Help for a Visitor

I am a Detroit native, but have been living in Florida for many years. My wife and our two teenage daughters are planning a trip to Detroit later this month to see the play "Ernie" and attend a Tigers game. I have reservations at the Atheneum Hotel in Greektown. My question is whether it is safe for us to walk or take the people mover to the Foxtown/Comerica park area, especially in the evening after the performance of Ernie? When I ask whether this is safe or not, I guess I am really asking two questions. First, is it--in fact--reasonably safe for a family of four to walk around this part of downtown at 9:30 or 10:00 in the evening? Second, assuming it is reasonably safe, will out of town visitors FEEL safe walking in this area in the evening? For example, if the buildings are mostly boarded up and the streets deserted, I honestly won't feel comfortable walking around with my family---even if the statistics indicate that there is no real danger. The Tigers have a night game at home at the same time we are going to the theater, so I am hoping that there will be lots of other folks around which should make us feel more comfortable, but I am still a little concerned. Also, are cabs generally available in this area? I want to take my family to the Roma restaurant, but I know this is too far to walk. Thanks for any help forum members can provide.

Those areas are perfectly safe to walk between, or you can take the people mover from Greektown to GCP. I would walk as it's not very far at all. If you walk down Monroe to Broadway and then up to the GCP area there's not very much blight and usually a lot of people around, especially with a Tigers game going on.

As far as cabs, you may find some in Greektown, or you could ask a bellman to call you one from your hotel.

[[1) I think the area feels safe, however, you may encounter a few bums along the way. I don't mean to be offensive, but in all honesty, I don't think you will FEEL unsafe unless you and yours are extremely sheltered and have never been exposed to a city.

[[2) The People Mover is definitely safe. I've never had a problem on the PM after hundreds of times riding it.

[[3) Cabs are abundant around Greektown, and your hotel, and Comerica Park, and on Woodward Ave. You shouldn't have any problem hailing one, even if it's a weeknight.

[[4) Roma Cafe is too far to walk from Greektown; it's in Eastern Market. You'll want to get a cab over there and make arrangements for one to pick you up. Call in advance, because it's not always easy to get a cab out of EM w/o calling ahead or walking to Gratiot.

[[5) Hope you have a good time!

I have done the walk from Comerica and Greektown many times and have never had a problem. I love the Atheneum and you should have an enjoyable time. Also, If you have time you should check out the different tours that insidedetroit.com has going on while you're here. A lot of them are bar tours that the teenagers can't do, but they have others. And another suggestion. If you yourself havn't been to the "D" in a while I would also take a nice stroll on the new river walk.

Downtown is not the area form which Detroit earns its reputation.

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Originally Posted by mkslawyer

I am a Detroit native, but have been living in Florida for many years. My wife and our two teenage daughters are planning a trip to Detroit later this month to see the play "Ernie" and attend a Tigers game. I have reservations at the Atheneum Hotel in Greektown. My question is whether it is safe for us to walk or take the people mover to the Foxtown/Comerica park area, especially in the evening after the performance of Ernie? When I ask whether this is safe or not, I guess I am really asking two questions. First, is it--in fact--reasonably safe for a family of four to walk around this part of downtown at 9:30 or 10:00 in the evening? Second, assuming it is reasonably safe, will out of town visitors FEEL safe walking in this area in the evening? For example, if the buildings are mostly boarded up and the streets deserted, I honestly won't feel comfortable walking around with my family---even if the statistics indicate that there is no real danger. The Tigers have a night game at home at the same time we are going to the theater, so I am hoping that there will be lots of other folks around which should make us feel more comfortable, but I am still a little concerned. Also, are cabs generally available in this area? I want to take my family to the Roma restaurant, but I know this is too far to walk. Thanks for any help forum members can provide.

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That walk should not bother even the most squeamish of out-of-towners. The people mover is nice in that you get a bird's eye[[albeit a low-flying bird) view of downtown and the river and it is probably the safest public transportation[[if it really qualifies as such) in the country.
Not sure how I feel about a play by Mitch Albom but sounds like a great little trip! Detroit may not be a vacation hotspot, with good reason, but you can have a hell of a mini-vacation or night out here.

If you ride the People Mover after 9:30 or are out after 9:30 in the evening you and your family will probably die.

