15 scenic drives near Detroit that everyone should explore

By Metro Times editorial staff on Fri, May 24, 2024 at 8:32 am

These scenic drives, all an hour or so outside of Detroit, offer something to look at that's not a TV, iPhone, or laptop. We're talking Pure Michigan, baby. From waterfront views to historic homes to urban landscapes steeped in history, alongside kitsch, nature trails, freighters, fudge, a giant tire, and a whole lot of asphalt, these drives are uniquely beautiful. Some are cool attractions that you can drive to see, while others are more “It's not about the destination, it's about the journey.” Enjoy!

Eastern Market

Russell Street, Detroit
While Eastern Market is a beloved hub for fresh produce, meat, and a weekly slew of local vendors, as well as restaurants and shops, it's also an art destination. Eastern Market is home to Murals in the Market, voted one of the top mural festivals in the world, which invites muralists to turn the Eastern Market area into their canvases, unleashing bold, bright, and powerful murals, most of which can be seen by car.

Mural by Kevin Ledo/Courtesy of Murals in the Market

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Belle Isle

Belle Isle Park entrance is located at the intersection of Jefferson Ave. and E. Grand Blvd.
A cruise through Belle Isle provides brief reprieve from being at home all winter and offers a stunning view of the Detroit skyline and some much beloved greenery. Plus, there are tons of free activities including the Belle Isle Aquarium, a museum, and a beach.

Photo by Evan Gonzalez/DetroitStockCity.com

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Eight Mile Road

If you had one drive, would you take it? The historic borderline between the city and its northern suburbs spans more than 20 miles across the metro region, where it eventually turns into Base Line Road. Once a dirt road, Eight Mile Road was designated as M-102 in 1928, 74 years before rapper Eminem paid tribute to his Detroit upbringing in the film 8 Mile. This may not be your typical sightseeing adventure, but it's worth a drive as one of the world's most famous boundary lines.

Király-Seth/Wikipedia Commons

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Thomas Edison Park

Thomas Edison Pkwy., Port Huron
Frighters, the Blue Water Bridge, and a lighthouse can all be found in Thomas Edison's childhood hometown, which, if you plan your trip accordingly, can serve as a scenic and historic escape. I-94 East from Detroit will lead you to 23 Mile Road and Old Jefferson Avenue, which runs along the St. Clair River to where it opens into Lake Huron.

Matthew Gordon/Wikipedia Commons

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Frankenmuth

No need to get your passport stamped for this I-75 cruise to Michigan's own Little Bavaria where Christmas is all year long. OK, so only at Bronners, the world's largest Christmas store, is it holly jolly 365 days a year, but Frankenmuth offers enough kitsch to make the drive worthwhile. And, who knows, maybe you can grab some curbside fudge or the town's beloved culinary offering, Zehnder's chicken dinner.

Frankenmuth/Facebook

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Huron River Drive

Dexter to Ann Arbor
While there are several routes one could take along the 10-mile stretch between Dexter and Ann Arbor, one is visually superior. Huron River Drive follows the winding Huron River all the way to Ypsilanti, offering views of marshlands and forests with many opportunities to stop and soak in the scenery.

Cmadler/Wikipedia Commons

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Carpenter Lake Nature Preserve

10 Mile Road, east of Inkster in Southfield
Just 30 minutes outside of Detroit is 42 acres of woodlands, forested wetlands, and native meadows, all of which surround Carpenter Lake and it's still one of southeast Michigan's best kept secrets.

Southfield Parks and Recreation/Facebook

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Historic Hines Drive

Russell Street, Detroit
Stretching through Northville, Plymouth, Livonia, Westland, Garden City, and Dearborn Heights is Hines Drive, a scenic flood basin for the Middle Rouge River. The 17-mile parkway connects 20 park segments that offer multi-faceted recreation for those looking to take a leisurely drive.

