Getting There
By Plane -- The Detroit Metropolitan Airport (www.metroairport.com), 35 miles southwest of downtown, is a hub for Northwest Airlines (tel. 800/225-2525). Cab service to downtown costs $41.
By Train -- Amtrak (tel. 800/USA-RAIL [872-7245]; www.amtrak.com) provides daily service from Chicago (trip time: 5 1/2 hr.) and Ann Arbor (1 hr.) to its station at 11 W. Baltimore St. at Woodward Avenue. Trains also stop at stations in Dearborn, 16121 Michigan Ave.; Greenfield Village, 20900 Oakwood Blvd.; Royal Oak, 202 S. Sherman Dr.; Birmingham, Villa Road at Lewis Street; and Pontiac, 51000 Woodward Ave.
By Car -- Major routes into Detroit are I-75 from the south (Toledo) and north (Flint), I-94 from the west (Chicago), and Route 401 from the east (Toronto).
Visitor Information
Contact the Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau, 211 W. Fort St., Ste. 1000, Detroit, MI 48226 (tel. 800/DETROIT [338-7648]; www.visitdetroit.com).
Getting Around
Detroit is a city built for cars -- expect little public transportation. The exception is the People Mover train that loops around downtown, a convenient way of visiting downtown tourist sites and Cobo Hall Convention Center for 50ยข per ride. But unless you remain downtown, you'll need a car.
Fast Facts
To find a physician, contact the Detroit Medical Center (tel. 888/DMC-2500 [362-2500]; www.dmc.org). Medical assistance is available at Detroit Receiving Hospital, 4201 St. Antoine Blvd. (tel. 313/745-3000; www.drhuhc.org). Sales tax in Michigan is 6%; hotel taxes in Detroit range between 13% and 15%, depending on the county.
Special Events & Festivals -- The Motor City displays her best and newest at the annual North American International Auto Show (www.naias.com) in mid-January. In mid-August, '50s- and '60s-era muscle cars and street rods rule at the annual Woodward Dream Cruise (www.woodwarddreamcruise.com), a 16-mile parade of 40,000 vehicles along Woodward Avenue, the largest single-day car event in the world. The weeklong Windsor-Detroit International Freedom Festival celebrates Canada Day (July 1) and American Independence Day, ending with fireworks over the Ambassador Bridge.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
