With only a few days left in Michigan, I decided to venture out of Detroit for a day trip to visit Frankenmuth, referred to as "Michigan's Little Bavaria." On my way, I made one stop near Detroit, at Belle Isle Park. Belle Isle Park Belle Isle Park is a 985 acre island park located near downtown Detroit. Douglas MacArthur Memorial Bridge From Detroit, you cross the Douglas MacArthur Memorial Bridge, with its 19 beautiful arches, and you'll arrive on the island. On the islan

Michigan Theater About 45 minutes west of Detroit , you will find the city of Ann Arbor, Michigan. Ann Arbor is known for its parks, its art scene, and great restaurants, but is best known as the home of the University of Michigan (more on that to come). Zingerman's Delicatessen  Zingerman's Delicatessen My first stop in Ann Arbor was at Zingerman's Delicatessen, an Ann Arbor institution that serves up specialty sandwiches, using the highest quality ingredients. Zingerman's

Al - Ameer Al Ameer Al-Ameer is a Lebanese restaurant located in Dearborn, Michigan, less than 10 miles outside of Detroit. Dearborn, I learned, has the highest proportion of Muslim residents in the United States. With census data showing that around 55% of residents follow Islam, Dearborn became the first Arab-majority city in the U.S. in 2023. Al-Ameer restaurant is a favorite among locals, as it serves top notch, halal food. Al-Ameer is a recipient of the James Beard Fo

Detroit has a fantastic food scene. My only complaint was that there were so many great places, and so little time. In my last post , I covered foods birthed in the city, such as the Coney dog and Detroit-style pizza. In this post, I'll share some of the more upscale restaurants that are worth a visit in Motor City. SheWolf Pastificio and Bar SheWolf First up is SheWolf, located in Midtown. Looking for a little taste of Rome while you are in Detroit? SheWolf is the place

Two of Detroit's most iconic foods are hot dogs and pizza. Detroit pizza I had heard of prior to my visit, but the hot dogs were new to me. During my stay, I learned that there is a hot dog that was born in Detroit. Though it is served in other parts of the country like New York, Illinois, Florida and Ohio (where it is made with their special Cincinnati chili) for example, when offered, it is sometimes referred to as a Michigan dog. In Michigan, the hot dog is called a Co

As mentioned in my previous post , Detroit's nickname is "Motor City." It earned this epithet because of its historic role as the world's automotive capital. In 1903, Henry Ford founded the Ford Motor Company in Detroit, Michigan. Subsequently, General Motors and Chrysler opened headquarters in Detroit as well, and the city became synonymous with automobile manufacturing. Ford Museum Henry Ford Museum Though the automotive industry is no longer Detroit-centric, you can sti

Downtown Detroit In the upper, Midwestern United States, you will find the peninsular state of Michigan. It is peninsular because the state is made up of two distinct land masses, the Lower and Upper Peninsulas, separated by the Straits of Mackinac. Michigan is the only state with this distinction. Both peninsulas are surrounded by the Great Lakes. The Lower Peninsula is bordered by Lakes Michigan, Huron and Erie and the Upper Peninsula by Lakes Superior, Michigan and Hur