA Rail. There are various other options to get from Windsor to Detroit (see below).

From Canada
U.S. and Canadian citizens are required to present a passport, passport card, enhanced driver's license, or trusted traveler card when crossing the US-Canada border. For more detailed identification requirements, visit Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI). Although it is efficient for an international border, this is the busiest crossing between the two countries, with frequent delays.

There are two ways to get to Detroit from Windsor:

Large trucks (including those not allowed on the bridge or into the tunnel due to hazardous cargo, or size) can also be taken across the border by the Truck Ferry.

Pedestrians cannot walk across the bridge or through the tunnel, they must use the tunnel bus. Bicyclists are also prohibited from using the bridge and the tunnel; however, since Oct 31, 2017, it is possible to carry a bicycle in the bike rack of a tunnel bus. It is also possible to disassemble the bike and put it in a bike bag, which can be brought on the bus.

A foot passenger or a bicyclist can also cross the international border about 50 miles north of Detroit, using a ferry on the St Clair River:

A third crossing, the Gordie Howe International Bridge, is being built between the two existing crossings and is now expected to open in 2024. Unlike the other two crossings, the only stops will be the customs posts on either side of the border, as it will connect to controlled-access highways on both sides. The Detroit side will connect with I-75 and I-94 via a new highway, while Ontario is extending the existing Highway 401 through Windsor directly to the new bridge.

Get around
As the historical center of the American automobile industry, with Ford, General Motors and Chrysler once having their main factories here, Detroit is unsurprisingly one of the world's most car-dependent cities.

Detroit's street layout is truly unique, combining wheel-and-spoke, grid, and strip-farm (near the River) layouts. Six major spoke roads radiate out from downtown; they are, in clockwise order, Fort Street, Michigan Avenue, Grand River Avenue, Woodward Avenue, Gratiot Avenue, and Jefferson Avenue. Woodward Avenue runs northwest-southeast (more or less) and divides the northern half of Detroit into east and west; West Warren Street, for instance, becomes East Warren Street when it crosses Woodward. Smaller streets generally conform to a strict grid pattern, but the orientation of the grid and the size and shape of blocks frequently varies to fit better with the spoke roads. Downtown, the layout abandons the grid design, with the spoke roads converging in a confusing but oddly logical arrangement of diagonal, mostly one-way streets.

By car
As Detroit spreads over a large area, it is difficult to be without a car. An extensive freeway system and ample parking make the region one of the most auto-friendly in North America. Detroit has one of America's most modern freeway systems. See the Michigan Department of Transportation website for a current listing of downtown road closures and construction projects. Downtown has a number of parking garages.

Greektown Casino, in the downtown, has a free 13-floor parking garage. Visitors are welcome to pay to park at the Renaissance Center garage. There are plenty of pay-to-park garages, lots, and valet near the Greektown/stadium areas. Premium parking right next to the stadium is well worth the extra price and usually available during a game. Downtown has an ease of entry from the freeways that may surprise new visitors. Valet parking is available at four Renaissance Center locations, the main Winter Garden entrance along the Riverfront, the Jefferson Avenue lobby, Marriott hotel entrance west, and Seldom Blues entrance west.

Detroit has an abundance of taxi, limo, and shuttle services. Car rental prices are reasonable.

While MDOT has discontinued emphasis on the names of freeways, most locals still cling to their names. Make sure you have an atlas with the names as many roads change names as you go along them.

The Mixing Bowl is the confluence of the Lodge/Northwestern, the Reuther, Telegraph Rd, and Franklin Rd. The Spaghetti Bowl is the confluence of 96/275, the Reuther, the M-5, and the Haggerty Connector. The Junction is the confluence of the Jeffries, 275, and M-14 on the far west side suburbs. The Triangle is the beginning of the Jeffries at the Fisher Freeway. The Interchange is the interchange of the Reuther and the Chrysler Freeways. Many freeways bend and because of this many bends are called Curves:

 * 9 Mile Curve, Gardenia Curve, Rochester Curve, Big Beaver Curve, Crooks Curve all on I-75
 * Dequindre Curve on I-696
 * Mound Curve on I-696
 * Wyoming Curve and Linwood Curve on the Lodge Freeway
 * Fisher/Chrysler Curve: Near downtown Detroit, I-75 makes one of the sharpest turns in the interstate system. It is also the change between the Fisher Freeway and Chrysler Freeway. So if you are going north on the curve it is the Chrysler Curve, if south, the Fisher Curve.

Unlike in most other U.S. cities, traffic signals change to yellow while the pedestrian signal (hand) is still flashing. Exercise caution at intersections to avoid hitting pedestrians scrambling to cross the street when the signal is yellow.

QLine
The line has 12 stations (four downtown, five in Midtown, and three in New Center/North End), each covered with seating and free Wi-Fi. It connects with the People Mover at Grand Circus Park and with Amtrak at the Amtrak Station. It operates M-Th 6AM-11PM, F 6AM-midnight, Sa 8AM-midnight, Su 8AM-8PM. Walk-up fare (valid for three hours) is $1.50, a day pass is $3, and a monthly pass is $30. Tickets can be purchased with cash on the streetcar or with credit cards at stations or on the app.

By bus
The organization started in 1974, is the successor to the Department of Street Railways, founded in 1922 (DSR). DDOT provides mass transit bus service within the city of Detroit and features (10) 24-7 Core Routes, (2) additional 24-7 routes and (30) Local, Crosstown and Express Routes. The main bus terminal is the Rosa Parks Transit Center, located at Cass and Michigan Ave. DDOT buses are green and white.

 * System Map
 * Downtown Map

Was established in 1989 and serves the tri-county area providing peak trips to downtown Detroit and all-day FAST service on three corridors (Gratiot, Woodward & Michigan Ave). These buses are good for commuting both ways, shopping, dining and entertainment.

 * System Map
 * Downtown Map

Bus fares: SMART & DDOT accept DART passes. Cost is $2 for a 4-hour pass ($0.50 reduced), $5 for a 24-hour pass ($2 reduced), $22 for a 7-day pass ($10 reduced) and $70 for a 31-day pass ($29 reduced). Reduced fares apply to students 6-18 & seniors 65+ with proper ID and those with disabilities.

By bicycle
Bike rentals are available in downtown Detroit along the International Riverfront at Rivard Plaza from Wheelhouse. Downtown and the riverfront are usually bustling with visitors.

MoGo is a large public bike share system with 43 stations across the city. A daily pass is $8 and includes unlimited 30-minute trips. There are also monthly and annual passes.

Detroit is one of the best cities for biking. Due to the surge and collapse of the auto industry, most streets have multiple lanes in each direction. Because of sharp population declines, there are rarely enough cars to fill all these lanes, therefore bikers can usually have a lane to themselves, a rare occurrence in most cities. Detroit is home to many budding bike co-ops, the most active is the Hub of Detroit, and its sister program Back-Alley Bikes. Both are in the Cass corridor, on Cass Ave. and Martin Luther King Ave. Back-Alley Bikes has weekly volunteer nights, and monthly women and transgender bike workshops.

The Detroit Critical Mass held on the last Friday of every month is well attended. The Detroit Critical Mass is a guided fun and friendly paced ride, often going through Downtown, passing the old train station, Slows Barbecue, and parts of Mexican town. Critical Mass occasionally meets on Trumbull between Merrick and Warren, near the Woodbridge Pub, though sometimes meets at Grand Circus Park. Check the location and time before you meet-up. Attendance varies with season.

By electric scooter
With the right app loaded, you can pick up a scooter that are scattered around downtown, run by a number of companies including Spin, Bird and Lime.

By foot
A car is helpful for getting around the rest of the city, but due to the unusual layout and large number of one-way streets, getting out and walking for a few blocks is a good way to see downtown and Midtown.

See
''This is only a small list of some of the biggest attractions and even though they are listed here, their info is brief. Make sure to check out the district articles for more.''

Architecture

 * Renaissance Center, also known as the Ren Cen, is a group of seven interconnected skyscrapers whose central tower is the tallest building in Michigan and the tallest hotel in the Western Hemisphere. Built in 1977, it has the world's largest rooftop restaurant that can be reached by a glass elevator ride. The headquarters of General Motors, it is on the Detroit International Riverfront. See: Downtown.
 * Fisher Building is a historic Art-Deco building designed by Albert Kahn in 1928. It has been called Detroit's largest art object. See: Midtown-New Center.
 * Guardian Building is a bold example of Art Deco architecture, including art moderne designs. The interior, decorated with mosaic and Pewabic and Rookwood tile, is a must-see. See: Downtown.
 * Westin Book Cadillac Hotel is a renovated architectural gem built in 1928. See: Downtown.
 * Wayne County Building is America's best surviving example of Roman Baroque architecture. See: Downtown.
 * Urban exploration. Detroit is known for its enormous, impressive but decaying relics of American industry and wealth, and thus has much potential for urban exploration.

