The best decisions you can make in Detroit [PHOTOS]

Enjoy the city’s free cultural institutions. Admission to the Detroit Institute of Arts is free for residents of Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties. The Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit is also free, with a $10 suggested donation.

Make friends with someone who has a boat. Even avid boaters will tell you these things are expensive, but what’s the point in being surrounded by 11,000 lakes if you can’t explore them? (Tip: Try crashing a concert at the Aretha Franklin Amphitheater by listening in from the Detroit River.)

Appreciate the architecture. Detroit has one of the most recognizable skylines in the world, which includes one of the largest surviving collections of late-19th-to-early 20th century buildings in the U.S. The National Trust for Historic Preservation has listed many of the city’s skyscrapers as endangered.

Live in the city. While Detroit has been losing thousands of residents each year since the 1950s, many of those who’ve stayed or moved in will happily tell you it’s a world-class city with its own charm. Plus, suburbia is boring.

Patronize old restaurants. In recent months, we’ve said goodbye to a number of Motor City spots like Traffic Jam & Snug, Cass Cafe, and Orchid Thai. Support your favorites while you still can.

Take a stroll on the Riverwalk. Detroit’s riverfront has seen improvements in recent years, leading USA Today readers to deem it the “best riverwalk in America” for the past three years. The Detroit Riverwalk includes more than 3.5 miles of parks and greenways, with even more improvements on the way.

Check out a local art gallery. There’s always some kind of art opening happening every weekend in the city, from newcomer gallery-music venue Spot Lite to stalwarts like the Scarab Club, where famous artists have autographed the ceiling’s beams in a long-standing tradition, including Diego Rivera, Marcel Duchamp, and Norman Rockwell.

Go to a concert at one of the city’s great venues. It’s easy to take it for granted if you go to many concerts, but Detroit’s music venues are unparalleled. We can’t even recall all of the times a touring act stopped their show to remark upon the ornate beauty of old theaters like the Fox or the Fillmore.

Check out a professional sports game. OK, so the Lions, Tigers, Red Wings, and Pistons haven’t been doing so great, but don’t sleep on Detroit City FC. Founded in 2012, “Le Rouge” has exploded in popularity, and its games at Hamtramck’s scrappy Keyworth Stadium are a sight to behold. Watch out for the smoke bombs.

Get fresh produce from the Eastern Market. Support local farmers at Detroit’s historic commercial district, the largest historic public market district in the U.S. On Saturdays, some 45,000 people shop at the open air market.

Eat at happy hour. You can avoid crowds, the prices are much better, and the food and drinks are just as good.

Enjoy Belle Isle. This island park is a real gem, whether you’re simply soaking in the sun on the beach, firing up a barbecue grill, or enjoying attractions like the Belle Isle Aquarium, the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory, or the famous giant slide.

Enjoy Hart Plaza. There’s a big festival happening at Detroit’s riverfront plaza every month throughout the warm season, including Movement Music Festival in May, Motor City Pride in June, African World Festival in July, Ribs and R&B Music Festival in August, and Detroit Jazz Festival in September.

Peruse the aisles of John K. King Books. Established in 1983 in abandoned Advance Glove Factory, John K. King Used & Rare Books has more than 1 million books and was described by Salon magazine as having “one of the largest and strangest collections in North America.” You’re bound to discover something you’ll love.

Go roller skating. Detroit has a great roller skating scene, including the bi-annual roller disco at the Northland Roller Rink hosted by DJ Moodymann and Southwest Detroit’s RollerCade, a Black- and family-owned business since 1955.

See a movie at the Ford-Wyoming Drive-In. Opened in 1950 in nearby Dearborn and once the largest drive-in theater in the U.S., Ford-Wyoming shows double features all year long. Tip: Bring a lawn chair and FM radio, which can broadcast the films’ audio, so you can enjoy a summer night in its fullest.

Sign up for a local CSA. Community supported agriculture, or CSAs, are crop-sharing systems that allow local farms to directly sell to consumers. In Michigan, there are a multitude of farms that participate in CSAs, and you can get anything from vegetables and fruit to meat, flowers, and more. Find one at localharvest.org.

Catch a play. There are plenty of places in Detroit to experience the magic of live performance, including the Detroit Public Theatre, which recently opened a new home in the Cass Corridor, and the Detroit Repertory Theatre, open since 1957.

Get a library card. Did you know a library card can be used for more than just checking out books? You can use it to read newspapers and magazines, rent DVDs and music, and also use Kanopy, a film streaming service that comes with your library card.