What's Detroit like?

#101
#101
VeeOhElEsYes said:
So if you had to choose between Troy, Rochester, Auburn Hills, Plymouth, Northville, Novi, Ann Arbor, Birmingham, Royal Oak to book a hotel which one would you choose?
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Downtown Ann Arbor has a cuban burger joint called Frita Baditos; the line will be down the sidewalk on the weekend, but it's worth it, and I'm not even a big burger person.
 
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#102
#102
Stoerner Fumbles said:
It truly baffles me when I hear people talk about not visiting Detroit, Chicago, Memphis, New Orleans, New York etc. because they are “dangerous”. I’ve lived all those places for a sum total of over thirty years. Times I felt threatened or in danger: 0. I’ve been lucky enough to travel all over the world, and often been in places where being alert is important. I was robbed twice in my life: once in Mexico City, when I made a bad choice and left my camera in an unlocked hotel room, and once in Glasgow Scotland when I tried to help a kid out of a fight. In either instance, I could’ve avoided it. Missing out on life because you are afraid is a bad deal. I can’t count the wonderful people I’ve met in places that are branded as “dangerous”. If any of you choose to visit Detroit, you’ll be fine. To be in danger, you’d have to choose to go somewhere that is visibly unsafe, and then get very unlucky. There are amazing restaurants, traditions, and strong ethnic communities, in addition to all of the history of a great industrial towns. Grosse Pointe is one of the prettiest neighborhoods in the country. There are absolutely sections of downtown that are empty and derelict, and there are neighborhoods you don’t need to visit, but hiding at home because of that is a mistake. Great town.
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I've never visited Detroit, but I feel exactly the same way about Memphis. Love visiting there, and we've always had a great and safe time.
I've found that a lot of the people who hype certains cities up as the worst places on the planet have never visited said cities themselves, or they haven't visited recently enough to have a relevant opinion.
 
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#103
#103
Chris4Vols22 said:
I've never visited Detroit, but I feel exactly the same way about Memphis. Love visiting there, and we've always had a great and safe time.
I've found that a lot of the people who hype certains cities up as the worst places on the planet have never visited said cities themselves, or they haven't visited recently enough to have a relevant opinion.
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Usually they’re basing that on what they’ve heard because they’re too scared to visit the place themselves.

Crazy way to live your life.
 
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#104
#104
100% true. I’ve traveled for work for nearly 20 years and spent quite a bit of time in places like NYC, DC, Vegas, New Orleans etc.
Sometimes family will point out how dangerous they are and how we could never go to NYC!! It’s because of the news, and their retired cop friend who wants to talk big game to make themselves look like a badass.
I’ve walked all over most of these cities, often at night and never had an issue. Probably because I’m not carrying and looking for an issue.
 
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#106
#106
kcvols1 said:
Usually they’re basing that on what they’ve heard because they’re too scared to visit the place themselves.

Crazy way to live your life.
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Anecdotal, but "I would never visit XYZ" tend to be very closed-minded political people, either right or left, who are too online and substitute things they hear in the media for actual lived experience.

I have family members who are both (would never visit Chicago because it's liberal and violent, would never live in Florida because it is too conservative, etc.). It's annoying to hear them go on and on about it.
 
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#108
#108
Chris4Vols22 said:
I've never visited Detroit, but I feel exactly the same way about Memphis. Love visiting there, and we've always had a great and safe time.
I've found that a lot of the people who hype certains cities up as the worst places on the planet have never visited said cities themselves, or they haven't visited recently enough to have a relevant opinion.
Click to expand...

Chicago is the same way. Such a beautiful cool city to visit. My wife used to live near Wrigley Field. The War Zones are so far away from any area a tourist would be. Been there about 25 times and never felt unsafe.
 
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#109
#109
kcvols1 said:
I’d recommend visiting in the summer. Stay at the Book Cadillac hotel. Catch a game at Comerica Park.

Maybe go play at the casino in Windsor?
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The Sweet 16 will be done by then. The OP meant for our regional weekend in Detroit coming up.
 
#110
#110
Just found out from my son that the second location of Frita Baditos is within walking distance of the arena. I've eaten at the Ann Arbor location twice, and it's off the hook; best burger you will ever have. It's a cuban style burger; I always hold the slaw. Just can't see eating a burger with tropical slaw.
 
#111
#111
Sea Ray said:
You gotta be careful where you roam. It can change block to block, thus it's not a walking city. Don't think you can walk everywhere. You wanna take the purple people mover, the new streetcar up to midtown or an Uber. Don't try to walk it
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The QLine does make it easy to move from midtown to downtown and vice versa. Plus it’s free. No light rail to the burbs so parking will be expensive. Opening day of baseball, NFL draft is soon, IMSA racing… it’s a fun town.

