Road Trip: Detroit Is Back

While most people are familiar with the story of Detroit’s decline—symbolized by 30 percent abandoned housing at its low point, and the largest municipal bankruptcy in history—a narrative of the city’s rebirth emerged on social media recently when the city hosted the Midwest Travel Writers Association’s annual conference. Bloggers and journalists highlighted a weeklong tour of Detroit, now being called America’s Great Comeback City by its tourism department and prolific hashtaggers—and sure enough, the publicity blitz made us want to go back and renew our impression. Need a weekend getaway? You can make it to Detroit in under five hours. Here, some tips and inspiration.

From empty building to boutique hotel, the site of the new Shinola Hotel expected to open in late 2018. #Detroit #mtwadetroit #puremichigan #shinola #visitdetroit

A photo posted by Amy Eckert (@amy_eckert) on Sep 21, 2016 at 1:49pm PDT

A #monument to #boxing great #JoeLouis is a #sculpture called #TheFist in #Detroit #Michigan #visitdetroit #MTWADetroit #art #Midwest #travelusa

A photo posted by Kathy Rodeghier (@krodeghier) on Sep 25, 2016 at 7:02pm PDT

It may have been invented in New York but #Detroit is known for the #ConeyDog especially at rivals #AmericanConeyDog and #LafayetteConeyDog #foodie #foodporn #hotdog #Michigan #MTWADetroit #visitdetroit #travelusa #Midwest

A photo posted by Kathy Rodeghier (@krodeghier) on Sep 25, 2016 at 4:43am PDT

Good morning #BigD Looking forward to more stories about #AmericasGreatComebackCity #Detroit #Michigan #Midwest #travelusa #skyline #cityscape #MTWADetroit #visitdetroit

A photo posted by Kathy Rodeghier (@krodeghier) on Sep 23, 2016 at 7:46am PDT

Poet Scheherazade Washington Parrish, whose words appear on this mural by Sydney James in #easternmarket. #mtwadetroit

A photo posted by Mary Hall (@hall_marye) on Sep 24, 2016 at 11:03am PDT

Art and Architecture tour guide Isabelle Weiss gets an aerobic workout during her enthusiastic introduction to the lively and engaging street art in “The Belt” in downtown Detroit. Her brisk paced tour offered through The Experience Factory is a delightful introduction to this city that is a living showcase of artistic inspiration. #MTWADetroit @arttourtravel @midwestlivingmag @tvtrippin @detroitfreepress @travelandleisure @milwaukeejournalsentinel @katydeardorff @great_lakes_gazette @wistatejournal @_art_and_architecture_ @puremichigan @visitdetroit @midwest.explorers @travelchannel @beautifuldestinations @nytimestravel @latimes

A photo posted by openair93 (@openair93) on Sep 21, 2016 at 9:25pm PDT

The #mural #Flyboy is in the #cartoon style of #Chicagoartist #HebruBrantley and is on display in the #EasternMarket in #Detroit #Michigan #visitdetroit #MTWADetroit #art #travelusa #Midwest

A photo posted by Kathy Rodeghier (@krodeghier) on Sep 26, 2016 at 4:28am PDT

My dream car on display @thehenryford. #fordmustang #MTWADetroit

A photo posted by Melinda Schnyder (@ms_pix) on Sep 25, 2016 at 8:08am PDT

Greenfield Village @thehenryford in #dearborn #michigan covers 300 years of history with many relocated and refurbished buildings with significant meaning. From Dayton they have the Wright Brothers’ family home and their final bicycle shop where they built their first airplane that took flight. #MTWADetroit #wrightbrothers

A photo posted by Melinda Schnyder (@ms_pix) on Sep 25, 2016 at 7:27am PDT

Ok. Where am I? Believe it or not, this is the interior of a bank! The Guardian building, often dubbed a “cathedral to finance,” was built in the late 1920s with a strong American Indian theme, and believe me, it rivals many of the great cathedrals I have visited in Europe! #mtwadetroit, #Guardian, #detroit, #detroittourism, #bank, #architecture, #art, #visitdetroit

A photo posted by Bob Sessions (@bob.sessions) on Sep 30, 2016 at 4:13am PDT

cheese sampling at Devries & Co. cheese shop @easternmarket. They have more than 200 kinds from all over the world including this smoked Gouda from Holland. #detroit #michigan #puremichigan #MTWADetroit

A photo posted by Melinda Schnyder (@ms_pix) on Sep 22, 2016 at 7:48pm PDT