Historic neighborhoods

 * Corktown is Detroit's oldest neighborhood. It was settled by Irish people from County Cork, hence the name Corktown. Many historic landmarks are found in the neighborhood, such as the Michigan Central Station and the remnants of Tiger Stadium. See: Southwest Side.
 * Greektown is probably Detroit's most famous neighborhood. It has an endless number of Greek restaurants and is home to Greektown Casino. See: Downtown.
 * Mexicantown is the fastest growing neighborhood in Detroit. It is famous for its Mexican cuisine, which is evidenced by its vast number of restaurants. See: Southwest Side.
 * Palmer Woods is a private historic neighborhood in the city of Detroit west of Woodward Avenue and north of Palmer Park. See: West Side.
 * Woodbridge is a historic district home to many architecturally significant houses, most of which are Victorian-style. The neighborhood was one of the few that were not affected by Detroit's decay a few decades back. See: Southwest Side.

Museums

 * Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History holds the world's largest permanent exhibit on African American culture. See: Midtown-New Center.
 * Detroit Institute of Arts is one of the most significant museums in the United States. It has an art collection worth more than one billion dollars. Check out the industry murals. See: Midtown-New Center.
 * Hitsville U.S.A. was Motown Records' first headquarters. Berry Gordy founded it in 1959, and all of the Motown hits were recorded here. Today, the building houses a museum of the history of Motown Records. See: Midtown-New Center.
 * Detroit Historical Museum covers the history of Detroit and its industries.
 * Dossin Great Lakes Museum is a museum devoted to the maritime history of the Great Lakes. One exhibit is the pilot house of a bulk ore freighter.
 * Historic Fort Wayne is a fort built in 1845 to defend Detroit from Canada. It also houses the Tuskegee Airmen Museum.
 * Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit hosts modern art exhibits.
 * Arab American National Museum

Parks

 * Belle Isle is Detroit's premier park. The 1000-acre park lies in the river between Detroit and Windsor and is reached by bridge. It offers swimming, a nature center, yacht club, rowing club, conservatory, golf course, maritime museum. The park hosts motor racing, off-shore boat racing, concerts and small athletic events. The park, which is larger than Central Park in New York City, shared the same designer.
 * Rouge Park is the largest park in Detroit. The 1200-acre park includes a golf course, model airplane field, swimming pools, hiking and mountain bike trail.
 * Campus Martius Park is Detroit's main urban park. Several skyscrapers surround this park and the adjacent Cadillac Square Park, which was made in 2007 to increase the amount of park space. The park is also home to several monuments, such as the Michigan Soldiers' and Sailors' monument, a Civil War monument. See: Downtown.
 * Hart Plaza is a park on Detroit's riverfront. It offers great views of the city's skyline and also has several monuments, such as Dodge Fountain and the Joe Louis Fist. See: Downtown.
 * Grand Circus Park is a park that connects the financial district to the theatre district. It is also surrounded by many skyscrapers. The park also has many monuments and statues. See: Downtown.

Do
''This is only a small list of some of the some key activities and events to enjoy and even though they are listed here, their info is brief. Make sure to check out the district articles for more.''

 * Casinos The three major casinos include, MGM Grand Detroit, Motor City and Greektown. Check for performances.
 * Concerts, and more Detroit is the birthplace of American electro/techno music, with Juan Atkins, Kevin Saunderson, and Derrick May all hailing from the area. Although other cities around the world have picked up Detroit's torch and carried it further in some ways, Detroit is still a great place to dance and see the masters at work.
 * Cruise Ships, the Great Lakes Cruising Coalition. The Dock of Detroit receives major cruise lines on the Great Lakes. Adjacent to the Renaissance Center on Hart Plaza. Local tours include Diamond Jack's River Tours and Detroit Princess. Chartered tours are also available.
 * Detroit's Night Life includes a multitude of clubs throughout the metropolitan area.
 * Detroit's Vibrant, Underground Arts Scene Detroit is home to over 80 galleries, with artists hailing from around the world. Artists are attracted to Detroit due to its abundance of raw, under-utilized industrial space and its inspiring environment of pre-depression era buildings.
 * Detroit's Music Scene The Detroit sound is the sound of the world. It is shaped by Detroit's unique past, its cultural diversity, its energy and its future. Some great musicians to come out of Detroit are Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder and Eminem. Detroit's public information campaign, "The World is Coming, Get in the Game" features an online tour of this music scene. Unlike some cities, there is no central entertainment district (Greektown only partially counts) and many up and coming groups play at venues scattered throughout the area.
 * Theater See a performance, Detroit's theaters include the Fox Theater, Fisher Theater, Masonic Theater, Gem Theater & Century Club, Detroit Opera House, and Orchestral Hall.

Learn
The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, about 45 miles west of Detroit, ranks as one of America's best. Alumni include President Gerald Ford and Google co-founder Larry Page. Others include Wayne State University (alumni include legendary White House Correspondent Helen Thomas and comedian/actress Lily Tomlin), the University of Detroit Mercy, Lawrence Technological University, Oakland University, Oakland Community College which is one of the largest Community Colleges in Michigan, Eastern Michigan University, Marygrove College, and College for Creative Studies.

The Detroit area has many civic and professional organizations. The headquarters for the Society for Automotive Engineers (SAE), Automotive, is in Troy, Michigan, the Society of Manufacturing Engineers in Dearborn, MI and the Center for Automotive Research (CAR) is headquartered in Ann Arbor, MI. Others include the Detroit Economic Club, the Detroit Athletic Club, the Greening of Detroit to promote urban forestry (tree planting), the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, Detroit Renaissance, and Detroit Economic Growth Association (DEGA).

The International Academy, an all International Baccalaureate school (a public, tuition-free consortium high school operated by Bloomfield Hills Schools which consistently ranks among the top 10 public high schools in the nation by Newsweek magazine), Cranbrook Schools (an exclusive private boarding school and academy), the Eton Academy, and Henry Ford Academy are some of outstanding secondary schools in the area.

Work
Some of the major companies which have headquarters or a significant presence in metro Detroit include GM, Ford, Chrysler, Volkswagen of America, Comerica, Rock Financial/Quicken Loans, Kelly Services, Borders Group, Dominos, American Axle, DTE Energy, Compuware, Covansys, TRW, BorgWarner, ArvinMeritor, United Auto Group, Pulte Homes, Taubman Centers, Guardian Glass, Lear Seating, Masco, General Dynamics Land Systems, Delphi, AT&T, EDS, Microsoft, IBM, Google, Verizon, National City Bank, Delta Air Lines, Bank of America, and Raymond James, PwC, Ernst & Young, the FBI, and more.

Buy
''This is only a small list of shops and even though they are listed here, their info is brief. Make sure to check out the district articles for more.''

Groceries and other basics
Detroit does not really have a lot of retail options within the city and as a result most city residents tend to head to the suburbs to do any major shopping. Thankfully this has started to change somewhat with a few local independently owned supermarkets opening up and the opening of a Whole Foods Market in Midtown, two Aldi stores, and two Meijer stores means that Detroit no longer has the dubious distinction of being the largest city in the US without a chain grocery store. The major drug store chains such as CVS and Walgreens in addition to convenience stores such as 7-11 however do have a few locations scattered throughout the city.

Eat

Detroit is home to many American classics including Sanders Hot Fudge, Little Caesars Pizza, Better Made Potato Chips, and Vernor's Ginger Ale. (Vernor's Ginger Ale shares the distinction as America's oldest soft drink with Hires Root Beer.)

Detroit is famous for the ubiquitous Coney Island. The term refers to a hot dog with chili, mustard, and chopped fresh onions; the name also applies to restaurants that serve them. The two oldest are American Coney Island and Lafayette Coney Island, next door to each other in downtown Detroit. Coney Islands can be found all over the city. People in the suburbs get their fill from local chains such as National Coney Island and Leo's Coney Island.

Detroit-style pizza is a delicious and crispy deep-dish pizza that you can't really find outside Michigan (with some exceptions). Not quite as thick as Chicago-style pizza, the buttery crust is worth seeking out. The Detroit classic is Buddy's Pizza, with locations throughout the metro Detroit area. Loui's Pizza in Hazel Park makes a fine example, as well. The dozens of Jets Pizzas in the area do it right and do it quickly.

Explore Detroit's Greektown, with its Greek restaurants and shops surrounding the Greektown Casino. Detroit's Mexicantown is known for Mexican cuisine at restaurants such as Mexican Village, Evie's Tamales, El Zocalo and Xochimilco. Restaurants, bakeries, and shops are on Vernor Highway, on both the east and west sides of the Interstate 75 service drive. Hamtramck is famous for its Polish cuisine and bakeries. Choose to dine in elegance at one of Detroit's many fine restaurants a sample of which include the Coach Insignia atop the Renaissance Center Downtown, the Whitney House restaurant in Midtown, or the Opus One in the New Center.

