Detroit Activities

Right after prohibition and the end of the first world war, this part of Detroit was home to a big Belgian community, and the Cadieux Cafe (which opened in 1933) feels like a relic of that time. The main attraction here is feather bowling, a bocce-like game played with wooden rounds that look like wheels of cheese, which are rolled down a covex court towards a single pigeon feather sticking out of the dirt. Strange as it sounds, it makes a great outing for littles during the day and a surprisingly fun late-night activity for grown-ups, as there's a huge list of beers—including plenty of Belgians—and live music until 2am.

The Heidelberg Project was started in 1986 by Detroit artist, Tyree Guyton, around his family's home on Heidelberg Street as part of an effort to bring art (and revitalization) to a neighborhood that hasn't historically had an organized community art center. The photographs hint at the outsider nature of the art—the block is strewn with found and recycled objects from around the city (old TV sets, discarded dolls, brightly painted tires, so, so many shoes). Seeing it in person is as strange as you might expect—but also, fascinating. The Heidelberg Project is not without controversy: It's been fraught with various setbacks, including two arson attacks (in 1991 and then 1999), which partially destroyed the HP. The organization is currently fundraising to restore Guyton's "Numbers House"—the exterior is marked with large numerals—on Heidelberg Street, which serves as a community center for youth and neighborhood workshops and art exhibits.

It doesn't really matter what's playing at the Fox—while they get great shows, it's mostly worth buying tickets so you can just spend an evening in the stunning historic theatre. Opened in 1928 by William Fox (the movie executive whose company, which sold in 1930, still bears his name), it was designed by Detroit native Charles Howard Crane in the style of many grand theaters at that time, with all the old-school flourishes: grand lobby, check, splashy marquee, check. It underwent a major restoration in 1987, and has been beautifully kept up since then. It's also worth checking the schedule at the Redford, another historic theatre that shows classic films and local musical numbers.

Opened in 1922 (it was then called the Capitol Theater), the Detroit Opera house is one of the city's architectural jewels—homegrown designer C. Howard Crane was also behind the stunning Fox Theater, and this space is every bit as grand, if a bit more classic, with painted frescoes, dramatic chandeliers, and draping red curtains hanging from the ceiling at every entrance. During most of the year, the building hosts shows by Michigan Opera Theatre, which was founded by artistic director David DiChiera in 1971. The theatre itself also hosts visiting ballet ensembles, plays, and touring musicals.

Paula and Tim Guthat, who met reviewing movies back in college, have built a strong community around their Midtown cinema, which specializes in contemporary, indie, cult, genre, and classic movies. They participate in several film festivals throughout the year, and you can always count on them to bring in a few stars from Sundance and Cannes that otherwise wouldn't make it to the midwest. This is also a great place to see films by local directors.

Pick a sunny afternoon to spend on Belle Isle, a 928-acre park-island situated in the Detroit River between Detroit and Canada. After you cross over MacArthur Bridge, bear right at the fork onto Sunset Drive. As you approach the eastern tip of the island, there'll be parking spots along the edge of the river. From here, you get the best view of the city across the way. It's also a good place to stop and play and/or picnic if you have littles in tow. (The beach stretch will be mostly empty if you come in the fall or winter but don't skip over it.) If you keep driving around the perimeter of the island, you'll pass Lake Tacoma and come toward the aquarium and conservatory in the middle. The aquarium (open only on the weekends from 10am to 4pm) is a famed building, designed by Albert Kahn in 1904. Right next to the aquarium is the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory, which is divided into five houses by fauna type. There are also plenty more outdoor activities on the island—the marshy forest is threaded with a nature trail, you can…

A community park in Southwest Detroit, Clark Park was saved by residents in 1991 when financial struggles had forced the park to close temporarily. Walking through the park you do get the sense of being far from any sort of city life—while it does feel like an escape, the park is very much tied to life in Detroit. In fall, the large trees throughout the space turn beautiful shades of red, yellow, orange, and in the winter, there's a regulation-sized hockey rink at its center. In the summer, among other things, the park provides free lunch daily to a hundred-plus students. Year round, there is artwork dispersed throughout the park and a series of community programs.

Run by Olayami Dabls, this is not the type of attraction that can (or should) be put neatly into a tourism box. The title "museum" is a purposeful, playful misnomer: The shimmering, bright house outfitted in shiny pieces of broken mirror, installed by Dabls—is a shop in that you can actually buy beads from Dabls' extensive collection of African art. If you're fortunate, Dabls will pop into the shop while you're there (or if you linger long enough); he can tell you how many hundreds of years old every single bead in the space is (suffice it to say, there are a lot, and many more not on display), and from which country in Africa. Using iron, rock, wood, and mirrors, Dabls (who would say he is a storyteller, not an artist) tells a gripping cultural narrative that is both sad and stirring on the exterior of his store. Dabls is currently at work to evolve the property to include a gallery space, community gathering spot, and safe, climate-controlled storage for his important collection of African art.

The riverfront in Detroit stretches about five miles long (still somewhat a work-in-progress project for the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, which has been connecting the east and west sides to add to the path's appeal). After checking out the Guardian Building, continue walking down Griswold toward the water. The wide path along the Detroit River is made for jogging, biking, and casually strolling alike. One cool thing is that you can see across to Canada from here—Windsor is just on the other side of the water. The impossible-to-miss GM Renaissance Center, seven looming skyscrapers, is just off the path into downtown, and the included corner restaurant, Joe Muer Seafood, overlooks the riverfront. From this area, you can also head up to the Dequindre Cut Greenway, which runs parallel to St. Aubin Street toward Eastern Market. This mostly below-level greenway has become known for its urban art and graffiti.

Detroit is a fascinating landscape for architecture aficionados, and arguably one of the main draws of the city. But regardless of why you find yourself in Detroit, you don't have to go out of your way to get a taste of the striking diversity of buildings here—you'll naturally come across many of the highlights (as well as the notorious ruins) just as you get around town. This is particularly true of Downtown Detroit, which has some of the country's coolest skyscrapers. Beyond skyscrapers, though, walking around Downtown, you'll quickly appreciate the range that is packed into this dense area. (It's pretty crazy, for one, that the opera house is right next to both Comerica Park, home of the Tigers, and the Detroit Lions's Ford Field.) The big Art Deco treasure downtown is the Guardian Building, which was completed in 1929 for the banking group, Union Trust Company (which was saved when the market crashed that year). The brick-granite exterior is impressive but do go inside the lobby and up the stairs to the long banking hall (the vaulted ceiling, mural-, mosaic-, and tile-work is likewise stunning). Other notable buildings…