At the end of October, the Detroit Free Press announced that Lonely Planet – one of the largest travel book publishers in the world – was set to name Detroit the second-best city in the world to visit in 2018.
Eclipsed only by Seville, Spain, The Motor City immediately outranks Canberra, Australia and Hamburg, Germany – and has the distinction as the only destination in the continental United States to make the cut in the top ten of Lonely Planet’s coveted list.
It might be hard to fathom a city haunted by a reputation of blight and bankruptcy to emerge as a top tourist destination. But anyone who has been there recently – particularly within the past year – will describe a downtown area that defies assumptions of urban decay thanks to an emerging and bustling metropolis that is fresh, eclectic and splashed with creativity.
And by anyone, of course I mean me.
Before my visit to Detroit this past spring, my main frames of reference were the mayoral scandal of Kwame Kilpatrick, their historic 2013 bankruptcy filing, and most detrimentally that it was the city that produced my college boyfriend. I appreciated Detroit for the Motown legacy, the Isaiah Thomas era of the Pistons and for providing the set up for the storyline in “Beverly Hills Cop.” But that was about it.
However, a junket organized by Pure Michigan that promised a snapshot of the arts and culture scene left a lasting impression, to say the least. After my stay, I found myself singing the city’s praises for their work to restore the metropolis’ identity. Based on what I experienced, a new and improved Detroit has risen from its obstacles. The new development combined with the cultural staples will more than likely inspire a migration of tourists and transplants. In two short, but jam-packed days of connecting with Detroit, I developed such an affinity that I still occasionally keep up with the Detroit’s progress as they continue to rebuild – which is how I stumbled upon the news of their impressive (and well-deserved) Lonely Planet ranking.
Immediately after landing, we dove right in to soaking up the art scene. We enjoyed a quick lunch at Supino Pizzeria and headed over to 1xRun (one-time-run), which specializes in limited edition prints and original artwork from emerging contemporary artists and is the host of Detroit’s Inner State Gallery. We were given a behind the scenes tour of the start to finish process from creation to shipping and all the intricate multi-tasking of their operation required for them to keep up with the demand, and their unique niche of a daily release of limited edition runs.
The next stop was the Heidelberg Project. Originated by Tyree Guyton in the late 1980s, he created an outdoor urban arts experience from the personal belongings that he found while cleaning up the abandoned properties and vacant lots along Heidelberg Street. Vibrantly painted houses and remnants of a once vibrant neighborhood are repurposed through themed collections of items like shoes, discarded car parts and other items that typically signal abandonment. The pieces pay homage to the people and neighborhood that once spanned for blocks on end and gives the experience of a sculpture park within the community of the few residents who remain in the neighborhood. The Heidelberg project is reminiscent of a super-scaled version of the recent exhibitions of Pulitzer Arts Foundation’s Raumlaborberlin’s 4562 Enright and PXSTL combined with a striking likeness to The Griot’s ‘Eminent Domain/Displaced’.
Aloft Detroit at the David Whitney would be my home during the visit. The converted commerce building was a bit dark, but contemporary and elegant.
A short walk from the hotel was the soul food restaurant Savannah Blue (1431 Times Square – yes, there’s a Time’s Square in Downtown Detroit as well). Listen, if you are a foodie – particularly a “soul foodie” – make this eatery a top priority for your visit. Go hungry. As a matter of fact, go starving – because if you have so much as a rice cake before you sit down at Savannah Blue (https://savannahbluedetroit.com), EMT might have to carry you down the stairs and deliver you to your respective lodging. The fried chicken breasts were the size of a human face -and had the nerve to be juicy, flavorful and delicious. I’m almost moved to tears as I reflect on the tenderness of the massive oxtails and can still taste the cheddar risotto garnish. The collard greens would get any southern grandmother’s approval. The entrees and sides were so filling that I couldn’t bring myself to indulge in the desserts that included cobbler, bread pudding and sweet potato pie.
The next morning was spent at Detroit Institute of Arts. Rivera Court, from Mexican Mural Movement founding father Diego Rivera sets the tone for the world-class museum. The entire space is filled by Rivera’s “Detroit Industry” (1933) a mural that illustrates his interpretation of The Ford Motor Company and manages to weave in the social and political climate of the city where the auto manufacturer is based. The DIA has more than 100 galleries, covers 658,000 square feet and is regarded as among the top six museums in the United States with an encyclopedic collection. During my visit, I was able to see work from the 1400s to the present – including artists from Van Gogh to Kehinde Wiley. The DIA also gave a taste of how new technology can enhance the museum experience with an augmented reality, thanks to a partnership with Google. A Pokémon Go-like experience uses Android devices to guide visitors to designated areas within the museum and give 3-D bonus visuals to engage with the artwork further.
In addition to Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, there was also a visit to the Motown Museum. The guided tour was the most underwhelming of the trip – but walking through the walls that created the sound that changed the landscape of popular music gave an even greater appreciation of what Motown founder Berry Gordy was able to accomplish from such humble beginnings. It almost seems impossible to grasp that a pair of tiny houses linked together produced some of the biggest names in music – just like it might seem hard to wrap one’s head around the city’s ability to rise to become a leading travel destination.
But Motown and the city that birthed the music prove that both are possible.
For more information on Detroit as a tour destination, visit www.visitdetroit.com