Drink
Vernor's Ginger Ale, created by Detroit pharmacist James Vernor, shares the distinction as America's oldest soft drink with Hires Root Beer. A local favorite, Detroiters pour Vernor's over ice cream (this drink is called a "Boston Cooler" in reference to Boston Blvd. in Detroit, not the city in Massachusetts). Also try Faygo soft drinks, another former Detroit based soft drink company. Detroiters enjoy Michigan Wines. A family of GM heritage, the Fisher family Coach Wines are served at the Coach Insignia Restaurant atop the GM Renaissance Center. The Detroit area also hosts a number of microbreweries.

Sleep
With plenty of luxurious accommodations, the Detroit area includes many fine hotels to fit all types of needs. Whether it is the riverfront ambiance of the Renaissance Center Marriott, or the old world elegance of the newly restored Westin Book-Cadillac. For a mix of the urban/suburban flair try the international style Westin Southfield-Detroit Hotel.

Budget options are also available, including a hostel in North Corktown.

Telephone
AT&T is the incumbent landline telephone provider, and Detroit is serviced by all the major mobile telephone companies (Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint)

Detroit numbers consist of +1 313 plus a seven-digit number.

Stay safe
As with most other urban areas in the US, precautions should be taken when out after dark: stay in groups; do not carry large amounts of money; and avoid seedy neighborhoods. The overall crime rate in downtown Detroit is below the national average, and crime has declined significantly, but the city is still among the most dangerous in the country. That being said, if you exercise common sense and don't go looking for trouble, you'll be fine.

Downtown Detroit is generally well-policed and the safest part of the city. Crimes sometimes occur, but exercising common sense will go a long way toward keeping you and your valuables safe.

Stick to major freeways when possible and try to avoid smaller streets through unfamiliar neighborhoods. How you carry yourself can easily keep you from getting mugged.

Sporting events, festivals and other large public events are always heavily policed and very safe. Sporadic crime events, mostly alcohol-related and involving groups of youths, have been reported at some of these events but they are by far the exception.

Some of the hard-core night club music scene is between downtown venues like the Majestic Theater/Magic Stick complex, places in Hamtramck, and suburban venues in places like Royal Oak. Unless you take a taxi, you will have to drive, navigate the city at night, and typically park on the street. Patrons at some venues, such as Harpo's on the east side, should take safety precautions.

Always use caution and ask around before going to a particular venue. People at record stores, guitar shops, "cool" clothing stores, and the like often visit and know which venues are easy to get to and reasonably safe.

Cope
Detroit has a modern freeway system that is easy to navigate, but suburban Detroit drivers tend to drive fast and aggressively. The flow of traffic on a freeway is routinely 10 mi over the speed limit, and weaving in and out of lanes is standard practice, often times without signaling. If you are driving the posted speed limit in the fast lane, the driver behind you may have no qualms about tailgating you, so if you plan on driving slowly, stay in the far right lane. If you like to drive slowly and cautiously you may find yourself getting honked at, yelled at, given the finger, tailgated, etc.

Detroit Metropolitan Airport has an attached Westin Hotel and conference center. The airport is among the most modern in the United States with both international and domestic gates in the World Terminal. Galegroup's Hour Media LLC publishes a full color guest guide found in hotels in the metro Detroit area. Visitors may request a guest packet from the Detroit Convention and Visitors Bureau. The Convention and Visitors Bureau sponsors Discover Detroit TV which airs Mondays at 5:30PM on Detroit Public Television. The city has ample parking garages, valet, and pay-to-park lots near major attractions. Laurel Park Place Mall in Livonia has an attached Marriott Hotel. The Westin Hotel at the Southfield Town Center is centrally located for those needing access to the entire metropolitan region.

Consulates

 * 🇦🇱 Albania
 * 🇦🇹 Austria
 * 🇧🇧 Barbados
 * 🇧🇪 Belgium
 * 🇨🇦 Canada
 * 🇫🇷 France
 * 🇩🇪 Germany
 * 🇮🇶 Iraq
 * 🇮🇹 Italy
 * 🇯🇵 Japan
 * 🇱🇧 Lebanon
 * North Macedonia
 * 🇲🇽 Mexico
 * 🇳🇱 Netherlands
 * 🇸🇪 Sweden
 * 🇹🇷 Turkey
 * 🇺🇦 Ukraine
 * 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
 * 🇾🇪 Yemen

Newspapers

 * The Detroit News. Published Monday through Saturday.
 * Detroit Free Press. Published daily.
 * Metro Times. Alternative weekly covering news, arts and entertainment. Published Wednesdays; free.

Michigan
Although Detroit provides the majority of the region's visitor attractions, the Southeast Michigan area is large and diverse and contains a great wealth of hot spots and attractions that are also well worth visiting.

 * Ann Arbor - Home to the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor offers many attractions of a self-enclosed small city. A thriving downtown, lots of culture, and plenty of students. Canoeing is a favorite pastime on the Huron River, available through Metro parks near Ann Arbor. Additionally, the city boasts the number one rated Ann Arbor Street Art Fair which attracts over 500,000 attendees from across the nation each July. Enjoy the Beach at Kensington Metropark, or winter skiing at nearby Mt. Holly, and Brighton.
 * Dearborn - Detroit's suburb to the Southwest and home of Ford Motor Company, Dearborn, has a leading attraction,  The Henry Ford (the Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village), a large historical and entertainment complex, and the Automotive Hall of Fame. Dearborn has the second largest Middle-Eastern population in the world, with mosques being a common sight and a wide selection of Middle-Eastern food and shopping. Detroit's public information campaign, "The World is Coming, Get in the Game" has created an online tour (see section "Do" for the link) of Dearborn's cultural scene.
 * Flint - The home of the modern labor union movement in the U.S. While not as tourist-friendly as Ann Arbor, Flint has a great art scene for a city of its size and is much less pretentious.
 * Grand Rapids - Michigan's second largest city. With a skyline filled with construction cranes, many believe Grand Rapids is Michigan's future. With a great, clean downtown area and the city's proximity to Lake Michigan, Grand Rapids is a grand experience waiting to happen.
 * Lake St. Clair and the St. Clair River - Waterfront activities and living are among the luxuries of the metropolitan Detroit area. Experience cruises and boating on beautiful Lake St. Clair. The St. Clair River connects Lake St. Clair to Lake Huron. In the quiet town of St. Clair, along the St. Clair River, dine at the Voyager Seafood restaurant at 525 South Riverside. Enjoy the charm of a small town lifestyle in a major metropolitan area in and around Lake St. Clair's Anchor Bay. Visitors to downtown Detroit may reserve a dock at William G. Milliken State Park and Harbor. Or enjoy a Great Lakes cruise.
 * Royal Oak - Home to the beautifully landscaped Detroit Zoo, Royal Oak is a gay friendly suburb outside of Detroit which boasts a classy night scene with exciting dining and a diverse avant-garde bar culture. Also see: Ferndale
 * Troy - Troy, a suburb of Detroit, contains the Somerset Collection, one of the largest upscale malls in the Midwest. Visit Nordstrom, Macy's, Henri Bendel, Ralph Lauren/Polo, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Tiffany & Co, Barney's New York, and more than 180 other specialty shops. Follow Big Beaver Road east as it becomes the Metropolitan Parkway toward Metropolitan Beach on beautiful Lake St. Clair.
 * Traverse City is home to beaches, tart cherries, and grapes, and is only a 4 hour drive north on I-75.

Ohio

 * Toledo, Ohio is about an hour south on the DT Expressway (I-75). This mid-sized city is on the edge of Lake Erie, which offers numerous nearby recreational opportunities. The city is a good destination for restaurant and architecture buffs. Toledo also boasts a nationally known art museum and zoo, and is a regional center for alternative energy research and development.
 * Cedar Point is about an hour east of Toledo, this action packed amusement park is routinely ranked among the best in the world.

Elsewhere in America

 * Chicago is home to blues music, Millennium Park, and many sports teams that are hated in the Detroit area. Only a 6-hour drive away on I-94.
 * The Detroit area is a major gateway to the rest of the Great Lakes Megalopolis in the United States and Canada.

Canada

 * Windsor, Ontario, Canada lies just across the Ambassador Bridge or through the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel, which is located right next to the Renaissance Center (good to use if you see traffic backed up onto I-75). This heavily trafficked border crossing has shaped Windsor more than anything else; well-maintained, walkable streets, shops and restaurants, Caesars Windsor casino, and adult entertainment. The lower drinking age (19) draws young Americans and ensures a vibrant club scene on weekends. Windsor provides great views of Detroit's skyline, especially on summer nights from waterfront Dieppe Park. Crossing the border requires a passport.
 * You can start going up the Windsor-Quebec corridor right across the Ambassador Bridge.

title: Detroit


text:
Detroit/Downtown

Downtown Detroit is the central business district of Detroit, bordered by the Lodge Freeway to the west, the Fisher Freeway to the north, Interstate 375 to the east, and the Detroit River to the south. The area contains most of the prominent skyscrapers in Detroit, the nation's second largest theatre district, several parks, many of which are linked by the Detroit International Riverfront, three casinos, and much more that is sure to make your visit a unique and memorable one.

