I’ve already introduced my hometown of Detroit in our ongoing Great American Cities series. Today I’m excited to share a little video tour of The D with you in the latest episode of “Streets, Beats & Eats.” Tour some famous symbols of the city, visit Belle Isle State Park, feast on delicious Greek food, and hit a bowling alley/concert venue/bar for some nighttime fun:
“Welcome to Detroit, also commonly referred to as the Motor City, Motown, or simply, The D. A quick tour of downtown will bring you by the Renaissance Center, headquarters of GM. Famous symbols of the city include the Spirit of Detroit and the fist of Joe Louis.
Next up, cross the bridge to pay a visit to Belle Isle, a small island in the river and a state park. There’s lots to see and do here, including an aquarium. You can also check out the conservatory, a greenhouse and botanical garden. Finish your visit with a ride down the big slide.
Back downtown, nearby the old train station, you’ll find Mercury Bar. Try a mix of Canada and the Midwest with a big plate of poutine tots, and then dig in to a tasty burger with a local beer. Walk it off and a bit of shopping by hitting up the popular Eastern Market.
From there, head to the Heidelberg Project, started by a Detroit artist in 1986 as a creative response to the ongoing blight in the city. It began by painting a few houses and attaching discarded items found around the city to them and has grown over the years. While a lot of the art may look like it’s just random, there are deep political and social issues behind a lot of it. The Heidelberg Project aims to turn the two block area into a sort of funky cultural artist village. If you’d like to help, they’re always looking for volunteers and supporters.
Now it’s time to go downtown again, this time to the area known as Greek Town. Here you’ll find the Greek Town Casino, as well as many excellent Greek restaurants such as Pegasus. Grab a table and settle in for a delicious feast of classic Greek food. Start things off with their famous Saganaki… there’s also lamb spagetthi, the Greek trio, and a lamb shank on the menu.
After that epic dinner, it’s time for some fun. A great one stop shop for nightlife is the complex around the Majestic theater. Hit the lanes at Garden Bowl for a few games, and then head upstairs to the bar for live music and drinks.
If you need some late night munchie’s, they’ve got you covered at St. Pepperonis. That’ll at least soak up some of the booze.”
Sasha is an English teacher, writer, photographer, and videographer from the great state of Michigan. Upon graduating from Michigan State University, he moved to China and spent 5+ years living, working, studying, and traveling there. He also studied Indonesian Language & Culture in Bali for a year. He and his wife run the travel blog Grateful Gypsies, and they're currently trying the digital nomad lifestyle across Latin America.
