My wife and I are traveling to the US around Christmas, first staying a couple of nights at Sonder Gabriel Richard in Downtown Detroit before heading on to NYC. We were initially unbothered by what we considered overblown and outdated stereotypes about the area. We weren’t worried about getting stabbed or shot.
Now my wife is hearing from coworkers and family, including family who live in Detroit, about the grave danger she’s in if she stays in downtown.I’m irritated by the anxiety these people have spawned out of nothing. Maybe I’m naive but my gut still says that they’re blowing things out of proportion, and at worst it’s a little seedy around there.
Would any locals like to comment on how poor a choice we made staying in downtown Detroit as first time travellers to the US? We’re Australian if that matters somehow.
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This shit is hilarious.
Yes you’re safe in downtown Detroit. There is always police presence. It’s clean and populated and a beautiful city. The dangerous pockets of Detroit are far outside the downtown area, and usually this fear mongering bullshit comes from suburbanites that live outside the city and rarely visit it because BLACK PEOPLE SCARY.
Like any city, don’t be an idiot and you’ll be fine. Also, check out midtown for some good food and coffee, visit the DIA, our fine art museum that is absolutely gorgeous and packed with history.
https://youtu.be/xP5aPRti8PE?si=8rj9oE8owbCdRjxq
Here’s a tour
It’s not hilarious, it’s sad :(
I currently live in Detroit and have lived in several different areas within the city, including downtown. The area you’re staying in is safe.
Within a few blocks of you are high end restaurants and bars, hotels, the winter market and Christmas tree, and stores (including Gucci and and Shinoa) and a heavily guarded FBI building is visible from your hotel.
You’re staying not far from where major events have taken place including the NFL draft as well as large music festivals which have attracted millions of people to the city, in addition to the regular sports games that bring in tourism. Downtown has very much shifted to cater towards visitors and getting people to stay and spend money.
As others have said, midtown also has a lot to offer including the DIA. Eastern Market can be fun on the weekends but in the winter it’s less active. The surrounding metro area also has things like Greenfield Village and the Ford museum depending on what kinds of things you’re interested in.
Will you see homeless folks and potentially asked if you have spare change? Yes, it’s a bigger city in America. Will you be attacked by exploring the downtown area? No.
If you want any specific recommendations please let me know and I’d be happy to help.
I’ve never been to Detroit but I’m from NY and lived in a “scary” part of NYC that my pearl clutching wealthier suburban family did not approve of…
So long as you mind your business, don’t dress flashy, and pay attention to your surroundings (ie, don’t walk around with your head glued to your phone and headphones blaring) you should be fine, like any other city in this world.
As a woman when I lived in NYC the one unsettling thing is catcalling, idk if that’s a thing in Australia but I imagine (some) men are the same everywhere in the world. Best to ignore it and move on.
Most people are just trying to go about their day and like you don’t want any problems. The reputation of American cities being violent hell zones is almost entirely fabricated and the violence that does exist are mostly between people who already know each other / gang shit.
The shit suburbanites say about urban areas is mostly the product of white flight and redlining, look up those two phrases to read up on the history of racism in housing. “Dangerous cities” is often just a dog whistle for “minorities live there”.
Edit: also, especially coming from Australia during your (hot af) summer, do prepare for extreme cold. That’s the biggest risk to you. The cold is not an exaggeration. If you’re unfamiliar with dressing for extreme cold I can give you some tips…
Not a local, but why are you visiting Detroit in winter of all seasons? It’s just about freezing and completely unlikable. Just watch out for black ice if you’re driving and it dipped before freezing overnight.
Also, yeah, so long as you don’t fuck around in bad areas, you’ll be fine. Detroit has gotten better in the past decade or so. It’s not exactly a hell hole anymore, but the reputation remains.
“Aaking for a spouse”
We cannot explain to you how to prevent making yourself a target. It’s something learned in experience. If you don’t know what to do then you should stick to places that fit your fiscal class.
Don’t explore, especially after dusk. Two city blocks can flip the paradigm upside down.