C'mon dude...really?

Where in Florida? I plan on spending some time there and would ask similar questions if I were heading to, say, Miami or Tampa or Jacksonville, maybe.

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Originally Posted by Planner3357

If you ride the People Mover after 9:30 or are out after 9:30 in the evening you and your family will probably die.

C'mon dude...really?

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give the guy a break..i'm sure he's read some headlines lately.

If you want to pick up some Tiger souvenirs there's a great shop at the east end of the building where your hotel is located. Huge selection of Tigers and other Detroit teams for a lot better price than at the ballpark.

MKS- If you are going to walk around with your head on a swivel you aren't really going to enjoy yourself. Remove that tension and take the People Mover. Disregard anyone who poo-poos your concerns, your job is to protect your girls, don't feel bullied by anyone who doesn't respect your feelings.

Me? I'd walk, but I'm not you.

Even if it were dangerous, which it isn't, four people together are going to be relatively safe. I like the people mover though, just for the fun of it.

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Originally Posted by mwilbert

Even if it were dangerous, which it isn't, four people together are going to be relatively safe. I like the people mover though, just for the fun of it.

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Many thanks for the comments. I feel a lot more comfortable and I am really looking forward to the trip. I am a huge Tigers fan from my youth and still follow the team with a passion. Thus, an opportunity to see a show about Ernie Harwell and see the Tigers at Comerica Park [[my first visit) is a big deal. I live in Tampa so I always see the Tigers in spring training and when they play in Tampa, but I haven't seen them play in Detroit for 20 years! Thanks again for taking the time to write. I will report back after my visit.

Looking foward to hear about your visit..you and your family will enjoy themselves. Check out the new riverfront and Campus Martius area...even Midtown if your here for a bit. I bike and walk my dog anytime day or night and feel relatively safe.

One suggestion I have is to use google streets view to take a look at what the streets you are planning on walking on look like in the daylight, it might give you some indication of what to expect later.

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Originally Posted by DetroitPole

Not sure how I feel about a play by Mitch Albom but sounds like a great little trip! Detroit may not be a vacation hotspot, with good reason, but you can have a hell of a mini-vacation or night out here.

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"Ernie" is an OUTSTANDING 90 minute play whether you have an obvious dislike for Mitch or not, At the end there wasn't a dry eye in the house. Brought back countless childhood memories. My wife and I came up for a weekend in May specifically to see "Ernie", stayed at the Courtyard Marriott on Jefferson, took the People Mover numerous times all weekend, took in a Friday night Tiger's game with the great fireworks after, had wine and pizza at Angelina's, dinner & live band at Fishbone's, cheeseburgers at Nemo's! All in all a great time as we have every time we come to visit friends/family and always stay downtown.

there are going to be thousands of people out and about in those areas and very few of the are looking for trouble. Especially after the ball game. Lots of police too. The furthest north you are going to want or have any reason to venture are the 2 venues you discussed. No reason why you shouldnt wander freely around downtown. I wouldn't suggest taking the fam sightseeing down Peterboro tho.

In recent years I have walked around Downtown many times in many areas day and night and have had no bad experiences. I ignore panhandlers though - you might want to do the same.

I have been robbed in Detroit, but in front of my home, not downtown. Friends of mine have been robbed in Chicago, NYC, Budapest, Detroit, Cleveland, Washington DC, Paris, Madrid, Philadelphia, and others. You have to be careful everywhere to a degree.

C'mon, Peterboro's not bad.....until you cross Cass.

Stromberg2

If your walking with a group of people, chances are your nobody is going to give you a problem.

What you don't want is to be walking alone down the street when there is nobody else around you. I go to alot of places downtown alone, and I would rather not walk the streets after dark.

I remember several months ago I went to the tigers game and walked to greektown. Got our of Greektown at 2AM, and ended up taking a cab to Comerica Park to get my car just to be safe.

Its better to be safe than sorry!

If by later this month, you mean the weekend of the 24th, you could not have picked a better weekend...

River Days is happening that weekend:

www.riverdays.com

I hope you're staying through Tuesday because the Target 4th of July Fireworks on the Detroit River are Monday night, June 27. That would be a great experience from your childhood to share with your family.