🚗 Toronto to Chicago Road Trip - Part 1: Detroit

Between jobs, we seized the week for an epic DIY Windy City adventure! 🛣️ Border Crossing • 10AM departure from Toronto’s west end • 4.5-hour drive via Windsor → Detroit-Windsor Tunnel • Toll first, then U.S. customs (missed a stop sign 🛑 – got scolded but waved through!) 🏙️ Detroit Pit Stop 1️⃣ Trader Joe’s Haul 🥇 Blueberry snacks & crunchy curls >> okra >> truffle chips >> pork rinds 2️⃣ Atheneum Suite Hotel • Spacious king suite with living area • Prime downtown location – walkable everywhere 3️⃣ Guardian Building & City Walk • Art Deco masterpiece (free to explore!) • Vibes check: "A city rebuilding itself through art, tech, and sheer grit" 4️⃣ Dinner at Leila 🏆 Falafel (top 3 ever!) + fresh pita 🍗 Mixed Grill: Juicy, tender perfection 🚫 Skip: Overly sour batata & salty hummus 🍦 Pistachio-marshmallow ice cream (good, but $1 McDonald’s cone still reigns) 🌃 Nightlife Reality • Lively downtown (lots of revving engines – but police on every block) • Key rule: Avoid sketchy areas, ignore catcallers Final thought? Detroit’s past is heavy, but its future? Sparkling. #Detroit #RoadTrip #FoodieFinds