Detroit

So about an hour’s drive away from Ann Arbor is Detroit! It definitely has more of a city feel, and has more going on than Ann Arbor. I originally went up for the Detroit Jazz Festival, and would highly recommend that. It’s the largest FREE jazz fest in the US! But since it probably isn’t summer when you’re reading this, here’s other things to do.

In terms of museums, Detroit has a whole bunch of good ones. There’s the Detroit Institute of Arts which has a huge collection in a gorgeous building. The exhibits span ancient cultures all the way up to the present day. There is also a wonderful collection of African-American art that showcases Detroit natives. Then there’s the Detroit Historical Society, which gives you the history of the town. And the Motown Museum, a must visit for any music fans!

There were a couple of really nice stores that I stopped by on my visit. For music lovers, Third Man Records is an incredible record store with a ton of music paraphernalia as well. You can even tour their pressing facilities! But what really drew me was that they have a small record booth where you can record 2.5 minutes of yourself singing, talking, or playing, and it’ll spit out a record for you! So I am now the proud owner of a record of me playing “Smash Mouth” on a kazoo. Another great store is John K. King Used and Rare Books. It’s the biggest bookstore in Michigan! The store is in a warehouse with four floors of books stacked from floor to ceiling. It’s so big that the employees hand out maps at the entrance! I found several books that I’d been looking for in there. Lovely place.

Obviously there is much more to Detroit, but those were the highlights of my visit. Detroit tends to get a bad rep after the housing crisis/economy crash, but it certainly is making a comeback now. And as a prominent music city, there is plenty to do for any music lovers! Well worth a visit or even two.