We visit 20+ times a year for the last 15 years… so far no issues and the kids have made it thru so far. I refuse to miss the Vols in the Sweet 16!!!
 
#113
#113
crazyguy said:
100% true. I’ve traveled for work for nearly 20 years and spent quite a bit of time in places like NYC, DC, Vegas, New Orleans etc.
Sometimes family will point out how dangerous they are and how we could never go to NYC!! It’s because of the news, and their retired cop friend who wants to talk big game to make themselves look like a badass.
I’ve walked all over most of these cities, often at night and never had an issue. Probably because I’m not carrying and looking for an issue.
Click to expand...
Don’t start no sh!t, won’t be no sh!t.
 
#115
#115
BACKDOC said:
Just found out from my son that the second location of Frita Baditos is within walking distance of the arena. I've eaten at the Ann Arbor location twice, and it's off the hook; best burger you will ever have. It's a cuban style burger; I always hold the slaw. Just can't see eating a burger with tropical slaw.
Click to expand...

I own the full set.

IMG_0412.jpeg
 
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#117
#117
Chris4Vols22 said:
I've never visited Detroit, but I feel exactly the same way about Memphis. Love visiting there, and we've always had a great and safe time.
I've found that a lot of the people who hype certains cities up as the worst places on the planet have never visited said cities themselves, or they haven't visited recently enough to have a relevant opinion.
Click to expand...

People who've never lived in cities and travel very little like to trash cities and pretend that their one-horse towns with one half-vacant strip mall a trip to Sheetz for dinner are Nirvana. Uh....no.
 
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#118
#118
Stoerner Fumbles said:
It truly baffles me when I hear people talk about not visiting Detroit, Chicago, Memphis, New Orleans, New York etc. because they are “dangerous”. I’ve lived all those places for a sum total of over thirty years. Times I felt threatened or in danger: 0. I’ve been lucky enough to travel all over the world, and often been in places where being alert is important. I was robbed twice in my life: once in Mexico City, when I made a bad choice and left my camera in an unlocked hotel room, and once in Glasgow Scotland when I tried to help a kid out of a fight. In either instance, I could’ve avoided it. Missing out on life because you are afraid is a bad deal. I can’t count the wonderful people I’ve met in places that are branded as “dangerous”. If any of you choose to visit Detroit, you’ll be fine. To be in danger, you’d have to choose to go somewhere that is visibly unsafe, and then get very unlucky. There are amazing restaurants, traditions, and strong ethnic communities, in addition to all of the history of a great industrial towns. Grosse Pointe is one of the prettiest neighborhoods in the country. There are absolutely sections of downtown that are empty and derelict, and there are neighborhoods you don’t need to visit, but hiding at home because of that is a mistake. Great town.
Click to expand...
In college, my friends and I drove up to Detroit for a baseball game. As it was our only night there, we got the wise idea of driving to filming sites from 8 mile and Gran Torino. We ended up driving around highland park (one of the worst violent crime neighborhoods in the US), stopping to take flash pictures of landmarks at 11 pm or later. Would I do this now? Absolutely not. Did anything happen to us that night? Still, absolutely not.

As you stated, Detroit is an awesome city and loads of fun (had fun that day, but have been back multiple times since - blast every time). Be aware of your surroundings, just like you should be going to your local Walmart, and you will be fine.
 
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#119
#119
Does anyone have advice on where to park for the game? I read that many people park at MGM since it is free.
 
#120
#120
BACKDOC said:
Just found out from my son that the second location of Frita Baditos is within walking distance of the arena. I've eaten at the Ann Arbor location twice, and it's off the hook; best burger you will ever have. It's a cuban style burger; I always hold the slaw. Just can't see eating a burger with tropical slaw.
Click to expand...

Don’t sleep on jicama slaw baby!
 
#121
#121
Adam2014 said:
Does anyone have advice on where to park for the game? I read that many people park at MGM since it is free.
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Yes lots of people park MGM for free. As for me, I use ParkWhiz and find a lot. Typically can find something close for $30. Any of the garages near Comerica, LCA, Fox Theatre will be easy walks and no danger. Detroit is awesome. It's not a walking city but where all the activity will be around LCA expect no issues. If it were me, I'd be booking Troy or Novi. Both are great areas and a 30 minute drive downtown. Trying to decide if I'm heading up there this weekend as I'm about 30 minutes south of LCA.
 
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#122
#122
acd4476 said:
Yes lots of people park MGM for free. As for me, I use ParkWhiz and find a lot. Typically can find something close for $30. Any of the garages near Comerica, LCA, Fox Theatre will be easy walks and no danger. Detroit is awesome. It's not a walking city but where all the activity will be around LCA expect no issues. If it were me, I'd be booking Troy or Novi. Both are great areas and a 30 minute drive downtown. Trying to decide if I'm heading up there this weekend as I'm about 30 minutes south of LCA.
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Thank you!
 
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