Thank you Detroit!

**Király** · July-10-14, 02:40 PM

Hello Detroiters. I live in Vancouver. I just spend five days in your city and loved every minute of it. It was my second visit. I first came in 2011 for two days and spent most of my time looking at abandoned buildings. This time I wanted to have more of an authentic Detroit experience.

Things I did:

Detroit History Museum - great old streets display downstairs
DIA - absolutely incredible. Van Gogh, Gaugin, Matisse, Monet Rembrandt, Warhol, Picasso...my favourite was the stained glass from the old First Unitarian Church [[which burned two months ago.) The DIA is not to be missed. No matter what happens in the current financial crisis, the DIA MUST be preserved!
Concert of Colors in New Center Park - this was going on a block from my hotel and I stumbled across it by accident. Lots of fun meeting the locals.
Heidelberg Project - sad to see three fewer houses than in my 2011 visit, but I like how the remnants have been turned into art themselves.
Historic Districts - I visited Woodbridge, West Canfield, Virginia Park, and Corktown historic districts. Took lots of photos. Met a couple from Austria who had bought a house in Virginia Park and were fixing it up.
Eastern Market - I was impressed with how big this was. I bought a big basket of local strawberries and a couple of T-shirts for my kids.
Guardian and Fisher buildings - I spent at least an hour in each building gawking and taking photos of the art-deco deliciousness
Perfecting Church - I visited on Sunday morning and was blown away by the music. I am a choir singer myself and always like to check out the choral scene in cities I visit - well worth the trip.
Midtown - I liked just strolling around. The Shinola store was interesting to visit and I like their story and their products, but they're waaaay out of my price range.
Slow Roll - I picked up a bike on Craigslist for $40 and joined my Detroiter friend AL-B in Monday night's slow roll. This was one of the highlights of my visit. There must have been 2,000 people there. Fun street party afterwards. You put Vancouver's monthly mass ride to shame!
Detroit Tigers - AL-B and I enjoyed watching the Tigers crush the Dodgers 14-5. This was my first MLB game.

Restaurants and bars I visited:

Old Miami - a little too clubby for me when I visited. I didn't stay long.
Abick's - Loved it. I wish we had places like this in Vancouver. It was pretty quiet but still had a great time with the locals.
The Bronx - went in the afternoon on a weekday; pretty quiet. They had classical music on, which I've never heard in a bar before.
Vivio's - stopped for a pint after visiting Eastern Market
First Place Lounge - Played pool with AL-B and met the locals. Great people, great time, and pints at $1.75. Another type of place I wish we had more of here at home.
Sweetwater Tavern - had some wings with AL-B after the Slow Roll. Nice place.
Lafayette Coney Island - had my first Coney dog after the ball game. Love the frozen-in-time atmosphere and the real characters who work there.

I crammed a lot more things into my 5-day visit; too numerous to list. In fact I didn't get to do all of the things I planned to do. I'll have to save them for next time. You should be proud of your city, Detroiters. You have a great place. I hope I can come to visit again soon.

Gavin
Vancouver

**JBMcB** · July-10-14, 03:08 PM

Glad you had a good time. There is a ton of stuff to do around here. Next time come in the fall for a Wings game!

For the sake of reciprocity, name five things to do in Vancouver if someone is headed up there [[ideally non-obvious / off the beaten path stuff) Any good ski areas that only locals know about?

**dtowncitylover** · July-10-14, 04:37 PM

Glad to hear you had a good time. I love visiting other cities and Vancouver is definitely on my list!

**Detroitnerd** · July-10-14, 04:41 PM

What were you doing in that hellhole with all that crime? You need to come up to Birmingham and Bloomfield Hills! You didn't even see Cranbrook!

Just kidding, Kiraly! Glad you enjoyed your stay! Come on back anytime!

**Honky Tonk** · July-10-14, 04:56 PM

Originally Posted by Király

Hello Detroiters. I live in Vancouver. I just spend five days in your city and loved every minute of it. It was my second visit. I first came in 2011 for two days and spent most of my time looking at abandoned buildings. This time I wanted to have more of an authentic Detroit experience.

Things I did:

Detroit History Museum - great old streets display downstairs
DIA - absolutely incredible. Van Gogh, Gaugin, Matisse, Monet Rembrandt, Warhol, Picasso...my favourite was the stained glass from the old First Unitarian Church [[which burned two months ago.) The DIA is not to be missed. No matter what happens in the current financial crisis, the DIA MUST be preserved!
Concert of Colors in New Center Park - this was going on a block from my hotel and I stumbled across it by accident. Lots of fun meeting the locals.
Heidelberg Project - sad to see three fewer houses than in my 2011 visit, but I like how the remnants have been turned into art themselves.
Historic Districts - I visited Woodbridge, West Canfield, Virginia Park, and Corktown historic districts. Took lots of photos. Met a couple from Austria who had bought a house in Virginia Park and were fixing it up.
Eastern Market - I was impressed with how big this was. I bought a big basket of local strawberries and a couple of T-shirts for my kids.
Guardian and Fisher buildings - I spent at least an hour in each building gawking and taking photos of the art-deco deliciousness
Perfecting Church - I visited on Sunday morning and was blown away by the music. I am a choir singer myself and always like to check out the choral scene in cities I visit - well worth the trip.
Midtown - I liked just strolling around. The Shinola store was interesting to visit and I like their story and their products, but they're waaaay out of my price range.
Slow Roll - I picked up a bike on Craigslist for $40 and joined my Detroiter friend AL-B in Monday night's slow roll. This was one of the highlights of my visit. There must have been 2,000 people there. Fun street party afterwards. You put Vancouver's monthly mass ride to shame!
Detroit Tigers - AL-B and I enjoyed watching the Tigers crush the Dodgers 14-5. This was my first MLB game.

