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The Atlas Obscura Guide To Detroit

47 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Detroit, Michigan

Updated September 12, 2024

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Unusual Attractions in Detroit

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Atlas Obscura Itineraries

7 Mechanical Marvels in Michigan

Michigan is famous for its steep, sweeping sand dunes, freckling of lakes, and unique fossils—but across the state, you'll find slews of automated wonders, past and present. From old animatronic toys to the ruins of early assembly lines, here are seven places to be dazzled by industry.

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Explore Detroit, Michigan

Architecture 7
Architectural Oddities 6
Ruins 6
Abandoned 6
Music 4
Eccentric Homes 4
Homes 4
Unique Restaurants & Bars 2

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Stories About Detroit

Podcast: Baobab Fare

Visit an East African restaurant that serves up a small slice of Burundi in the Motor City.
by The Podcast Team
When Rosa Slade Gragg bought this home at 326 East Ferry Street in Detroit in 1941, neighborhood rules forbade the Black woman from living there.

The Black Woman Who Didn’t Just Open Doors—She Moved Them

Rosa Slade Gragg wouldn’t let a racist restrictive covenant stand in the way of the Detroit Association of Colored Women’s Clubs.
by Carole Rosenblat
The Boston Cooler: "The nectar that the Olympians pined for but didn’t know how to make."

How the 'Boston Cooler' Became a Classic Detroit Drink

This sweet, creamy enigma dates back to the late 1800s.
by Sam O'Brien
Waddles, with copies of her poetry-infused "Soul Food Cookbook."

The Poetry-Loving Cook Who Fed Detroit's Soul

With a 35-cent-meal restaurant and other charities, Mother Waddles was "a one-woman war on poverty."
by Omnia Saed
Landlubbers discovered the stuffed-bottle surprise.

Found: A Landlocked Message in a Bottle in a Detroit Train Station

More than a century ago, a couple of guys had some beer and an idea.
by Jessica Leigh Hester

Podcast: The Heidelberg Project

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.
by The Podcast Team
The food at Mr. Kabob, a Chaldean gas-station restaurant that is a short drive from Chaldean Town.

The Detroit Restaurants That Taste Like Ancient Mesopotamia

Known for their food, the city's Chaldean diaspora wants to revive their restaurant scene.
by Priya Krishna
The shoebox lunch has become a symbol of resilience.

How 'Shoebox Lunches' Made Black Travel Possible During Jim Crow

Humble shoeboxes allowed African Americans to dine with dignity.
by Nicole Taylor

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