Who Said Detroit Isn’t Fun? 🤔

Went to UMich for a two-day conference and made a detour to the so-called “declining” Motor City. Spent two days in Detroit, and the experience totally exceeded expectations. I stayed at Roost — a hotel-apartment converted from a historic landmark. Understated industrial style, spacious rooms, plus quiet study spaces — felt more like living there than just staying 🏙️🛋️. The city itself isn’t huge, but in winter it’s too cold to walk much and streets can feel quiet — better to drive or take rideshares. Day 1 was almost entirely at the Henry Ford Museum & Factory Tour — stayed from open till close 🏭. The Factory Tour covers the Rouge Factory and Ford’s history — from building a car in 12 hours to modern assembly lines. Want to guess how long it takes to build a brand-new Ford truck today?🍥 After a cinematic F-150 film with robot-arm light shows (no photos allowed — felt like a Disney immersive experience!), we entered the actual working factory — saw real assembly lines and workers, each section explained. The answer: 53 seconds per truck, and almost no two trucks are identical due to hundreds of thousands of customizable parts.😀 Back at the museum, the collection was way richer than expected. Beyond cars: presidential limousines (including JFK’s), Ford GT, Le Mans cars and trophies, planes, trains, the Dymaxion House, plus exhibits on the Industrial Revolution, furniture, glassware, math, and physics.👍 Two sections stood out: one showing American home life across eras, and another on civil rights, feminism, and social movements — even Lincoln’s assassination chair. There’s also a special Da Vinci exhibit now. Very interactive — I lost track of time until closing. Dinner plans at Sexy Steak fell through (dress code: no sweatpants 😅), so I switched to Prime + Proper. What a pleasant surprise! One of the best steakhouses I’ve tried in the U.S. — ranked #69 worldwide. As a solo diner, I had three waiters attending — service was impeccable. Pricey, but delicious 🥩✨. Day 2 started with a walk along the river — Canada visible right across the water 🇨🇦🌊. Before flying out, I stopped by the Detroit Institute of Arts — saw Van Gogh’s self-portrait, Rodin sculptures, and industrial-style murals so Detroit. Definitely worth the visit. I missed the stadiums and parks, but my biggest takeaway: Detroit isn’t about “fun” in a typical sense — it’s about whether you’re interested in industry, art, cars, and urban history. If you are, this city will surprise you in the best ways.😀 #Detroit #Michigan #Ford #MotorCity #TravelSurprises #IndustrialHistory #ArtAndIndustry #CityRevival #HiddenGemsUSA 🚗🏛️🎨