Restaurants and bars I visited:

Old Miami - a little too clubby for me when I visited. I didn't stay long.
Abick's - Loved it. I wish we had places like this in Vancouver. It was pretty quiet but still had a great time with the locals.
The Bronx - went in the afternoon on a weekday; pretty quiet. They had classical music on, which I've never heard in a bar before.
Vivio's - stopped for a pint after visiting Eastern Market
First Place Lounge - Played pool with AL-B and met the locals. Great people, great time, and pints at $1.75. Another type of place I wish we had more of here at home.
Sweetwater Tavern - had some wings with AL-B after the Slow Roll. Nice place.
Lafayette Coney Island - had my first Coney dog after the ball game. Love the frozen-in-time atmosphere and the real characters who work there.

I crammed a lot more things into my 5-day visit; too numerous to list. In fact I didn't get to do all of the things I planned to do. I'll have to save them for next time. You should be proud of your city, Detroiters. You have a great place. I hope I can come to visit again soon.

Gavin
Vancouver

I guess now you know, "The Truth Is Out There"......

**rb336** · July-10-14, 06:19 PM

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

What were you doing in that hellhole with all that crime? You need to come up to Birmingham and Bloomfield Hills! You didn't even see Cranbrook!

Just kidding, Kiraly! Glad you enjoyed your stay! Come on back anytime!

Yeah, but she really should see cranbrook.

**Pam** · July-10-14, 06:32 PM

Originally Posted by rb336

Yeah, but she really should see cranbrook.

He. It's signed "Gavin".

**douglasm** · July-10-14, 06:41 PM

Which Vancouver?

Vancouver B.C.

1) Visit Stanley Park

2) Visit Granvile Island

3) Visit/Drive Over/Admire Lions Gate Bridge

4) Catch a minor league game at Nat Baliey Stadium [[I love minor league ball)

5) Take the Sky Train

A trip to Vancouver Island would also be worth spending a few days.

Vancouver, Washington

1) Go to Portland, Oregon

2 - 5) See number 1

**stinkytofu** · July-10-14, 07:27 PM

Thanks for the positive post - glad to hear you enjoyed your visit!

Posts like that always make me smile...fun to hear about visitors enjoying the place amid the negativity that often surrounds this region.

**Mackinaw** · July-10-14, 08:42 PM

Thanks for sharing. Spread the word!

**KJ5** · July-10-14, 10:17 PM

Glad you enjoyed your visits here, Kiraly! I visited your fair city back in 2000, and enjoyed every minute of it. I visited Stanley Park, the art museum - where they had a Raymond Pettibon exhibit[[!), attended a movie at a film fest and went to Blunt Bros. on Hastings Street. I smoked my fair share of B.C. bud, believe you me.

**EASTSIDE CAT 67-83** · July-11-14, 08:49 AM

I visited Vancouver back in '86 during the worlds fair, had a great time! its a great city surrounded by those awesome mountains and fiords. It sounds like you made the best of your time in our fair city...if you have the time on your next visit check out the Henry Ford Museum/Greenfield village.

**Detroitnerd** · July-11-14, 09:03 AM

Originally Posted by EASTSIDE CAT 67-83

I visited Vancouver back in '86 during the worlds fair, had a great time! its a great city surrounded by those awesome mountains and fiords. It sounds like you made the best of your time in our fair city...if you have the time on your next visit check out the Henry Ford Museum/Greenfield village.

That's funny. I went to Expo 86 too. Vancouver is beautiful ...

**Király** · July-11-14, 04:12 PM

I'm from the Canadian Vancouver, douglasm. I agree with your assessment of Vancouver, WA. It's mostly a place to drive through on your way to Portland.

7 off-the-beaten-track Vancouver things to do, as requested by JBMcB:

Rent a bike and cycle the seawall around Stanley Park. A bike is the best way to see it. OK, this is hardly off the beaten tourist track, but it's really a must-do.
Strathcona. Few visitors go here, but it's Vancouver's oldest residential neighbourhood, and one-time home of Jimi Hendrix's grandmother. Jimi used to spend his summers in her house, which is now a museum.
Most tourists pay the $36 [[!) at the heavily touristy Capilano suspension bridge. But the locals know to stay away from that one and use the free [[!) Lynn Canyon bridge in the public park a short ways away, which connects to some actual real hiking trails.
Chinatown. It's the 2nd largest in North America after San Francisco.
Vancouver Police Museum. Even the locals hardly know about this. It contains artifacts from Vancouver's most interesting criminal cases going back more than a century. It's a hit with kids.
Richmond. The major draws in this suburb are the Hong Kong-style shopping malls, the Shanghai-style night market on the weekend, and restaurants serving up the most authentic Chinese food this side of the Pacific.
Grouse Grind. Let the regular tourists take the $42 gondola ride up to the top of Grouse Mountain. The locals hike the trail, which is 1.8 miles long, and gains 3,700 feet of elevation. If you are out of shape or a smoker you might skip this.

**sumas** · July-12-14, 06:10 AM

I am so glad you had a great experience. You really covered a lot of ground in just a few days. There are archived threads listing the so many places that are great to visit. Despite Detroit's reputation we are actually very friendly folk.

My husband worked for the Canadian Consulate here in Detroit for many years [[the only US citizen) on staff. He traveled Canada extensively to promote Canadian products export. Canada is awesome too.

Should you return post, a thread and you will get amazing advice on so much more that we have to offer our visitors.