DETROIT - MOTOR CITY

Detroit is located just north of Canada in Eastern Michigan. Once a thriving metropolis, no city in America more demonstrates urban decay than Detroit. The suburbs are where most people live now, and much of the downtown area is decrepit, and the city is having trouble renewing the area. Although Comerica Park is part of one effort to improve the core, and the Renaissance Center dominates another part of the skyline, a lot of work still needs to be done before Detroit can regain its once-lofty reputation. 

Detroit is known throughout the world for two things: the invention of the automobile by Henry Ford, and Motown Music. Detroit is also known throughout the U.S. as being one of the most dangerous cities in the nation.  Recent crime statistics show that although crime is lessening here, Detroit remains the crime capital of America. With vehicle thefts near the top of the crime list, this is not a city we spent much time in. 

Around Comerica

Our impressions: Driving in downtown Detroit is not fun. The roads are in poor shape, and construction is not helping matters much. The only public transit that we saw was the small monorail that scoots you around in little 2-car trains.

Detroit is surrounded by freeways, which allow the locals to escape back to their safe suburban homes as quickly as possible. Driving on these freeways is dangerous for two reasons: Michigan drivers, among the worst in the country, like to drive as fast as possible; and the freeways are also in horrible shape. 

Greektown is the best place to spend an evening, with some good restaurants and a small casino. But it is a small area , and one evening is more than enough. 

Frankly, we spent most of our time out in the suburbs as well, staying at a friend's house. There isn't much to see in Detroit, so we spent our time relaxing for the most part. We suggest that if you are roadtripping, see Comerica and that might just be enough.

Overall, you can probably tell that we were not impressed by the city.  Comerica Park is nice, and Greektown is a good place to go, but other than that, keep on driving to Chicago.