Unwritten Rules You Should Know Before Visiting Detroit

Judging by its many accolades, Detroit will continue to be one of the U.S.'s "it" destinations. Time named the Motor City one of the world's greatest places in 2022, and its recognition as a major travel destination has only grown since. In 2025, Travel + Leisure named the city on its list of 50 best places to visit because of all the new and exciting enticements popping up. And in January 2026, Wallpaper Design Awards gave Detroit the "City of the Year" award for regenerative efforts that have transformed abandoned buildings into sleek hotels and galleries.   

Thanks to this rapid development, the challenges the city suffered from in the latter part of the 20th century and the early 2000s are now largely in the rear-view mirror. If you're planning a trip to see the resurging city, you'll want information on the best ways to maneuver its streets and many attractions. Whether it's the places and situations to stay away from, or foods and venues to try, being prepared for the city's distinctive aspects should make for a smoother trip. 

These customs extend to its interesting locals. From delightfully quirky habits to a colorful, longtime rivalry between two eateries, knowing the ground rules for interacting with them also helps. These unwritten rules prepare you to take advantage of the best of Detroit. Armed with them, your trip may just go down as one of your all-time favorite escapes.

You wouldn't go to Chicago and not try the city's iconic deep dish pizza. And you definitely wouldn't forget to try a NYC slice while in New York City. In the same way, Detroit pizza is a requirement if you're visiting the city. Thanks to a non-traditional method of construction, a slice tastes and looks different from the usual. More importantly, the unusual recipe results in a crunchy, caramelized crust that both pizza lovers and foodies will want to try at least once.

Instead of the traditional method of slathering sauce on top of a round pie, then topping with cheese, the city's deep dish pizza recipe calls for the reverse. The cheese is first spread across a square pie, then the sauce goes on top of that. With the sauce not sitting directly on the dough, the crust comes out nice and crunchy instead of soggy. And the cheese caramelizes on the crust, leaving a thin, baked-in layer of cheese on the outer edges. The type of cheese the recipe uses also makes a difference. Instead of the classic mozzarella, Detroit pizza is topped with Wisconsin brick cheese, a buttery variety that helps elevate the city's pizza into superstar status.

The culmination is a crispy slice, flavored by Wisconsin cheese and quickly gaining popularity in pizzerias around the nation. With its growing fame, you may see Detroit-style pizza on menus outside the city. But if you're planning on visiting the city, where better to sample a slice? For an authentic slice, head to Jet's Pizza for a flavorful sauce or Buddy's Pizza, popular for being where the city's famous pizza was invented.

If you plan on driving while visiting Detroit, this is one rule you'll want to remember. While the highways and streets are perfectly fine on dry days, if it starts raining, do your best to stay away, as the streets' design and faulty drainage systems often lead to flooding. The city depends on a combined sewer outflow system to handle both sewage and rainwater. But the infrastructure proves inadequate when it rains and is notorious for causing flooding — even when rainfall isn't particularly high. 

Compounding the problem is the older design of some of Detroit's highways. Many highways don't slope in a way that would encourage drainage. Instead, they allow debris to settle and block the drains. The pump houses are also badly in need of repair, along with inadequate storm drains. While city officials are planning to improve the drainage issues and increase the capability of the pump houses, for now, flooding may continue when it rains. 

You'll also want to drive carefully as you make your way around the city. Detroit has a marked pothole issue, which may cause damage if you don't cautiously maneuver around them. And the city is notorious for having some of the worst roads in the U.S. In fact, a 2020 CoPilot study found that Detroit ranked fifth in a roundup of the worst roads in America, with around 44% of the roads being in poor condition. 

If you're visiting, try to get all your sightseeing done quickly if rain is on the forecast. And drive cautiously on roads to avoid potholes and potential damage to your car. Or, if the roads seem too daunting, take a ride on the Detroit People Mover, which loops around the downtown area and is completely free.

Detroit's locals are notorious for quizzing visitors on the proper pronunciation of the city's street names. The practice is so common that even superstars get tested when they visit. In 2025, comedian Keegan-Michael Key, who was raised in Detroit, spent part of his appearance on "The Tonight Show" quizzing Jimmy Fallon on Detroit street names. If you find yourself talking with a local while on your trip, you may just be the subject of one of these "tests." 

While we can't predict every word you may be asked to pronounce, here are a few you may want to practice so you don't flunk too badly. Gratiot in downtown Detroit and Cadieux on the city's east side are among the more difficult street names to pronounce, so you can expect to be asked to say them. Gratiot is called "grash-itt," and Cadieux is pronounced "cad-joo." If you're asked to say Dequindre, the correct way to say it is "duh-quin-dur," and Livernois Avenue is pronounced "liver-noy." Lastly, for Goethe Street, you would say "ger-ta."

