48 Hours in Detroit
Explore the best of the Motor City, from cars to Motown to square pizza and more
If there’s a single American city that stands for innovation and resilience above all others, it’s Detroit. Once the epicenter of the world’s automotive industry, Motor City is now more creative than industrial, though its love of the road has never waned. The city’s movers and shakers today are gaining recognition for innovative contributions across a variety of disciplines, from jazz clubs and large-scale art installations to a vibrant lineup of cultural festivals. If you’ve got just 48 hours to explore, here’s what to do in Detroit for an unforgettable visit.
Try essential Detroit foods
Detroit-style pizza has several distinctive characteristics, some instantly recognizable. Key among them: its square shape, which comes from being baked in steel pans resembling those used to hold automotive parts; its thick, crispy crust; and its sauce spread atop the cheese. Unlike most other types of pizza, Detroit-style pizza bakes all toppings, including the cheese, directly onto the dough, with the sauce spread over the top.
This style, nearly 80 years old, was invented at Buddy’s Pizza, where you can sample it today. Build your own or try a signature square, such as the unbeatable “Spicy Italian,” which features a special cheese blend, Italian sausage, roasted red peppers, red onions, garlic, tomato basil sauce, and Buddy’s Sicilian spice blend.
Leave space in your schedule for a visit to Slows Bar BQ, a local favorite. This barbecue haven is renowned for its flavorful take on pulled pork, brisket, and ribs, as well as for its signature sauces. Consider sampling one of its unique specialties: The Yard Bird. This local icon features pulled, smoked chicken topped with bacon, mushrooms, and cheese on a toasted bun. Add a side of creamy mac and cheese with whatever you order, and wash it all down with Vernors ginger ale, a Detroit staple for more than 150 years.
Don’t leave without ordering a Detroit Coney dog, too. This city staple—a hot dog on a steamed bun topped with meat, chili, diced white onions and yellow mustard—is a big part of the city’s identity. Head to American Coney Island to sample some of the best.
Explore Detroit’s car legacy
Visiting Detroit without exploring its deeply rooted car culture is unthinkable. As the birthplace of the modern US automobile industry, the city has a passion for cars that remains as strong as ever.
Consider an automotive history tour of the city that includes landmarks such as the Ford Piquette Avenue Plant, the birthplace of the Model T, the first car designed for mass production and affordability.
For another guaranteed sighting of classic cars, head to the Detroit Historical Museum, where you can marvel at its Automotive Showplace collection. Also keep your eyes on the roads; local collectors still drive antique Fords around Detroit, with many residents waving proudly when they see one go by.
The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation is another must for car aficionados, if time permits, as it resides about 20 minutes outside downtown Detroit in Dearborn, Michigan. While not exclusively car-focused, it’s rich in automotive history. The collection includes presidential limousines, iconic car models such as the Model T, and the bus from which Rosa Parks sparked the Civil Rights Movement.
Detroit is also a key stop for traveling auto shows such as RADwood. The show features cars, trucks, and bikes from the 1980s and 1990s and encourages period dress that enhances the immersive automotive nostalgia.
Visit other Motor City musts
Detroit isn’t only for car lovers, so put one of its other impressive museums on your itinerary.
Inside a gorgeous Beaux-Arts-style building, the Detroit Institute of Arts displays an extensive collection spanning ancient to contemporary art. The collection includes Diego Rivera's groundbreaking Detroit Industry Murals, frescoes depicting the city’s manufacturing and labor force, and a French Gothic chapel from a 16th-century chateau brought over from Paris in 1924.
Meanwhile, the Motown Museum offers an intimate look into the birthplace of the legendary Motown sound. Housed in the original recording studio, nicknamed Hitsville USA, it preserves the history of Motown Records, where iconic artists such as Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, and The Supremes recorded timeless hits. Admission is by guided tour only, and you can make reservations up to three weeks in advance.
Base yourself at a chic Detroit hotel
The Godfrey Hotel Detroit, part of the Curio Collection by Hilton, is a AAA Four Diamond hotel in the city’s dynamic Corktown neighborhood. The oldest neighborhood in Detroit, Corktown is now widely known today as a culinary hub offering trendy eateries, eye-popping street art, unique boutiques, and a wealth of creative expression. Dressed with plenty of local art complementing modern design, The Godfrey offers luxury in a neighborhood packed with culture and history and serves as an ideal springboard to exploring Detroit.