12 Step Planet: Detroit

Why should I go?
Though much maligned, Detroit, like Philadelphia and New York, is a must-visit city for music lovers, having had an influence on virtually every important musical movement of the last century. As well as being the birthplace of Motown, it was an artistic boomtown in the jazz age, and gave the world classic '70s rock bands the MC5, Alice Cooper and The Stooges, who came from nearby Ann Arbor. KISS liked it so much they wrote 'Detroit Rock City’ in its honour. Techno claims to have been born in its nightclubs, while well-known Detroit acts of today include Eminem, The White Stripes and The Von Bondies.
Why should I not go?
Whatever you’ve heard, Downtown Detroit is worse. Over the years Michigan has consistently had the highest rate of unemployment of any US state. The decline of the automobile industry has seen the situation worsen, and with this increased poverty has come increased violence and drug problems, leading to a high rate of violent crime throughout the city.
What’s my challenge?
Avoid the gun crime! No, the real challenge is seeking out the city’s many gems, which are often hidden. There’s a strong need for urban regeneration.
How do I get there?
A number of airlines fly from Dublin, Shannon and Cork, and they all require you to catch a connecting flight somewhere. The quickest way is to fly from Dublin, which also gives you the option of stopping off in either Amsterdam or Atlanta for a day or two of fun en route.
When should I go?
By the end of May, Detroit’s summer is in full, blazing swing. Movement, the annual Detroit Electronic Music Festival founded by Derrick May, takes over Hart Plaza, for three days of noisy fun at the end of the month. Gearheads might want to wait until August, when the Woodward Dream Cruise draws 1.5 million people and 40,000 classic and special interest cars to the city, to "celebrate America’s on-going love affair with the automobile."
What’s the touristy thing to do?
Hitsville USA, also known as the Motown Historical Museum, the surprisingly small house where Berry Gordy Jr founded Motown records, is quite rightly one of the most popular tourist destinations in the city.
Anything else?
Museums worth visiting include the Detroit Institute of Arts, where you can see William Randolph Hearst’s Armour Collection and the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. The Eastern Market has the largest open-air flowerbed market in the United States, and houses more than 150 foods and speciality businesses, making it well worth a look. There’s also Belle Isle, an "island park" in the Detroit River, that houses the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory, a dream destination for plant enthusiasts and a branch of the Detroit Zoo.
Summer is also the best time to make trips to nearby Lake St. Clair (about 10 km outside of the city), where sporty types can waterski or sail, while the rest of us laze around on the shore.
What should I avoid?
Have we discussed Downtown?
How much to get tanked?
Seriously little. The popular Motor City Microbrewery sells its wares for $5 a pop, and a bottle of wine rarely costs more than $15. Like everywhere in the States, you haven’t a prayer of getting a drink unless you’re 21 or possess a very good fake I.D.
What about dining?
This being the Midwest, you don’t have to pay a lot for a square meal. Como’s Restaurant & Pizzeria in the shabby, hipsterish suburb of Ferndale is a favourite. The pizzas are chaep, but there’s also a good selection of Mediterranean dishes. Other popular areas of the city to eat in include Mexicantown in southwest Detroit, the Polish and increasingly Indian and Bangladeshi neighborhoods of Hamtramck, and the vibrant but very touristy Greektown. Cafés and restaurants in these areas change on an almost weekly basis so it’s worth grabbing a friendly local and asking for recommendations.
What should I bring home?
Vinyl, vintage clothes and a touch of attitude, all of which are available by the bucketload.