The 50 best things about Detroit, ranked

By Layla McMurtrie on Fri, May 17, 2024 at 6:00 am

Any proud Detroiter knows that the Motor City is the best and the reasons are endless. It takes true hometown pride, however, to put all of the random awesome facts about the city into context.

What are the best things about Detroit, anyway?

Well, we compiled a list with input from many lovers of Detroit. What follows is our very scientific, totally mathematical ranking of the 50 things we love the most about life in this city.

Don’t even think about arguing with us, especially when it comes to No. 45. Here it is.

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Steve Neavling

50. All the free stuff

If you live in Detroit, you have access to many awesome places and resources for no cost. The world-renowned Detroit Institute of Arts and the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit are both free, no-cost activities are happening on the Riverwalk all the time, you can rent tools from the Carhartt Work Bench or a laptop from the library, and the list goes on. Who doesn’t love free stuff?

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"White-tailed deer" by USDA photo by Scott Bauer Licensed under Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

49. Wildlife in the city

Some people may hate the animals roaming the streets of Detroit, but others may love it. Either way, it’s true. Among others, we’ve got deer, foxes, beavers, pheasants, bald eagles, and many different bird species that you can marvel at daily.

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Google Maps

48. Our vegan and vegetarian scene

While it could be better, metro Detroit has a pretty decent list of options for plant-centric food in the area, including Detroit Vegan Soul, Unburger, and Spacecat V-stro, among others. Plus, we’re supposed to get a location of the popular Modern Vegan chain soon too.

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Susan Montgomery/Shutterstock

47. The People Mover is free now

While Detroit’s biggest downfall is a lack of good public transportation, we do have the humble People Mover. It will get you around the downtown area of the city and thanks to a sponsorship deal has been completely free to ride since the start of 2024.

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Shutterstock

46. It’s right across from Canada

If you want to take a trip out of the country, you can do it every day in Detroit. Take the Ambassador Bridge or the tunnel across the Detroit River and you’ll be in Windsor, Canada, where you can try different food, visit new parks, and drink at 19 (don’t tell your parents we reminded you). Unlike most other places in the U.S., in Detroit, Canada is actually to the south.

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Facebook, Jessica Care Moore

45. Metro Times

Duh.

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Tom Perkins

44. Parking is cheap or free

In many big cities, parking prices are atrocious. In Detroit though, you can usually often find free parking, or at least pretty cheap parking, even downtown. As long as you’re cool with walking a few blocks, don’t pay drastic amounts to park. If you want a close spot during big events, you usually shouldn’t have to pay any more than $20.

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Facebook, Dequindre Cut

43. Greenspaces

Some big cities lack nature, but Detroit is lucky. We’ve got the Dequindre Cut, which is just one public trail of the Joe Louis Greenway, an upcoming 27.5 miles of biking and walking trails throughout the city and connecting suburbs. These greenways also connect to the Detroit Riverfront, which just recently got connected to Belle Isle, where there’s all the greenspace you need.

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@sxrreal

42. Our nightlife is dope

Nightlife is another underrated part of Detroit’s culture, and hot venues continue to sprout, hosting rotating events every weekend of all music genres. Anyone can find a vibe that works for them. Whether it be live sounds or talented local DJs, there are lots of places to dance and mingle in the city and around it. Some are even open until 4 a.m.

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Shutterstock

40. Car culture

Car culture is another Detroit thing that is both a blessing and a curse. The mighty auto industry and the economic prosperity of Ford’s assembly line made us who we are today. Not having a car in the Motor City is a hassle, and people will judge you based on what kind of car you drive. (While we’re proud of our automotive history, better public transportation and walkability would also be great, too.)

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Ted Swedenburg, Flickr Creative Commons

39. Our breweries and beer scene

The city of Detroit and its surrounding suburbs are well-stocked with breweries and bars that serve up great drinks and food, some no-frills and unpretentious, and others more high-end. Some even have extra fun activities for you to have a good time. Whatever you have in mind, you can find it here.

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Steve Neavling

38. Cheap houses

Housing costs in Detroit remain relatively affordable (not as cheap as 10 years ago, but way less than most other cities). The New York Times even recently highlighted Detroit as one of the easiest places for Gen Z to purchase a home. In consequence, we have an abundance of artists and creative people doing creative things — and artists and creative people are fun.

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Jon DeBoer

37. The culture in and around the city

Detroit and its metropolitan area are immersed with cultures of all kinds, some specified in this list. Not only does this bring us great cuisine, but also the opportunity to educate ourselves about people from all over the world in numerous ways. If Detroit wasn’t such a melting pot, it would be vastly different and definitely not as awesome.

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Joe Maroon

36. We love our pro sports

All of Detroit’s professional sports teams have their highs and lows, and our current star is the Lions, but that was definitely not always the case. The team finally made a comeback after years of misery, almost making it to the Super Bowl for the first time this year. We’ll be rooting for them next season, along with the rest of the country now, but sometimes we’re rooting for the Tigers, the Pistons, and the Red Wings instead. Plus, for soccer lovers, we have the Detroit City FC, our professional soccer team who just acquired land for a new soccer stadium in Southwest Detroit.

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Courtesy photo

35. The drinks are cheap

It’s both a blessing and a curse, but you can find some good drinks for great prices in the Motor City if you know where to find them.

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Shutterstock

34. Eastern Market

Detroit’s farmer’s market and the area it’s in is full of local food and vendors that represent the city’s culture all in one spot. On Saturdays, vendors sell everything from tacos to produce to flowers. On Sundays, the space is packed with local jewelers and artists. Surrounding walls and warehouses are adorned with murals and live music is played at nearby venues. This is one great place to take visitors who want to be immersed in Detroit’s culture.

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Shutterstock

33. There are plenty of bodies of water nearby

Michigan is one of the best states because it is surrounded by the Great Lakes, which means the city of Detroit is too. Lake Huron isn’t very far, plus we have the Detroit River and Lake St. Clair down the road, and other small lakes super close. There’s always water nearby if you want to swim, boat, or fish.

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Viola Klocko

32. Techno music

Detroit is considered the birthplace of techno music, emerging in the early 1980s from the city’s underground party scene. Detroit techno evolved from a blend of funk, electro, and European electronic sounds, creating a distinctive style that influenced electronic music worldwide. Since techno music started in the D, it’s only fitting for the city to host one of the biggest festivals centering on electronic music. The Detroit Electronic Music Festival started in 2000 to celebrate Detroit’s techno heritage and after coming under producers Paxahau, the city’s Memorial Day weekend fest became known as the Movement Music Festival. The annual event attracts electronic music enthusiasts from around the world.

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Keep Growing Detroit

31. Urban farms and gardening

Detroit is often called a food desert, but local urban farms work hard to promote food justice, food security, food sovereignty, and healthy food access options to the community. These spots provide fresh herbs, plants, fruits, and vegetables. Many operate year-round and even offer agricultural education.

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Mike Pfeiffer

30. The live music scene

Aside from numerous big venues showcasing local and national acts, Detroit has a great live music scene. Small bars like the Raven Lounge and Willis Show Bar host weekly events with local musicians of various genres. In Hamtramck, seemingly every block has a bar with punk rock hipster bands.

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