100 Things All Detroiters Should Do Before They Die

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81) Attend the Detroit Urban Craft Fair: There was a time when the words “craft fair” basically meant scrap-booking moms and little old ladies knitting bobble hats. Nowadays, craft is cool. This fair, at the Masonic Temple, features all manner of garments, items of jewelry and, yes, scrap books. Let’s face it — some things should never change.

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82) Have what’s widely considered the best burger in town at the Redcoat Tavern: The Redcoat Tavern has been the bastion of a great burger seemingly forever. Located on Woodward Avenue a few blocks north of 13 Mile Road, this place is crowded every day at lunch and dinner — and usually in between. Thick, juicy, succulent, a Redcoat burger almost demands the use of extra napkins. They recommend a simple burger, but you can pile on as many ingredients as they offer.

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83) Dress as your favorite comic book character at the Motor City ComicCon: Look, comic book guys: You probably spend 364 days of the year embracing convention and perhaps even conservatism. So when the Comic Con rolls around, screw it: Dress up like the Green Lantern and spend two months’ rent on the first appearance of Ghost Rider. Hit on a girl who’s dressed like Power Girl, obviously a professional model and waaay out of your league. But, who knows, she might admire your gumption. And your spandex.

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84) Enjoy the fruits of over-the-top creativity at Maker Faire: It’s an annual delight that Maker Faire touches down in metro Detroit each summer. Past years have brought such dizzying joys as a moped racetrack, homemade windmills and a 60-foot-long metal dragon that breathes fire. The event also includes a local craft fair where you can take a bit of that creativity home with you when you depart.

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85) Take the People Mover: At 75 cents a round trip, there’s no better way to provide visitors a tour of Detroit than the venerable People Mover. The art work — particularly that guy always there reading a newspaper — is fun, the view of the river spectacular, and the way Detroit’s wealth of architecture rolls by is nothing short of amazing.

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86) Run for the border in the Detroit-Windsor Marathon: Whether you’re in it for the athletic feat or just a slacker content to sit on the sidelines, October’s annual international marathon is a unique experience. You get a space blanket and a banana at the end like a normal marathon, but this one takes you on a scenic 26.2-mile journey through downtown Detroit, Belle Isle, over the Ambassador Bridge and to, um, Windsor.

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87) Rent a bike from Wheelhouse Detroit and ride the RiverWalk: Detroit’s riverfront has gone through some drastic changes in recent years. What used to be a post-industrial riverfront is now a pedestrian-friendly walkway with fountains, a carousel and, in the summer, tons of bicyclists. Renting a bike at Wheelhouse Detroit is a great way to cruise down the RiverWalk, and the group offers guided themed tours to other locations as well.

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89) Sample some of the world’s best Belgian-style ale at Jolly Pumpkin Café & Brewery: The folks at Jolly Pumpkin know their stuff. The Ann Arbor café operated by this Michigan powerhouse turns out Belgian-style ales that routinely come out on top in worldwide competitions, often besting ales from Belgium itself. And the fare turned out by the joint’s kitchen is no afterthought, as creative and fun as the brewery’s stylish suds.

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90) Geek out at Vault of Midnight: If one thing has become clear over the past couple of decades, it’s that toys and comic books are wasted on kids. That’s why you won’t find many people younger than 20 — though they are welcome — at the Vault of Midnight in Ann Arbor. Rather, you’ll find adults drooling over the latest Batman figurine or an anime book that features a six-dicked demon. See what all the fuss it about.

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91) Eat at the super secret sushi bar in the back of Noble Fish: This place is a treasure: A great, albeit tiny sushi restaurant tucked in the back of an unassuming Japanese grocery store. There’s usually a bit of a wait to get seated, but wandering the aisles of green tea, sake, Asian groceries and fanciful candies makes the time go by in a flash.