Understand
Downtown Detroit is very empty but anyone who visits will be pleasantly surprised to see one of America's best preserved collections of late nineteenth and early twentieth century buildings standing beside the contemporary. Casino resorts add an air of excitement to the entertainment hub of the region. The International Riverfront teems with activity. Restaurant clusters emanate from Greektown, the Renaissance Center, and downtown stadiums. Downtown, with its revitalized riverfront area, has evolved into a popular place to reside with many new high rise lofts and restored historic homes. In the past decade, the area and the entire city has seen many historic buildings renovated, many parks open, and much more.

By car
The most popular way of getting to Detroit is by car. The area has many parking garages and is easy to access from the freeways, and parking prices aren't bad.

 * If coming from the south: take I-75 North toward Detroit and exit at Exit 49 to M-10. Exit on the left toward M-10/Lodge Freeway/Civic Center. Take the M-10 South exit toward the Civic Center and then merge onto the Lodge Freeway/M-10 South. The Lodge Freeway/M-10 becomes Jefferson Avenue. Finally, turn left onto Woodward Avenue, and you will be in Downtown.
 * If coming from the west: take I-96 East and take the I-75 North/M-10 exit on the left toward Flint/Civic Center. Continue to the M-10/Lodge Freeway exit toward Rosa Parks Boulevard/Civic Center and then exit on the left toward M-10/Lodge Freeway/Civic Center. Take the M-10 South exit toward the Civic Center and then merge onto John C Lodge Fwy/M-10 South. The Lodge Freeway/M-10 becomes Jefferson Avenue. Finally, turn left onto Woodward Avenue, and you will be in Downtown.
 * If coming from the north: take I-75 South and continue onto I-375 South/Chrysler Fwy via Exit 51C on the left toward the Civic Center. Turn left onto Jefferson Avenue. E and turn right onto Woodward Avenue, and you will be in Downtown.
 * If coming from the east: take I-94 West and merge onto I-75 South/Chrysler Freeway via Exit 261A toward Toledo. Continue onto I-375 South/Chrysler Freeway via Exit 51C on the left toward the Civic Center. Turn left onto Jefferson Ave. E and turn right onto Woodward Avenue, and you will be in Downtown.

By bus
Detroit has two bus systems and a Downtown People Mover. The is the central hub of the Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT). Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transit (SMART) buses also serve the transit center. Look up bus times at transit.google.com

After arriving at the transit center, hop on the people mover by walking either south to the Michigan Ave Station or north to the Times Square Station. The people mover is the easiest way of getting around Downtown.

By electric scooter
With the right app loaded you can pick up a scooter that are scattered around downtown, run by a number of companies including Spin, Bird and Lime.

Architecture
Detroit is home to one of the world's largest collections of late 19th- and early 20th-century buildings. During the past decade, the city has restored many of its architecturally significant buildings. Several of Detroit's buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Detroit is definitely one the best destinations for architecture buffs.

Gambling

Theater
Foxtown, on Woodward Avenue, is the nickname of Detroit's theater district. The name comes from the city's Fox Theatre, which is the largest of the nation's fox theaters. Foxtown is home to dozens of performing arts venues. It is the second largest theater district in the United States, after New York City's Broadway. The theater district lies in the northern end of downtown Detroit, bordering Midtown. The nearest People Mover stations to the area are the Grand Circus Park Station at Park Street, near Woodward Avenue, and the Broadway Station at the corner of Broadway and John R. Some of the more popular theaters include:

Greektown
Explore Detroit's Greektown, with its Greek restaurants and shops surrounding the Greektown Casino.

Pizza
Detroit is known for its "Detroit-Style" Pizza:

Coney Island
Detroit is known for the greasy and messy Coney Island hot dog, and for its Coney Island restaurants which are open very late or even 24 hours to catch the late-night bar crowd.

Budget
You can find a good selection of food trucks on Cadillac Square Park, but on a fine weather lunchtime expect long lines.

Drink
There are many great bars in a street-art covered alley called The Belt.

Go next

 * Windsor, Ontario, Canada -- lies just across the Ambassador Bridge (which is in the Southwest Side. Or through the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel which is next to the Renaissance Center (good to use if you see traffic backed up onto I-75). This heavily trafficked border crossing has shaped Windsor more than anything else; well-maintained, walkable streets, shops and restaurants, Caesar's Windsor (Canada's largest casino), and adult entertainment. The lower drinking age (19) draws young Americans and ensures a vibrant club scene on weekends. Windsor provides great views of the Detroit skyline, especially on summer nights Windsor's waterfront. Since the passing of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, Crossing the border requires passport or an enhanced driver's license.  A birth certificate or standard driver's license is no longer enough to make the crossing.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Detroit/Downtown


text:
Detroit/East Side

The East Side of Detroit is home to some of the city's most prominent attractions, such as Belle Isle, a large island home to a day's worth of attractions of its own, and historic Eastern Market, the largest market in the United States. Much of the Detroit International Riverfront is located in the East Side.

Understand
Most of the attractions in the East Side tend to be near downtown or along riverfront. The rest of the area is mostly residential, but is also home to historic neighborhoods like Poletown and Black Bottom.

The East Side is home to some of Detroit's most unique attractions. The Eastern Market is the largest public market district in the United States. Belle Isle is an island filled with many of its own attractions, such as the Dossin Great Lakes Museum, the Anna Scripps Whitecomb Conservatory, a beach, the Detroit Yacht Club, and even more than that.

See

Belle Isle
Belle Isle is the largest island park in the United States with 982 acres (3.9 km²; 2.42 sq mi). The island has several sites and attractions. It is the largest island in the Detroit River and offers good views of the city's skyline. It is open all year long and is home to the Detroit Yacht Club, the Detroit Boat Club, a Coast Guard post, and a municipal golf course. The city maintains a Nature Center where visitors are able to traverse wooded trails and view wildlife natural habitats. The island includes a half-mile (800 m) swimming beach.

title: Detroit/East Side


text:
Detroit/Hamtramck-Highland Park

The cities Hamtramck and Highland Park are enclaves of the City of Detroit.

Understand
Hamtramck is known for being home to a large Polish community. This is evidenced in many ways, such as the celebration of Pączki (pronounced: poonchki) Day. In 1970, 91% of the residents were Polish. However, today its only about 22% because many Poles have moved to other parts of the area, and because of a large immigration of people from the Middle East and South Asia.

Highland Park is home to several architecturally significant buildings. It is also home to the Highland Park Ford Plant, the first plant in the world to use the assembly line.

Do

 * Hamtramck Labor Day Weekend Festival Celebration of the Polish cultural heritage including ethnic foods and music and a parade.
 * Hamtramck Labor Day Weekend Festival Celebration of the Polish cultural heritage including ethnic foods and music and a parade.

Stay safe
Highland Park is not highly regarded as a safe city. Visitors should not visit Highland Park at all after dark. The city of Highland Park became financially insolvent in 2002 and it was largely placed under the control of the county government.

Hamtramck is home to numerous bars and entertainment venues which stay open 7 days a week until 2AM. Exercising excessive caution is not necessary when visiting since most of the neighborhoods are safe. Applying common sense as one would when visiting any city is all that is necessary.

title: Detroit/Hamtramck-Highland Park


text:
Detroit/Midtown-New Center

Midtown is the cultural center of Detroit. It is home to several museums and galleries, such as the Detroit Institute of Arts and the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. Just north of Midtown is New Center. This area developed in the 1920s as a business hub that would offer convenient access to both downtown and outlying factories. New Center is home to some great 1920s architecture.

The Midtown-New Center area is bounded by I-75 to the east and south, M-10 to the west, and Highland Park to the north.

Understand
Detroit's New Center is considered to be the world's first edge city, a business hub remote from, but related to, a main urban core. It developed in the 1920s with the construction of several historic buildings, such as the Cadillac Place and the Fisher Building. Some of these buildings were designed by Albert Kahn, who is called the Architect of Detroit as he designed dozens of historic buildings in Detroit in the 1920s.

Detroit's Midtown attracts millions of people annually with its great museums and other cultural centers. It is also home to Wayne State University's main campus. On any given day, Midtown is probably the busiest place in town, with three times its population commuting in.

By car
If coming from the north: Take I-75 South to Exit 53A towards Warren Avenue. Keep straight to go onto Chrysler Drive. Next, turn right onto Warren Avenue East. You will then arrive in Midtown and stay straight on Woodward or Cass Avenues.

If coming from the south: Take I-75 North towards Detroit and continue to Exit 50 towards Grand River Avenue. Keep straight to go onto the Fisher Freeway West. Finally, turn left onto Woodward and you will arrive in Midtown.