Hines Drive Park/Facebook

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Lake Shore Drive/Nautical Mile

Jefferson Avenue, Detroit east to Lakeshore Drive, Grosse Pointe and St. Clair Shores
Perhaps one of the most iconic of the scenic drives in southeastern Michigan is that of Jefferson Avenue in Detroit to Lake Shore Drive and the Nautical Mile. Traveling east on Jefferson Avenue, which runs parallel to the Detroit riverfront, will take you through unique city sights and will lead you to Lake Shore Drive in Grosse Pointe Park, one of the wealthiest areas in the state, and home to incredible views of Lake St. Clair and houses straight out of storybooks. You'll also encounter historic properties like the Edsel and Eleanor Ford house and its sprawling gardens. Once out of Grosse Pointe, you'll find yourself traveling along the Nautical Mile, a charming business district in St. Clair Shores with waterfront views, and, for boating freaks, marinas aplenty.

Edsel and Eleanor Ford House/Facebook

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Hell

While the last two months have felt as though we are living in a Black Mirror depiction of Hell, real Hell does exist and it's in Michigan and has ice cream. While the hour-long drive west of Detroit likely has its own scenic identity, this trip is about the destination and you will know when you've arrived. While some of the small town's offerings may be off-limits, you can hop out of your car and snap some picks of the devilish signage and clever storefronts. Oh, and if you reserve a date, you can become mayor of Hell for a day. They also have wedding packages.

Wikipedia Commons

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Irish Hills

Founded by Irish immigrants after the Great Potato Famine, Irish Hills gives a glimpse of vintage America with rolling hills, antique stores, and... dinosaurs? Home to some historic oddities like Irish Hills Towers and Walker Tavern, which was a major stagecoach stop, Irish Hills is also home to a shuttered 8-acre Prehistoric Forest, with fiberglass dinosaurs and a once-smoking volcano. Though you can't enter the property legally, you can take a peek at the property and a couple of dinos.

Wikipedia Commons

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Algonac State Park

8732 River Rd., Cottrellville
Algonac State Park is another scenic drives that is a bit more about the destination than the drive, though taking I-94 east for 55 miles ain't too shabby once you get past Harrison Twp. (RIP to the Girbraltar man!) With 1,500 acres and a half-mile of St. Clair River frontage, Algonac State Park offers easily accessible habitats, like lake plain prairies and oak savannas, but is perhaps best known for watching international freighters along the river, which you can do from the safety of your own car. Date night, anyone?

Instagram/@lhannon32

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The Uniroyal Tire

I-94 east of Detroit Metro Airport in Allen Park
We're so sick and tired of being indoors that we are fully identifying with the energy of the Uniroyal Giant Tire featured along I-94 in Allen Park. The impossible-to-miss roadside attraction was used as a ferris wheel for the 1964 New York World Fair by the United States Rubber Company, where it serviced 2,000,000 riders. The 12-ton, 80-foot-tall attraction was moved to Allen Park in 1966.

Ken Lund/Flickr Commons

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Woodward Avenue

Woodward Avenue runs from downtown Detroit to Pontiac
One of the most iconic roads in the country, Woodward Avenue offers 27 miles of ever-changing scenery from Detroit to Pontiac. Home to major sporting arenas, the Detroit Zoo, a Frank Lloyd Wright home, America's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and the Woodward Dream Cruise, Woodward Avenue is also home to the first concrete-paved mile in America when the stretch between Six Mile and Seven Mile Roads was paved in 1909, and, a decade later, the first road to install a three-color stoplight. That's Motor City history.

Photo by Evan Gonzalez/DetroitStockCity.com

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Stony Creek Metropark

4300 Main Park Rd., Shelby Twp.
The drive to Stony Creek Metropark can be made just as scenic as a drive through the 4,461-acre park, which spans Washington, Oakland, and Shelby Townships with hills, mills, and orchards.

Ken Lund/Flickr Commons

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