If you follow Quicken Loans news you know how committed we are to Detroit. If you read the Quicken Loans Zing Blog you know we love writing about it, especially me!
So, when I received an invitation from Visit Detroit (Detroit Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau) to spend a Day in the D exploring some of the Motor City’s gems with fellow bloggers, I jumped at the chance. Plus, the event took place on my birthday…could there be a better way to spend the day?
Let me take you on a little tour of our tour, it might inspire you to check out these amazing places with your own friends and family!
We began the morning being greeted by Visit Detroit staff as we boarded asleek, comfortable tour bus on Washington Blvd (in my mind it was a party bus for my birthday). Our first stop – the Detroit Zoo! I hadn’t visited the Zoo since last summer, so I was overdue for some furry cuteness and National Geographic-esque photos. I was not disappointed. We each had an opportunity to feed a giraffe and see his sticky-like-tape tongue grasp giant pieces of lettuce right from our hands – it was a very calming experience.
We then moved on to the Australian Outback, where we walked a trail amid hopping kangaroos that actually seemed to be posing for our cameras. Those guys are fast! Polar bears were next on our agenda and we learned some fun facts about these beautiful creatures. Did you know that their fur is clear and only appears white because of the sun? They splish-splashed in surrounding ponds but seemed oddly surprised when a sprinkler started spraying them with water – their reaction was priceless.
We hopped back on the bus and headed to the Detroit Historical Museum in Midtown, which I had not stepped into since grade school. It recently underwent a major renovation and it looks fantastic, and did I mention, it’s still FREE to get in?
We were taken on a tour of all things new and had a chance to check out a few of the new permanent exhibitions, such as, the Gallery of Innovation, the Kid Rock Music Lab and Detroit: The Arsenal of Democracy.We took a stroll through a special Ukrainian exhibit, which is on display until June 16. It’s called A Cultural Thread: The Enduring Ukrainian Spirit, and features traditional costumes, hand-painted eggs and more. I highly recommend popping in there to see these exhibits and if you can, make a small donation so we can keep the entrance fee at no cost!
We were getting hungry, so we bussed over to the legendary Buddy’s Pizza on Conant St. to learn how to make the famous square pizza and eat our own creations! We received a tutorial on how Buddy’s makes their special dough and uses the freshest ingredients to keep fans coming back every year since 1946. My new friend Maria and I decided to make the Detroiter, with cheese, pepperoni, tomato basil sauce, Parmesan cheese and Buddy’s special spice. Not to toot our own horns, but it was delish! We consumed Antipasto salad, Mozzarella sticks and chicken tenders, and all passed our taste bud test.
If it’s been awhile since you’ve stepped into Buddy’s, it’s time to visit their website, sign up for their email club and receive a discount voucher so you can save some “dough” on your next pie.
With full tummies, we headed to the Motown Museum to at least workout our vocal chords. Our tour guide knew everything about Motown artists and encouraged us to sing with him each time he broke into song. From Michael Jackson’s glove and hat to gold records achieved by the Supremes, we saw the great space where a little house on West Grand Blvd turned into Hitsville, USA. I was surprised when just before we watched a film about the history of the Motown sound, our guide asked the entire room to sing Happy Birthday to me, Stevie Wonder-style. That’s a moment I’ll never forget!
It was still raining outside and with some time to spare, we made our way to the world’s largest institution dedicated to the African American experience, the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. I had visited the museum earlier in the year to check out the Barack Obama exhibit, featuring 44 busts of him painted by artists from across the country. This time, I was enjoying the primary exhibit, And Still We Rise, in which our tour guide explained the journey of African Americans from the early history of slave trade to today’s most prominent figures. If you haven’t been to this museum yet, each exhibit is truly a moving, informative and unique experience.
Michigan weather…it was still raining when we headed to another Detroit gem, Belle Isle, to get a preview of the elaborate set-up for the Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix held this year May 31 – June 2. Director of Communications for the Grand Prix, Merrill Cain, joined us on the bus as we drove on the same track the Indycars will zoom through this weekend. We visited the Belle Isle Casino which was being transformed into a hub for the media so they can write articles, use social media and more without having to be too far from the action. The crew has been working on the logistics for this massive event since March and every aspect has been checked and double-checked so that all visitors have a great time from every vantage point.
We wrapped up our day at Greektown Casino’s new restaurant, Brizola, where we were spoiled by amazing dishes featuring crab cakes, steak filets and lobster mac and cheese, just to name a few. Great conversation ensued, as bloggers talked about their favorite Detroit spots, shared the day’s photos and a little crème brulee.
A 12-hour birthday celebration for me? Awh, shucks Visit Detroit, you didn’t have to do that. But I’m glad you did and I had a great time seeing some of Detroit’s treasured hotspots and making new connections in the world of writing. A special thank you goes out to Dan Fuoco, Deanna Majchrzak, Verlonda Thompson, Danielle Sharp and the entire team at Visit Detroit for making our day so memorable and shareable!
The post A Day in the D: Visit Detroit Highlights America’s Great Comeback City appeared first on .