If coming from the east: Take I-94 West and continue to Exit 215C toward M-1/Woodward Ave/Brush Street. Keep straight to get onto the Edsel Ford Freeway East. Finally, turn left onto Woodward Avenue and you will arrive in Midtown.

If coming from the west: Take I-96 East and take Exit 190A to merge onto I-94 East towards Port Huron. Take the M-1/Woodward Ave Exit 215C toward John R Road. Keep straight to go onto the Edsel Ford Freeway East. Turn right onto John R Road. Next, turn right again onto Hendrie Street to Woodward Avenue and you will arrive in Midtown.

Architecture

 * The David Whitney House
 * The David Whitney House
 * The David Whitney House
 * The David Whitney House
 * The David Whitney House

Museums

Events

 * Detroit's vibrant, underground arts scene Detroit is home to over 80 galleries, with artists hailing from around the world. Artists are attracted to Detroit due to its abundance of raw, under-utilized industrial space and its inspiring environment of pre-Depression era buildings. Detroit's public information campaign, "The World is Coming, Get in the Game" features an online tour of this arts scene.
 * Detroit's music scene The Detroit sound is the sound of the world. It is shaped by Detroit's unique past, its cultural diversity, its energy and its future. Detroit's public information campaign, "The World is Coming, Get in the Game" features an online tour of this music scene. Keep in mind that unlike some cities, there is no central entertainment district (Greektown only partially counts) and many up and coming groups play at venues scattered throughout the area. Website Motor City Blog lists music events happening in the Detroit area.
 * Detroit's vibrant, underground arts scene Detroit is home to over 80 galleries, with artists hailing from around the world. Artists are attracted to Detroit due to its abundance of raw, under-utilized industrial space and its inspiring environment of pre-Depression era buildings. Detroit's public information campaign, "The World is Coming, Get in the Game" features an online tour of this arts scene.
 * Detroit's music scene The Detroit sound is the sound of the world. It is shaped by Detroit's unique past, its cultural diversity, its energy and its future. Detroit's public information campaign, "The World is Coming, Get in the Game" features an online tour of this music scene. Keep in mind that unlike some cities, there is no central entertainment district (Greektown only partially counts) and many up and coming groups play at venues scattered throughout the area. Website Motor City Blog lists music events happening in the Detroit area.
 * Detroit's vibrant, underground arts scene Detroit is home to over 80 galleries, with artists hailing from around the world. Artists are attracted to Detroit due to its abundance of raw, under-utilized industrial space and its inspiring environment of pre-Depression era buildings. Detroit's public information campaign, "The World is Coming, Get in the Game" features an online tour of this arts scene.
 * Detroit's music scene The Detroit sound is the sound of the world. It is shaped by Detroit's unique past, its cultural diversity, its energy and its future. Detroit's public information campaign, "The World is Coming, Get in the Game" features an online tour of this music scene. Keep in mind that unlike some cities, there is no central entertainment district (Greektown only partially counts) and many up and coming groups play at venues scattered throughout the area. Website Motor City Blog lists music events happening in the Detroit area.

title: Detroit/Midtown-New Center


text:
Detroit/Southwest Side

The Southwest Side of Detroit is 2 miles outside of downtown. It is home to popular ethnically diverse neighborhoods, such as Corktown and Mexicantown. Also in the area are historical attractions, such as Fort Wayne.

The Southwest Side is bounded by Michigan Avenue to the north, downtown and the Detroit River to the east, to the south by the downriver communities, and to the west by Dearborn.

Understand
Southwest Detroit is home to a large melting pot of different ethnicities including Italians, Mexicans, Ecuadorians, Polish, Hungarian, Irish, etc. This is evidenced by the many ethnic neighborhoods and the large diversity of restaurants in the area. Whatever your taste, Southwest Detroit has something for you.

However, Southwest Detroit has even more than vibrant neighborhoods and great cuisine. It is also home an abundance of landmarks, such as Tiger Stadium and the historic Michigan Central Station.

Eat
Detroit's Southwest side is known for Mexicantown and its Mexican cuisine at restaurants such as Mexican Village, Evie's Tamales, El Zocalo and Xochimilco. Restaurants, bakeries, and shops are located on Vernor Highway, on both the east and west sides of the Interstate 75 service drive.

title: Detroit/Southwest Side


text:
Detroit/West Side

The West Side is in Detroit. While primarily a residential area, west Detroit is home to some great historic neighborhoods. It is bounded by 8 Mile to the north, the city of Redford to the west, Woodward Avenue, Highland Park and M-10 to the east, and Michigan Avenue and the city of Dearborn to the south.

See

title: Detroit/West Side


text:
Detroit Lakes

Detroit Lakes is a city in Minnesota.

Understand
Detroit Lakes is a regional summer and winter recreation destination, attracting many tourists and seasonal residents each year. Its economy is fueled by seasonal population increases, with tourism being the area's chief industry along with agriculture.

By car
U.S. Highways 10 and 59, MN Highway 34

By train

 * Route stopping at Detroit Lakes:
 * Empire Builder operating daily between Seattle/Portland and Chicago including stops at Spokane, Glacier National Park, Fargo, Saint Paul, and Milwaukee. The trains split into separate branches between Seattle and Spokane, and between Portland and Spokane, while operating as trains consisting of train cars from both branches between Spokane and Chicago.
 * Empire Builder operating daily between Seattle/Portland and Chicago including stops at Spokane, Glacier National Park, Fargo, Saint Paul, and Milwaukee. The trains split into separate branches between Seattle and Spokane, and between Portland and Spokane, while operating as trains consisting of train cars from both branches between Spokane and Chicago.

By bus

 * Jefferson Lines has a bus stop in Detroit Lakes.

title: Detroit Lakes


text:
Detroit Lake State Recreation Area

Detroit Lake State Recreation Area is a state park in the Cascade Mountains region of Oregon.

History
The 400-foot-deep lake was created in 1953 when the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers completed the Detroit Dam project. The dam blocks the current of the Santiam River, thus keeping the downstream rivers accessible to fishermen and tourists. The lake is over nine miles long with more than 32 miles of shore line. The lake is drained at the beginning of each winter in expectation of rainfall. During this time, the lake looks more like an unmoving river. In the spring, valves are closed in the dam in order to increase the lake depth in time for the busy summer months.

Landscape
Detroit Lake is surrounded by rolling hills covered with enormous Douglas firs. On a map, Detroit lake resides within the outskirts of the Willamette State Forest. Mountains can be seen in the distance, rising above the hills. Sometimes in the early spring, snow still clings to the distant mountains, making the scenic views picturesque. There isn't a major city within 50 miles in any direction, allowing Detroit's night sky to be free of light-pollution and unattractive vapors.

Get in
If you live North of Salem: Drive South via I-5. Take exit 253 toward Stayton/Detroit Lake (also known as OR-22). Take a left after the off-ramp onto Highway 22. Continue for about 50 miles. You will pass the Detroit Dam on your right. The park is on your right and is easy to miss if driving too fast.

If you live south of Salem, take I-5 North until exit 253, then take a right onto 22 after you've taken the off-ramp. The rest of the directions apply.

Do

 * Boating:There is a long floating dock that has 82 boat slips built into it. It costs $7 for each boat to be attached. The boat ramp is free to use after paying the $3 day use fee. This fee must be paid before entering the park, unless you are camping overnight.
 * Swimming: There are two swimming areas designated by the large perimeter of orange floats. These floats are tethered together and are kept in formation by chains leading to the bottom of the lake. There is a swimming area on each side of the park. These swimming areas do not have lifeguards, so stay safe at all times.
 * Play areas: There are two playgrounds available to everyone. They include slides and swing sets. There is also a basketball court next to each playground.

Eat
The town of Detroit is only a few miles up the road from the recreation area. There are several small restaurants along Detroit Avenue.

Lodging
If you are not a fan of sleeping in a tent or you do not have the luxury of owning a RV, there are several motels close by in the town of Detroit.

Camping
There are small campgrounds and RV parks along the banks of the Detroit Lake, but the largest campground and recreational area is Detroit Lake State Park. The State Park offers 106 full hookup, 72 electrical, 133 tent sites for camping. Full hookup refers to having both electricity and a local freshwater well right next to your site. Full hookup and electric sites are designed for RVs and campers, thus they are larger sites than those reserved for just tents.

For information only, call +1 503 854-3346 or +1-800-551-6949. To make reservations, call +1-800-452-5687.

October 1 to April 30 (Discovery Season) Full rate: $16 Electrical hookup: $16 Tent site: $12 Extra vehicle: $5 Boat moorage: $7 Daily day use: $3 Yearly day use: $25

May 1 to September 30 Full rate: $20 Electrical hookup: $20 Tent site: $16 Extra vehicle: $5 Boat moorage: $7 Daily day use: $3 Yearly day use: $25

Stay safe
Detroit lake is a man made lake and under the water can be large rocks and tree stumps from when it was originally established. Do not jump into the water when you cannot see the bottom. This lake experiences annual fatalities from people diving in and hitting stumps and rocks.

title: Detroit Lake State Recreation Area


text:
Schönbuch Nature Park

Schönbuch Nature Park is a wooded region on the northern edge of Swabian Mountains and the southern part of the Stuttgart Region.

