PYRTPlan Your Road Trips
Create TripMy TripsCommunityMerchandise
PYRTPlan Your Road Trips
Create TripMy TripsCommunityMerchandise
D
Destinations
Home›Destinations›Detroit
North AmericaUnited StatesMichigan

Detroit

Michigan, United States · North America

About Detroit

Detroit is worth a stop: 10 minutes from Windsor, 15km from Greenfield Village.

Detroit is a city located in Michigan, United States. With a population of 645,705, it is an important destination in North America.

On a road trip, Detroit sits in United States, where you drive on the right. It's in the America/Detroit time zone. Below you'll find where to stay, things to do nearby, and everything you need to add Detroit to your route.

About Detroit

Detroit ( dih-TROYT, locally also DEE-troyt) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from the Canadian city of Windsor, Ontario. It is the 26th-most populous city in the United States and the largest U.S. city on the Canada–United States border,

Read more with a population of 639,111 at the 2020 census, and an estimated 2025 population of 649,095. The Metro Detroit area, at over 4.4 million people, is the 14th-largest metropolitan area in the nation and second-largest in the Midwest (after the Chicago metropolitan area). The county seat of Wayne County, Detroit is a significant cultural center known for its contributions to music, art, architecture, and design, in addition to its historical automotive and industrial background. In 1701, French explorers Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac and Alphonse de Tonty founded Fort Pontchartrain du Détroit. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it became an important industrial hub at the center of the Great Lakes region. The city's population rose to be the fourth-largest in the nation by 1920, with the expansion of the automotive industry in the early 20th century. One of its main features, the Detroit River, became the busiest commercial hub in the world. In the mid-20th century, Detroit entered a state of urban decay that has continued to the present, as a result of industrial restructuring, the loss of jobs in the auto industry, and rapid suburbanization. Since reaching a peak of 1.85 million at the 1950 census, Detroit's population has declined by more than 65 percent. In 2013, Detroit became the largest U.S. city to file for bankruptcy, but successfully exited in 2014. In 2025, the U.S. Census Bureau reported that Detroit's population grew for a second consecutive year and led population growth in Michigan for the first time since the 1950s. Detroit is a port on the Detroit River, one of the four major straits that connect the Great Lakes system to the St. Lawrence Seaway. The city anchors the third-largest regional economy in the Midwest and the 16th-largest in the United States. It is also best known as the center of the U.S. automotive industry, and the "Big Three" auto manufacturers—General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis North America (Chrysler)—are all headquartered in Metro Detroit. It houses the Detroit Metropolitan Airport, one of the most important hub airports in the United States. Detroit and the adjacent Canadian city of Windsor constitute the second-busiest international crossing in North America, after San Diego–Tijuana. Detroit's culture is marked with diversity, having both local and international influences. Detroit gave rise to the music genres of Motown and techno, and also played an important role in the development of jazz, hip-hop, rock, and punk. As a result of the city's rapid growth in its boom years, Detroit has many globally unique architectural monuments and historic places. Since the 2000s, conservation efforts have managed to save many architectural pieces and achieve several large-scale revitalizations, including the restoration of several historic theaters and entertainment venues, high-rise renovations, new sports stadiums, and a riverfront revitalization project. Detroit is an increasingly popular tourist destination which caters to about 16 million visitors per year. In 2015, Detroit was designated a "City of Design" by UNESCO, the first and only U.S. city to receive this designation.

Read more on Wikipedia

Where to Stay in Detroit

Compare prices across Booking.com, Airbnb, Expedia, and more. Select your dates to see availability.

Filter presets

Pick your must-haves once: provider links open pre-filtered. Each filter lists which sites it applies to.

Booking.comExpediaTripAdvisorHotels.comAgodaAirbnb

Compare before you book!

Prices can vary significantly between platforms. We recommend checking at least 2-3 sites to find the best deal for your stay in Detroit.

Explore the Area

Discover famous landmarks, scenic roads, and more near Detroit.

Loading map...
Open in Google Maps

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best things to do in Detroit?

Detroit offers many attractions including tourist sites, museums, parks, and local restaurants. Explore famous landmarks, scenic roads, and natural wonders on our interactive map and plan your visit.

How do I plan a road trip to Detroit?

Plan your road trip to Detroit with Plan Your Road Trips! Add Detroit as a destination, and we'll help you find the best route and discover more amazing places along the way.

Where is Detroit located?

Detroit is located in Michigan, United States, North America. The coordinates are 42.3314 latitude, -83.0457 longitude.

What is the population of Detroit?

Detroit has a population of approximately 645,705 people, making it a city in United States.

Plan a Road Trip

Add to your itinerary

Start planning your road trip with Detroit as a destination. Create a custom route and discover more amazing places along the way.

Start Road Trip

What's Nearby?

Discover destinations like Tinder

Swipe through stunning destinations near Detroit. Save your favourites and add them to your trip.

Explore now

Quick Information

Population
645,705
Continent
North America
Country
United States
Region
Michigan
Timezone
America/Detroit
Coordinates
42.3314, -83.0457

Emergency & Services

Essential numbers in United States

Police
911
Ambulance
911
Fire
911
Driving side
right

AAA roadside assistance: 1-800-222-4357. Right turn on red is legal in most states unless signed otherwise.

Full driving guide for United States

Tags

North AmericaUnited StatesMichiganCity

Worth the detour from Detroit

2 notable places within an hour's drive.

landmark

Greenfield Village

Open-air living history museum adjacent to the Henry Ford Museum featuring Thomas Edison's lab and the Wright Brothers' bicycle shop.

15 km · about 30 min drive

museum

Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation

A vast museum celebrating American ingenuity, housing Rosa Parks' bus, JFK's limousine, and the Wright Brothers' workshop.

16 km · about 30 min drive

Nearby Destinations

Other places to explore near Detroit.

Windsor

🇨🇦 Canada

4 km awayPop. 229,660

Hamtramck

🇺🇸 United States

7 km awayPop. 22,002

Highland Park

🇺🇸 United States

9 km awayPop. 10,949

LaSalle

🇨🇦 Canada

10 km awayPop. 32,721

River Rouge

🇺🇸 United States

10 km awayPop. 7,546

Grosse Pointe Park

🇺🇸 United States

10 km awayPop. 11,220

Dearborn

🇺🇸 United States

11 km awayPop. 95,171

Melvindale

🇺🇸 United States

12 km awayPop. 10,404

Plan a trip around Detroit

North America road trip planner

Plan a Road Trip from Detroit

Create your perfect itinerary with our calendar-based planner. Add stops, discover attractions along the way, and share your trip with friends.

Start Planning
PYRT

The ultimate road trip planning platform. Discover 150,000+ destinations worldwide, plan scenic routes, and create unforgettable adventures.

Inspiration

  • Discover Trips
  • Travel Guides
  • Community

The Product

  • Calendar Planner
  • Integrations
  • How It Works
  • Collaboration Mode
  • Get the App
  • Merchandise: PYRT Supply Co.
  • Become a Creator
  • Trip Marketplace

Plan Your Trip

  • Road Trip Planner
  • Famous Routes
  • Planners by Country
  • Best Road Trip Planner App
  • Discover Road Trips
  • Events
  • Travel Guides
  • How It Works
  • My Trips
  • Community Groups

Company

  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • Support
  • Contact Us
  • Sign In
  • Create Account

© 2026 Plan Your Road Trips. All rights reserved.

•[email protected]
Data sources:GeoNames (CC BY 4.0)•Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA)•Mapbox•Photography: George Lawrence