Should I spend 3, 4, or 5 days in Detroit?

Should you spend 3, 4, or 5 days in Detroit?

Most people spend one to three days in Detroit during their visit. The under-rated city offers amazing highlights such as plenty of live music, the nightlife scene, the famous sights and museums, and the big city activities.

Detroit is the largest city in Michigan. Although it's not at the top of many traveler's itineraries, the city offers a unique local atmosphere and a growing art scene. It's history is shaped by the auto industry and its influential music scene.

Do you have 3, 4, or 5 days to visit Detroit? Here's our comprehensive breakdown of how much time you might need for your trip along with some suggestions for things to do.

Is 3 days enough time in Detroit?

Three days is more than enough time to see pretty much everything in Detroit. You can move at your own pace and relax in your hotel. You could also use Detroit as a base for exploring the nearby destinations. You'll find some great day trips in the region.

How to spend 3 days in Detroit

Perhaps the most famous place in Detroit is the Henry Ford Experience, so don't miss it. It might not be at the top of your list, but it's worth experiencing during your trip.

Live music is very popular in Detroit, so make sure you spend the evening exploring some of the more popular venues. Few cities have such an influential music industry. It's home to Motown and is well known for its soul music, jazz, blues, and rap.

This city offers some good museums and historic landmarks, so it's worth your time to spend a day exploring a few of them. Pick the ones that appeal to you the most and get started. Popular museums around town include the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Detroit Historical Museum, and the Michigan Science Center.

This city is very popular for nightlife. After the sun goes down, head out to one of the many popular venues around town. It's long history in music still influences the nightlife scene. You'll find bars, clubs, and other activities around town. Greektown and Midtown are both popular neighborhoods during the evening.

Detroit is large enough to spend at least a full day exploring the local neighborhoods, attractions, and activities found around town. It's an often overlooked city with a working class, blue collar history. It's also the largest city in Michigan.

A few tour suggestions include:

Windsor 3-hour Fishing Boat Rental on Lake St. Clair ($106)

You can't miss out on tasting the fantastic cuisine at one of the best restaurants in town, so make sure you find somewhere special for lunch or dinner. There's a local flavor to the food with a number of classic dishes that are popular like square pizza, Coney dogs, and corned beef egg rolls.

A few tour suggestions include:

Fresh Mediterranean Inspired Cooking Class in a Unique Detroit Home ($104)

Is 4 days enough time in Detroit?

Four days provides ample opportunity to explore the entirety of Detroit at your own pace to listen to some live music, grab some drinks at a bar, explore the museums and famous sights, and soak up the big city atmosphere. Then you can use the city as a convenient base for venturing into nearby destinations where you'll discover exciting day trip options.

Detroit, Michigan

How to spend 4 days in Detroit

Having 4 days in Detroit will provide you with more time to take in the best activities in the city.

Shopping in Detroit is very popular, and it's easy to see why. Spend time exploring the many shops and boutiques to find the perfect gift, souvenir, or outfit. There are several shopping streets like Woodward Avenue. There are also outlet malls, shopping centers, and Eastern Market.

As the live music scene is so popular in Detroit, make sure you spend another evening finding more of the area's best places to take in a show. Often, many of the local venues are near one another, so you can hop from place to place.

Is 5 days enough time in Detroit?

With five days at your disposal, you'll have more than enough time to take in all that Detroit has to offer, giving you the flexibility to unwind in your hotel or use Detroit as a base for day trips to nearby destinations. You can relax while enjoying plenty of live music, the nightlife scene, and the famous sights and museums at your own pace. We have some suggestions of things to do below, too.

How to spend 5 days in Detroit

With 5 days in Detroit, you'll have a bit more time to enjoy everything that the city has to offer.

After you've explored most of Detroit, take a day trip to one of the many beautiful destinations nearby.

Because the nightlife scene is so popular here, you'll want to take full advantage of it more than once. From the bars and pubs to the nightclubs, there's something for everyone. Or, get some tickets to another show at the theatre such as a ballet or opera.

More Info

If you're looking for more information about Detroit, we have even more advice to help you plan your journey.