Understand
Schönbuch Nature Park is ideal for hiking, walking and cycling and attracts people seeking rest and relaxation from far and near. With its dense forests, moorland areas and natural stream the Schönbuch became Baden-Württemberg's first nature reserve in 1972.

Go next

 * Waldenbuch
 * Tübingen

title: Schönbuch Nature Park


text:
Deux-Sèvres

Deux-Sèvres is a département in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of western France.

A delightful and peaceful little department of France, Deux-Sevres has still has much to offer in the way of history, culture, culinary delights and pleasant pastoral surroundings.

Cities

 * , the main city, is a good-looking market town with a defensive keep and twin-steepled church.
 * , a small city which was gave its name to the Toarcian age due to its palaeontologic sites. Already inhabited 5000 years ago, it became the strongest city in the whole Aquitaine region during the 8th century. It features many medieval artifacts such the city walls and Roman churches. The Château des Ducs de La Trémoille, built in 1638, has a 110-m-high facade dominating the Thouet river and Pont des Chouans, where a decisive battle took place during the French Revolution. A must-see is the street market, every Tuesday and Friday morning, in the historic "Halles" building.
 * , a small city which was gave its name to the Toarcian age due to its palaeontologic sites. Already inhabited 5000 years ago, it became the strongest city in the whole Aquitaine region during the 8th century. It features many medieval artifacts such the city walls and Roman churches. The Château des Ducs de La Trémoille, built in 1638, has a 110-m-high facade dominating the Thouet river and Pont des Chouans, where a decisive battle took place during the French Revolution. A must-see is the street market, every Tuesday and Friday morning, in the historic "Halles" building.
 * , a small city which was gave its name to the Toarcian age due to its palaeontologic sites. Already inhabited 5000 years ago, it became the strongest city in the whole Aquitaine region during the 8th century. It features many medieval artifacts such the city walls and Roman churches. The Château des Ducs de La Trémoille, built in 1638, has a 110-m-high facade dominating the Thouet river and Pont des Chouans, where a decisive battle took place during the French Revolution. A must-see is the street market, every Tuesday and Friday morning, in the historic "Halles" building.

Other destinations
Argenton Chateau - in the new canton of Argenton Les Vallees is a pretty town perched on a rocky outcrop around which 2 rivers snake. The town centre has a small market every Thursday, and a ruined chateau and chapel. The views from the town square over the surrounding countryside are lovely on a clear day and the town retains a pleasant pace of life. There is an Art School run from a beautifully refurbished building in the town centre with courses offered throughout the year.

Get in
Fly:

To Poitiers with RyanAir - best for those visiting the south of the region.

Sleep
Holiday gites in the Deux-Sevres - 2 holiday homes available to rent with access to a heated outdoor pool, sleeping groups of 4 - 10. Both houses are adapted for wheelchair users and are also available for corporate bookings.

Les Cygnes Vacation Rentals - 3 beautiful carbon-neutral, eco-friendly, self-catering gites with pool in the peaceful Poitou-Charentes countryside.

title: Deux-Sèvres


text:
Deva

Deva is the county seat and biggest city of Hunedoara County, Transylvania, Romania.

By train
There are direct international trains from Vienna (9½ hours), Prague (17 hours) and Budapest (6 hours).

There are eight trains daily from Timisoara, seven from Bucharest, five from Cluj-Napoca and Brasov. Check timetables on infofer.ro.

By bus
There are many buses arriving and leaving Deva Bus Station.The bus station is situated near the train station.The buses connect Deva with cities from Romania  but also with cities from abroad.

By car
To reach Deva from Arad take E 68.

To come to Deva from Timisoara you must take E 70 to Lugoj, continue from Lugoj to Faget and when you reach E 68, make right and after 15 km you are in Deva.

From Bucharest take A 1 to Pitesti, then take E 81 to Rm.Vâlcea and continue to Sibiu.From Sibiu take E 68 to Sebes, Orastie and Simeria.

Get around
You can reach almost all of the objectives on foot.

Rent a car

 * RRS Motors, +40722-637.000

Taxi

The price for public bus is 2.5 Lei, paid cash to the driver. They run on schedule, however are infrequent.

Buy

Drink

Connect

 * Nelux Internet Cafe, Strada A.Muresanu Bl.1, Sc.C, +40 744 789–215.

Go next

 * Retezat National Park
 * Hateg
 * Hunedoara
 * Petrosani
 * Orastie

title: Deva


text:
Deventer

Deventer is one of the oldest cities in the Netherlands. It is on the river IJssel and was a member of the Hanseatic League. This town in the province of Overijssel offers a great collection of heritage. It is home to the country's oldest brick house, the oldest park and the oldest academic library. Today, the town is also known for its annual Dickens festival in December.

Understand
Deventer is home to just over 80,000 people, and was first mentioned in 9th-century documents. The city would have been a Saxon settlement around an important tree. With the coming of the Anglo-Saxon missionary Lebuinus, this site would have been used to build a church around 768 AD. This church, which would have stood where the Lebuinuskerk stands today, would see a city form around it, which grew to a religious centre for all of Oversticht (roughly modern-day Overijssel). In the 11th and 12th centuries, Deventer was a very important and wealthy city, in part thanks to its religious function, and in part thanks to trade. As a member of the Hanseatic League, this city profited greatly from trade along the river IJssel. Many of the buildings erected in those heady days remain standing and make the historical centre appealing for visitors. Deventer, once arguably one of the most important cities of the Netherlands, holds claim to the oldest surviving house of the country, which dates from 1130, as well as the oldest city park of the Netherlands, De Worp, which was opened some time before 1699.

Some might refer to Deventer as the "Moscow of the west", due to its left-leaning political stance during the last half of the 20th century, but Deventer is more commonly nicknamed 'Koekstad' (Cake City) for its Deventer Koek, or 'Stokvissengat' (Stockfish Hole) during Carnaval, stockfish being one of the more prominent historical trade goods of the city.

Tourist information

 * Deventer Tourism website

By plane
Schiphol Airport near Amsterdam is the largest airport in the vicinity. From there, directly under the arrivals area, regular trains can be boarded that take about 1½ hours to reach Deventer. By car, the journey takes fractionally longer and will involve navigating the ring roads around Amsterdam before hitting the A1.

Eindhoven Airport caters to low-cost airlines. The train journey to Deventer from Eindhoven takes about 2 hours, while the journey by car is less than 1½ hours.

By car
From Amsterdam, Deventer can be reached via the A1 motorway. The ride takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes, depending on traffic. From the north or south of the country, use the A50 to get to Apeldoorn from either Arnhem (south) or Zwolle (north). To the south-east of Apeldoorn, turn onto the A1 following signs for Deventer. Other important road connections into town are the N337, N344 and N348.

By train
Deventer has two train stations; is the main one and of most use to travellers. Regular trains connect the city to all major destinations in the Netherlands. The international train between Amsterdam and Hannover/Berlin also makes a stop at Deventer. The second station is, which mostly serves the east of the city. This station is one you'll likely not see, since only local trains between Almelo and Apeldoorn call here.

Direct intercity services connect Deventer to Amsterdam (€19.40) and Schiphol Airport (€20.70). In both cases, the journey will take about 75-80 minutes. Other direct connections (typically running every half hour) include Zwolle, Arnhem, Enschede, Utrecht, Tilburg, 's Hertogenbosch and Rotterdam. Taking the Intercity service from Berlin sets you back €38, but prices might be higher depending on demand. The connection with Berlin sees a train depart in either direction every two hours.

By boat
Deventer has a marina, though it is a small walk (2.1 km) away from the city centre. The walk to the city centre is relatively flat and properly paved though, following the dike defending against the river IJssel, so it doesn't take loads of effort to reach the city either. Still, if necessary, there are bikes that can be borrowed. The marina offers at least thirty spots for passers-by, varying in length between 6 m and 17 m. The price for mooring in the marina is €1.80 per metre, per night, which includes the price of electricity, water, a shower and Wi-Fi. Add onto that €0.50 per person per night of tourism tax. You can find the marina between the kilometre markers 947 and 948.

Get around
The historic city centre is small and most suited to explore on foot. The Brink is a good place to start, as it houses the Tourist Information Office (at number 89) and a museum in the Waag. Maps to themed walking routes can be obtained there. As in most Dutch cities, pedestrian road signs also give directions to the prime sights.

A small brings pedestrians to the other side of the IJssel River, allowing for easy access to the Ossenwaard natural area, which offers lovely walks and (in summer) some pleasant riverside beach areas. A single/return ticket costs €1.10/1.70. The ferry ride offers some nice views over town and makes it possible to park without charge at the Worp (which is on the other side of the river). It runs regularly until late (23:00), but don't worry about not catching the last one: taking either of the bridges is an easy (though less entertaining) alternative.

