Once known as the “Paris of the West” the Motor City has fallen on rough times in the last decade as many of the area industries moved away. However, in the past few years the Detroit metro area has seen quite a bit of resurgence.

There are now many fantastic boutique shops, delicious restaurants, beautiful parks and of course a thriving sports scene. This makes Detroit a perfect under the radar gem to visit on your next vacation. Let’s take a look at a couple of the hot spots.

Get Educated

Detroit is home to some amazing museums and galleries that are well worth a visit during a trip there. Start off with heading to the Detroit Institute of the Arts, with more than 100 galleries you could easily spend hours wandering the halls.

Another spot for music lovers has to be the Motown Museum. What makes this museum really unique is that it takes the original offices of the label so it’s absolutely chock full of amazing historic memorabilia.

Enjoy a Meal

Detroit has a thriving food scene, so it’s pretty hard to just pick a few. A great choice to have some amazing BBQ is Slows, it’s known for it’s delicious pulled pork with Chipotle sauce. For those vegetarians in the crowd, their mac and cheese is a winner.

For the burger fans in the house, you have to head over to Green Dot Stables, a Detroit staple and home to some of the best sliders in the city. If you’re feeling adventurous then try the kimchi and peanut butter slider, you won’t regret it!

Take in a Game

Detroit has an absolutely A-List of professional sports teams. If you love sports, then any time of year you can take in some of the best in their respective leagues. For the boys of summer, head to Comerica Park to take in the always in the hunt Detroit Tigers.

If you’re in town during the winter season then you have to take in a hockey game for the Detroit Redwings. Detroit is an old time hockey town so you will see a ton of passion, and if you’re lucky enough to attend a playoff game, maybe check out an octopus or two tossed out onto the ice.

Getting Around

Detroit has a well established public transportation system. Including a major international airport. The bus system is known as SMART and serves both downtown Detroit as well as the suburban areas.

If you’re planning on staying right downtown, then the People Mover can help you get around. The light rail route runs the 3 miles around the central business district.

Have a Great Time

If you tackle just a few of these and add in a few more of your own, it’s pretty much guaranteed you’re going to have a wonderful time in and around Detroit.

Let us know some of your favorite places in Detroit in the comments!

Quick Guide to Detroit