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92) See college football at “The Big House”: Every team in the NCAA has a unique stadium that they call home. The good ones can have such an effect on a game that they’re considered the 12th man on the field. Michigan Stadium fits that bill neatly. This gargantuan stadium, home to the Wolverines, is the largest venue of its kind in college football, cramming in more than 100,000 attendees — and backing up area roads for miles — during every home game since 1975.

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93) Fall Beer Festival: Thanks to the rise of craft brewing in Michigan, there are plenty of beer festivals all over the state, but the one we think everybody should attend is this glugfest, sponsored by the Michigan Brewers Guild in scenic Eastern Market. The proliferation of creative beers, with noses of hops and malt, and some surprisingly high ABV numbers, mean you’ll have to drag along a designated driver. By the time your beer tokens are gone you’ll probably be pie-eyed.

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94) Buy vinyl at UHF: A relatively new store, UHF has still quickly become a favorite among metro Detroit bargain vinyl hunters. Though it is perhaps best known for its selection of new vinyl, it can also be relied upon for clean, used records, with plenty of reggae, dub and soul, but also a lot of metal, punk and indie rock. Who’d have thought this would be a must-do in 2014?

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95) See hydroplane racing at the APBA Gold Cup: Are you an avid fan of hydroplane racing? No? Doesn’t matter: The APBA Gold Cup is a singular event. More than 100 years strong, it’s the oldest active motor sports trophy — and as good an excuse as any to spend a sunny day downing a few beers.

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96) Buy a piece of local art for the price of a round of drinks at Motor City Brewing Works’ “This Week in Art” series: Several years ago, artist Graem Whyte started this series of Wednesday night art shows. Whyte has moved on, but the shows continue to showcase small, affordable, fun pieces from some pretty well-known local names. Over the years, artists have included Davin Brainard, Gwen Joy and Clint Snider, as well as the occasional reading or performance art event.

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97) Booze and cruise on the Detroit Princess: As metro Detroiters, too often we give our city’s river short shrift. One of the best ways to enjoy it is on the Detroit Princess, which can take passengers on a scenic cruises under the bridges between Lake Saint Clair and Fort Wayne. On a hot day, there are few better ways to enjoy a cold beer and a cool breeze than cruising our international river and seeing our Canadian and American metropolis from a truly new vantage point.

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98) Get a contact buzz (or more) at the Hash Bash/Monroe Street Fair: Marijuana has come a long way, and the story of that evolution often had Ann Arbor for its setting. A sort of countercultural capital, people have long joked that you’d get more expensive tickets for skateboarding than for possession. All of which plays into the city’s Hash Bash, which is one of the oldest celebrations of outdoor toking in the country, if not the world. Drop in and see people call for an end to the War on Drugs — hacky sack optional.

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99) Find nature in your back yard at Kensington Metropark: Kensington Metropark, just a short drive away from most metro Detroiters, is an oasis of nature. It has dozens of attractions, but most of all it has a wealth of natural beauty. Rolling, tree-covered hills surround lovely Kent Lake. At 1,200 acres, the lake formed by the Huron River offers two beaches for swimming. Two launches provide easy access to boaters, and paddleboats and rowboats can be rented. And for those who just want to sit back and glide across the water, there is the Island Queen II, a 49-passenger pontoon boat plying the lake.

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100) Bundle up and head downtown for Detroit’s Thanksgiving Day parade: This turkey morning tradition features floats, balloons, marching bands, celebrity guests and more. And thousands of metro Detroiters get there early to cheer it all on. Yes, the convoy of fanciful creations dazzles the eye, as you’ve seen on your TV all these years. But that’s nothing like seeing it in person, with the marching band music bouncing off the city walls, and a spirit of fun, togetherness and — dare we say it? — community. There’s no better time to be in Detroit and be thankful for it.

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15) See, um, cars at the NAIAS: We may not be huge car guys, but we have to admit that thing we used to call the Detroit Auto Show is a big, big deal. This year, we saw international carmakers present their million-dollar exhibits in a newly regionalized and updated Cobo Hall. Everyone should see it once — even if once is enough.

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100 Things All Detroiters Should Do Before They Die

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