To see more of the city's natural surroundings, renting a bicycle is a good alternative. They're available from bike shops like. When it's closed, on Sundays or Mondays, try the Fletcher Gildehotel (Nieuwstraat) or the Sandton IJsselhotel (at the Worp).

See
The oldest part of the town, just south of the railway station, still contains many medieval buildings. Just walking around the compact centre, there will be plenty to look at. The is the central square, and when the new city wall was constructed in 1350, it became an important trading quarter.

The Bergkwartier area is a small part of Deventer centred around the Bergkerk, a church placed on a hillock that came into being around the 12th century. The yearly markets ushered in a new age of prosperity for Deventer. Newcomers settled in the newest part of town, Bergkwartier, which is situated between the Brink and the harbor. The prosperity ended in 1570, when Deventer became the focal point of various wars. New defensive works were created to protect those in the new part of town, which later helped to secure the city from unwanted company. This spelled the end of the expansion of the district, as tearing down the defense works to expand the city was forbidden. The traders that came until 1570 left, leaving Bergkwartier and all the heritage that can be seen today.

Today, after many years of restoration, many old buildings have lost their function as warehouses and have become living quarters, shops, taverns, restaurants and offices. A lot of old sights were restored, as some were in decay or damaged by various wars. Now the Bergkwartier is one of the main tourist attractions in Deventer because of its rich history and very open character. The Noordenbergkwartier is a very old quarter west of it.

Beyond the city centre:

Do

 * Go up the bell tower in the Lebuinus-church for some amazing views as well as the bullet holes in the walls outside.
 * Take a walk on the river promenade, if it's not high tide. The park at is another nice place for a walk, it being the oldest park in the Netherlands, its first mention of usage as a park stemming from 1578. Another iconic park of Deventer is the Rijsterborgherpark (listed in ) to the north-west of the train station. Its lay-out is largely based upon the shape of the old city defence works.
 * Football: Go-Ahead Eagles play soccer in Eredivisie, the country's top tier. Their home ground De Adelaarshorst (meaning "Eagles Nest", capacity 10,000) is 1 km northeast of town centre.
 * Football: Go-Ahead Eagles play soccer in Eredivisie, the country's top tier. Their home ground De Adelaarshorst (meaning "Eagles Nest", capacity 10,000) is 1 km northeast of town centre.

Events
Deventer hosts a number of large events every year, attracting many thousands of domestic and international visitors. See also the book market mentioned in the buy section.

 * Deventer Boekenmarkt (Book market). The first Sunday of August, the biggest European book market is held in the city center.
 * Deventer Boekenmarkt (Book market). The first Sunday of August, the biggest European book market is held in the city center.
 * Deventer Boekenmarkt (Book market). The first Sunday of August, the biggest European book market is held in the city center.

Buy
Every first Sunday of the months, shops in the city centre open their doors between 12:00 and 17:00. Thursday evening they stay open late, until 21:00.

Deventer has a good variety of boutiques and stores, including all the common Dutch brand stores and dozens of small, individual shops and galleries. The large chain stores are mostly situated in the Smedenstraat, Lange Bisschopsstraat, Korte Bisschopstraat and the Engestraat. If you're more interested in the small scale businesses, make sure to stop by at the Tourist Information Office to pick up its free walking route along some 75 speciality stores and boutique shops. The Walstraat and the Bergkwartier are good places for antique shopping.

Deventer is moderately famous for its bookstores. Most will be in Dutch, but there might be a rare find somewhere. Every first Sunday of August, the city centre hosts the largest open-air bookmarket in western Europe. Some 6 km long, due to the 875 or so book stalls, this large market attracts up to 130,000 visitors. The market is hard to overlook when it is held, but it tends to be centred around the riverfront (Welle, Onder de Linden, Kapjeswelle) the old city gates (Vispoort, Zandpoort) as well as the larger squares in the city centre (Nieuwe Markt, Brink). A booklet with some information about the book market, including information on vendors, an overview map and specialisations of vendors can also be purchased for €2 at most bookshops and the tourist office (VVV). The booklet, named the Boekenmarktboekje, is a must-have if you come to the market looking for any specific kind of literature. The market can be overwhelming because of the sheer offer in stalls, but information stalls are dotted throughout if you need help finding your way about.

In the way of bookshops, antiquities and similar shops, you will be able to find several in the following streets:
 * Nieuwstraat: At numbers 29, 37 and 38, you will find a antiquary and bookshop (Papyrus), bookshop (ABC) and comic book shop (Knibbel) respectively.
 * Kleine Overstraat: Features all sorts of dedicated shops. Not only does it have five bookshops, those being Alternote (30-32), Das Gute ist immmer da! (33), Gedrukt & Geknipt voor U (50 and 83), De Kameleon (81) and De Voet (69), it is also home to many (used) clothes shops, a (board)game shop (Koning Willem, 24-26) and record store (Variaworld, 8).
 * Near the intersection of the Lange Bisschopstraat and Proosdijpassage, you will find both another bookshop (Broekhuis), as well as three record shops (Plato, Variaworld and Walk-In).
 * The Walstraat is also dotted with small shops, including several bookshops, but moreso antiquaries, as well as several home goods stores, a toy store and candy shop.

Eat
The city's most famous foodstuff is "Deventer Koek", which can be bought in the Koekhuisje (Cake House) at Brink 84, which is easily identified by its two Royal Denominations, featured on the north wall of the building. The company producing the cakes, Jb. Bussink, has been doing so since 1593, and has served many prominent guests over its lifetime. The cake is in fact so important to Deventer, that it lends its nickname of "Koekstad" (Cake City) to this very cake.

Most restaurants in Deventer are found along the Brink, Grote Kerkhof en Nieuwe Markt (around the Lebuïnuskerk), as well as the roads between the two, most notably the Grote- and Kleine Overstraat, which connect to the Brink directly west from the weighing house (or to your right when facing the Waag).

Drink
There are countless establishments throughout the city centre. In summer, when the weather allows, the outdoor terraces at De Brink and the Grote Kerkhof are especially packed and buzzing with life.

Sleep

Connect
As of July 2022, Deventer has 5G from all Dutch carriers.

Go next

 * A ten-minute drive from Deventer, Zutphen and Apeldoorn (home to a royal palace open for the public) both have pleasant historic centres too. Zwolle (30 min) and Arnhem (1 hr) are other options with the same kind of qualities.
 * If you're rather looking for some nature, head to Hoge Veluwe National Park.

title: Deventer


text:
Devils Fork State Park

Devils Fork State Park at Lake Jocassee in South Carolina is one of those rare places at the end of the road that is easy to imagine but rarely experienced. Located on the eastern slope of the extreme Southern Appalachians you are hard-pressed to believe you are in the deep South.

Understand
The park is a focal point as the gateway to the Jocassee Gorges Conservation Area which bounds between North and South Carolina. The park is also close to the Georgia border. The lake is amazingly deep at up to 350 feet and can only truly be appreciated by boat as the waterfalls and rivers cascade from the distant shore across from Devils Fork. Guided waterfalls tours are available as well as fresh water fishing charters departing from the boat ramp at the park. The lake's 75-mile shoreline is almost completely protected from development and is unique unto itself in the region. Visitors can either stay at the park's cabins, campground or nearby private vacation rentals. Reservations are a must as the region is very rural and vacancies in season are scarce. The Park is open year round and attracts over 250,000 visitors annually.

Flora and fauna
Only known habitat for the Oconee Bell

Climate
Moderate year round temperatures. Temperate Southern Rain Forest annual rainfall 75 plus inches per year

Get in
When coming in from Charlotte, NC, take the I-85 South, followed by the I-26 West until you get to SC state highway 11. From here, turn onto State Rd S-37-127 to get to the region. A GPS / paper maps are essential to get to the park from this point as there are no directions other than road names. But cell service is spotty, so offline maps are recommended.

Fees and permits
Annual SC Park Pass $99. There is a parking fee in certain park areas unless you are staying in the villas at the park (in which case, you get issued with park tags).

Get around
Guided waterfall tours are available. Bring a boat or rent one to view the waterfalls on Lake Jocassee.

See
Major waterfalls on Lake Jocassee are: Wrights Creek Falls - Mills Creek Falls - Devils Hole Falls - Laurel Falls. There are also several smaller falls and streams that feed into the lake.

Do

 * Watersports
 * Waterski
 * Wakeboard
 * Kayak
 * Canoe
 * Scuba diving
 * Boat & jet ski rentals

Drink
No alcoholic beverages inside park campground or picnic areas.

