Downtown Detroit Travel Guide

Tourist Guide

A city skyline at dusk with reflections on the water.
A cityscape with a mix of modern and older buildings, including a distinctive skyscraper with a pointed top.
A monument with a flag, large rocks, trees, and a building in the background.
A cityscape with tall buildings, a large circular sculpture, and an American flag.
A cityscape with a prominent red brick building, a blue tram, and various commercial buildings.

Detroit is known for its architecture, industrialization and the arts. As creative entrepreneurs reclaim downtown, a new urban culture is rising next to the old.

While Detroit may have suffered a fall, when in 2013 its council filed for bankruptcy, the city is quick to be back on its feet. The revitalization of Downtown Detroit is where you can see the city rapidly transforming. Fashion and art are revived, historic buildings are being restored, and green spaces, restaurants, cafés and new urban areas are being created.

Detroit became one of the world’s wealthiest cities after the post-World War I auto industry boom. There is no better way to see this than in a walking, cycling or personalised guided tour of the city. See stunning art deco buildings including the Guardian Building, the Detroit Opera House and the Detroit Public Library. Admire the Fisher Building, a 441-foot (134-metre) tall building known as the Eiffel Tower of Detroit because of its stunning art deco architectural designs.

Art and history enthusiasts will find enough museums to fill several days’ worth of exploring. Admire old cars and model trains in the Detroit Historical Museum. At the Motown Museum, see where The Supremes and other famous Motown artists recorded their music. Visit the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History to see memorabilia, films and photographs celebrating the African-American legacy of freedom and justice. Watch an IMAX movie or learn about space at the Michigan Science Centre. Visit the Detroit Institute of Arts to see Vincent van Gogh’s important painting,Self Portrait, and Mexican artist Diego Rivera's most successful work,Detroit Industry, among others.

Dance the night away or see a live band in bars and nightclubs throughout the district. Have a cocktail and listen to some jazz at Cliff Bell’s, one of the oldest jazz clubs in Detroit.

Explore downtown’s river walks and gardens. See outdoor entertainment at Campus Martius Park or cross the MacArthur Bridge to enjoy natural parklands on Belle Island in the Detroit River.

While Detroit is best seen with a car, you can rent a bike or taxi or use the Detroit People Mover, an automated transit system. The Detroit Metro Airport is a 30-minute drive southwest of downtown.


Stay near popular Downtown Detroit attractions

Activities


Our pick of the best Downtown Detroit Hotel Deals

Hollywood Casino at Greektown

Hollywood Casino at Greektown

4 out of 5
1200 Saint Antoine St Detroit MI
The price is NZ$402 per night from 31 Aug to 1 Sept
NZ$402
31 Aug - 1 Sept
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this business-friendly hotel in Detroit. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, 5 restaurants and a casino. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the convenient parking ...
8.6/10 Excellent! (5,535 reviews)
"Booked and paid for a king bed room at least 4 to 5 months ahead of time. Check in was at 4pm. We got there to check in and 6pm. No rooms were available for us. Note check out is at 11am. That's 5 hours to clean and expect rooms. No refunds or credit. We weren't the only people trying to check in ..."

Reviewed on 13 Aug 2026

Hollywood Casino at Greektown
Hotel Houze Detroit Downtown

Hotel Houze Detroit Downtown

3 out of 5
305 Michigan Avenue Detroit MI
The price is NZ$255 per night from 23 Aug to 24 Aug
NZ$255
23 Aug - 24 Aug
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this hotel in Detroit. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, a 24-hour fitness centre and a 24-hour front desk. Popular attractions Comerica Park and Ford Field are located ...
7.8/10 Good! (664 reviews)
"I was traveling with a friend. Her room was on the second floor and her experience was very different than mine. My room was on the 7th floor and smelled like sewer from the moment we stepped off the elevator. My bed sheets were stained. Maybe they were technically clean, but they were stained and ..."

Reviewed on 12 Aug 2026

Hotel Houze Detroit Downtown
Atheneum Suite Hotel

Atheneum Suite Hotel

4 out of 5
1000 Brush Avenue Detroit MI
The price is NZ$300 per night from 3 Sept to 4 Sept
NZ$300
3 Sept - 4 Sept
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this luxury hotel in Detroit. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, breakfast (surcharge) and a free local area shuttle. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the clean ...
9.2/10 Wonderful! (2,383 reviews)
"This was our 2nd stay. Only negative is the Beds are way to firm. Tuff sleeping."

Reviewed on 13 Aug 2026

Atheneum Suite Hotel
The Siren Hotel, an Ash Hotel

The Siren Hotel, an Ash Hotel

4 out of 5
1509 Broadway St. Detroit MI
The price is NZ$314 per night from 30 Aug to 31 Aug
NZ$314
30 Aug - 31 Aug
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this hotel in Detroit. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, 3 bars/lounges and breakfast (surcharge). Our guests praise the restaurant and the helpful staff in their reviews. ...
9/10 Wonderful! (2,126 reviews)
"The most chic hotel in a great location in downtown Detroit. The hotel bar was amazing as was the bathroom in the room. The one thing that I was taken back by was the extremely tiny window that was super high up on the wall (so essentially it felt like there was no window) I didn’t see that noted ..."

Reviewed on 13 Aug 2026

The Siren Hotel, an Ash Hotel
Hotel Indigo Detroit Downtown by IHG

Hotel Indigo Detroit Downtown by IHG

3.5 out of 5
1020 Washington Blvd Detroit MI
The price is NZ$245 per night from 23 Aug to 24 Aug
NZ$245
23 Aug - 24 Aug
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this business-friendly hotel in Detroit. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, breakfast (surcharge) and a 24-hour fitness centre. Our guests praise the helpful staff and ...
Hotel Indigo Detroit Downtown by IHG
MGM Grand Detroit

MGM Grand Detroit

4.5 out of 5
1777 3rd Street Detroit MI
The price is NZ$460 per night from 2 Sept to 3 Sept
NZ$460
2 Sept - 3 Sept
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this luxury hotel in Detroit. Enjoy free parking, a full-service spa and 7 restaurants. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the clean rooms in their ...
8.4/10 Very good! (1,048 reviews)
"Good"

Reviewed on 12 Aug 2026

MGM Grand Detroit
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

Our guide on where to stay in Downtown Detroit

Find the best Downtown Detroit areas for the activities you enjoy most.

Rochester Hills

Live music, restaurants and shopping are some highlights of Rochester Hills. Make a stop by The Village Of Rochester Hills or Meadow Brook Amphitheatre while you're exploring.

Midtown

If you're spending time in Midtown, check out sights like Little Caesars Arena or The Majestic Theatre and hop on the metro to see more of the city at Canfield Street Station or Martin Luther King Boulevard/Mack Avenue Station.

Corktown

You'll enjoy the live music and historical sites in Corktown. You might want to make time for a stop at Michigan Central or PJ's Lager House.

Brush Park

Brush Park might not have many top sights, but Little Caesars Arena and Comerica Park are two attractions nearby that you can check out.

Greektown Historic District

Visitors to Greektown Historic District love its first-class casinos, and you can check out Hollywood Casino at Greektown and Old St. Mary's Church. If you want to see more in the area, you can get around town on the metro at Greektown Station.



Downtown Detroit Travel Guide

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