Lodging

Camping

 * Camping information: Two campgrounds are located near the shores of Lake Jocassee.
 * Restrooms with hot showers are located in the campgrounds.
 * Tent and RV camping: Yes
 * Boat-in: Yes
 * Camping reservations accepted: To make a camping reservation, call toll-free +1-866-345-PARK or make it online by clicking Park Reservation.Camping reservations must be made for a minimum of two nights. Reservations requested less than one day in advance of check-in must be made directly through the park. For example: if today is Friday and you are making a reservation checking in on today, Friday, you must make the reservation by contacting the park directly.
 * Sites with electricity & water: yhe main lakeside campground at Devils Fork State Park features 59 paved sites with water and electrical hook-ups. Some of these sites accommodate RVs up to 36 feet. These sites rent for $20-$22/site/night. Discounted rates may be offered for seasons of lower demand. Rates listed do not include applicable sales tax and nonrefundable transaction fee.
 * Designated tent site: while tent campers may use the sites with water and electrical hookups, there is also a designated rustic tent camping area.These walk-in campsites are designated for tent camping only, and are only a short walk from a central parking area. There are 25 elevated tent pads, one per campsite, and a maximum of two tents can be pitched on each 12' x 12' tent pad. No tents may be placed on the ground.These sites include a picnic table and a fire ring, but do not include electrical or water hook-ups. Water spigots and restrooms are located adjacent to the walk-in tent parking area. These sites rent for $16/site/night. Discounted rates are available for seasons of lower demand. Rates listed do not include applicable sales tax and nonrefundable transaction fee.
 * Backcountry camping: boat-in backcountry campsites are located on the northern shore of Lake Jocassee at the base of Musterground Mountain. The area is accessible only by boat and is open year-round. Combination fire rings/grill pits are provided. Please remember if you pack it in, pack it out. Special regulations apply. These sites are reservable through +1-866-345-7275 and the website. Prices are as follows: single pad $18/night, double pad $28/night, and triple pad $38/night.
 * Dump station available
 * Laundry facilities

Go next

 * Dozens of waterfall hiking trails
 * Most area waterfalls east of the Mississippi
 * Whitewater rafting on nearby Chattooga (Deliverance) River
 * Canopy tour ziplining
 * The Walhalla State Fish Hatchery is 35 mins away and allow visitors. Here they grow the trout that are eventually released into local tributaries, including the Chattooga River and Chauga River. Each section of the hatchery has increasingly larger fish.

title: Devils Fork State Park


text:
Devils Lake

Devils Lake is a small city in the Lakes and Gardens area of North Dakota. It has a population of about 7,141 people in 2010 census. Its elevation is 1,475 feet.

Understand
Devils Lake is also the name of North Dakota's largest natural lake, with 120,00 acres of surface area and 375 miles of shoreline. As such, it is the focus of numerous recreational and tourist activities, including boating, fishing, swimming, water skiing, photography, etc. The lake is also a natural habitat for various species of waterfowl, which makes it a popular spot for nature lovers, photographers, hunters and birders. Hiking, biking, camping are also popular activities. Scenic drives abound.

Devils Lake offers year round activities for the tourist. In the winter, cross country skiing, snowmobiling and ice fishing are but a few of the options. Many resorts and lodges surround the lake.

By car
US Highway 2 runs through the southern portion of the city. This highway connects the city to Minot about two hours to the west, and Grand Forks about 1.5 hours to the east.

By train

 * Route stopping at Devils Lake:
 * Empire Builder operating daily between Seattle/Portland and Chicago including stops at Spokane, Glacier National Park, Fargo, Saint Paul, and Milwaukee. The trains split into separate branches between Seattle and Spokane, and between Portland and Spokane, while operating as trains consisting of train cars from both branches between Spokane and Chicago.
 * Empire Builder operating daily between Seattle/Portland and Chicago including stops at Spokane, Glacier National Park, Fargo, Saint Paul, and Milwaukee. The trains split into separate branches between Seattle and Spokane, and between Portland and Spokane, while operating as trains consisting of train cars from both branches between Spokane and Chicago.

Get around
Scenic drives to the east and west of Devils Lake on US Hwy 2. Map

Go next
There are four other large lakes nearby: Chain Lake, Lake Irvine, Dry Lake and Sweet Water Lake. Stump Lake is about 35 miles southeast in Nelson County.

title: Devils Lake


text:
Devils Postpile National Monument

Devils Postpile National Monument is a United States national monument located in Madera County in the Sierra Nevada region of the state of California. Established in 1911 by presidential proclamation, Devils Postpile National Monument protects and preserves the Devils Postpile formation, the 101-foot high Rainbow Falls, and pristine mountain scenery. The Devils Postpile formation is a rare sight in the geologic world and ranks as one of the world's finest examples of columnar basalt. Its columns tower 60 feet high and display an unusual symmetry.

Climate
Devils Postpile National Monument is located at 7,560 feet above sea level just west of the Sierra Nevada crest. As such, it experiences typical summer weather in the Sierras. Afternoon thunderstorms are possible in July and August. Daytime temperatures can range from the mid-70s to mid-80s (degrees Fahrenheit). Evening temperatures can drop into the low 40s (and even the low 30s in the months of September and October).

Visitor information

 * Park website

Get in
Due to winter conditions in the mountains the monument is open only during the summer season. Opening dates vary depending on snowfall, but in 2017 the monument opened to visitors on July 21. It is typically open well into October. Outside of that time access by car is not possible, although visitors traveling by ski or on foot may still be able to enter the park.

By air
The closest commercial airport is in Reno. From Reno, drive south on U.S. Highway 395 for approximately 3 hours (170 miles) to State Route 203.

By car
From U.S. Highway 395, drive 10 miles west on S.R. 203 to Minaret Vista and then another 8 miles on a paved, steep mountain road. This road is single-lane for approximately 3 miles.

During peak visiting time, there is a mandatory shuttle bus. You cannot enter the park by car when the shuttle is running. It runs for a fee from season opening to early September. It may also run thereafter; for example, in 2019, it ran on a complimentary basis for shortened hours until mid-October, but not for the remainder of the season. (Unfortunately, the National Park Service's websites can have contradictory information, hotels may have outdated information, and the Monument's phone number does not always connect, e.g., on weekends and off season. Prepare for all possibilities and to inquire at entry.)

To use the shuttle, park at the Mammoth Mountain Ski Area. In addition to those who visit when the shuttle is not running, visitors who meet any of the following criteria do not need to use the shuttle:

 * Visitors driving into the Valley before 7AM or after 7:30PM (hours differ when shuttle hours change).
 * Visitors who are overnight guests of Reds Meadow Resort.
 * Visitors who are camping within the Reds Meadow Valley.
 * Visitors who are hauling stock trailers
 * Visitors whose vehicles are carrying small watercraft for use in the lakes.
 * Visitors who can provide proof of physical handicap (shuttle buses are not ADA compliant).

Shuttle bus tickets can be purchased at the Forest Service Adventure Center located in the Mammoth Mountain Ski Area Gondola Building adjacent to the Mammoth Mountain Inn at the top of Highway 203. Buses run every 20 or 30 minutes.

By bicycle
For those visitors keen to bike down to the Postpile, bicycles are allowed down the road free of charge. If, however, visitors choose not to ride back out of the Valley and opt to use the shuttle instead, they must pay the transportation fee. The shuttle buses are equipped to transport bicycles.

By foot
The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) is a well known trail that extends along the West coast of the United States, from Mexico to Canada. It passes through California, Oregon, and Washington State.

Fees and permits
All visitors to the Reds Meadow Valley area, whether they take the mandatory shuttle bus or drive their personal vehicle, must pay a fee. The fees are as follows (2021):

 * $15 for adults using the shuttle.
 * $7 for children (3 to 15 years of age) using the shuttle.
 * $10 per car.

Season shuttle passes are available for $75. Vehicle fees are waived for Golden Passport and National Park passholders (shuttle fees are paid to Eastern Sierra Transit, not the National Park Service, and cannot be waived). Fees are valid for the duration of the visit.

See

Backcountry
The park is a popular entry point for treks into the Ansel Adams and John Muir wilderness areas. Wilderness permits are required for all overnight stays in the backcountry. Backpackers are encouraged to acquire their wilderness permits from the Inyo National Forest, although the staff at Devils Postpile can issue first-come, first-served permits for trips originating out of trailheads within Reds Meadow Valley. These walk-in permits are free of charge.

Permits can be issued for the day of entry and, starting at 11AM, for the following day. Reservations are not available through the Devils Postpile Ranger Station. Backcountry users interested in obtaining a reservation must contact the Inyo National Forest's Wilderness Permit Office at +1 760 873-2485.

Bear canisters are required for most destinations. Devils Postpile has a limited number of these available for rent for $3/day.

Connect
Cell service is not available at the visitor center or the Devils Postpile formation. It may be intermittently available in other parts of the monument, but don't rely on your phone. There's no public WiFi either.

Go next

 * Yosemite National Park. One of America's first and most famous national parks, Yosemite is located north of Devils Postpile on highway 395.  The park features amazing landscapes, excellent hiking, and an abundance of wildlife.

title: Devils Postpile National Monument