You may also be quizzed on other popular places. Campus Martius Park, voted the top public square in the U.S. in 2025 by USA Today's 10 Best Readers' Choice Awards, is pronounced Kamp-es-Mar-shuss, and if you're asked about the pretty village of Lake Orion, the correct way to pronounce Orion is "or-e-in" instead of the typical "or-i-on."

If you end up frantically searching for parking as the clock counts down for your event, there is one very tempting situation you'll want to avoid on your trip to Detroit. The temptation comes via "parking officials" dressed in orange vests. Usually, you'll get approached by a random stranger who will offer you a discounted spot in an alleyway or another sketchy spot. A deal like that may be especially enticing if you're attending an event with expensive parking. But while it sounds like a good deal, acceptance may come with a price much higher than your anticipated savings.

Locals who pay for the sketchy parking report returning from their event to find their car with broken doors, ransacked, or otherwise damaged. Some even return to find their car missing and the orange vest characters gone. Upon investigation, those with missing cars sometimes find that they've been towed away. Other scams to look out for include fake parking tickets with QR codes that send you directly to the scammers' portal to pay and text messages seeking payment for fake parking invoices. If you're visiting, do yourself a favor and take the time to find proper parking in a designated space. You may end up saving yourself the expense of repairing a damaged car.

Local legend says Detroit's style of hot dog, the Coney Island dog, got its name from New York City's popular Coney Island neighborhood. But Detroit's hot dog is nothing like New York City's. Where New York City's hot dog is beloved for its simplicity, Detroit adds an over-the-top extra that makes it a "must" while in the city. A Detroit Coney Island dog starts with a steamed roll and the required beef frank. A meat-filled chili (minus the beans) is the first topping that sets the treat apart. Diced onions and yellow mustard are added to complete the culinary delight. If your mouth is watering, be sure to experience the real thing on your next trip.

But before you do, there's an unwritten rule you must know, and it all started with a family rivalry. As the story goes, in 1917, a Greek immigrant called Gus Keros opened a wildly successful hot dog eatery on West Lafayette Boulevard and named it American Coney Island. Needing help, he brought his brother, Bill, to Detroit and employed him in the business. In 1924, Bill chose to open his own hot dog shop, right next to his brother's. Bill's eatery, Lafayette Coney Island, now stood next to American Coney Island, and the tongues started wagging.

It's not clear if the decision to open next to his brother was due to a family feud, but locals started their own competition. Today, the rivalry is still ongoing and holds to one unwritten rule. Locals are either in the Lafayette camp or the American camp, but never in both. And they never mix loyalties. If you go, try both hot dogs, but choose one establishment and stick to it — just like locals do.

If you don't live in a border state, you wouldn't consider looking out for signs to a foreign country while driving. With Detroit bordering Canada, you'll want to keep our northerly neighbors in mind while on your trip. This is especially true if you plan on driving on Interstate 75 (I-75). It's not unusual for drivers not paying attention to the signs on the highway to find themselves taking Exit 47B, which leads to Ambassador Bridge (the bridge that crosses the Detroit River into Canada).

This often happens because drivers notice the signs that Exit 47B goes to Canada too late for them to merge into another lane. One local on Reddit estimates that the warning advisories give mere seconds to leave the lane. Others call the exit confusing. The good news is that the exit has a pretty big sign with the Canadian flag and a warning that it leads to Canada. If you have prior knowledge (and now you do!) and you're paying attention to the advisories, you shouldn't make the mistake of crossing the border.

If you do, you may be interviewed, and your car searched for illegal substances. You'll also be asked for whatever U.S. ID you have on you. Remain calm and answer all questions honestly. Once it's clear you entered mistakenly, border officials are typically very helpful in helping you get back. Detroit also has a few other border crossings, so we recommend getting acquainted with their locations. That way, whether your adventures take you to one of Detroit's cool neighborhoods or a nearby day trip destination, you'll be ready for any potential border crossings along the way.

From the award-winning Detroit International Riverwalk to a neighborhood containing one of the largest public markets in the U.S., many parts of Detroit were made for strolling. Pack a good pair of walking shoes so you don't miss out on the wonderful on-foot adventures around the city. Just west of Downtown, the charming riverwalk and its scenic views await with almost 5 miles of pathways that welcome walkers, bikers, and roller skaters. As you explore, look out for the Canadian city of Windsor and its picturesque skyline across the Detroit River. Eateries, a bird watching station, and more also dot the riverwalk. If you want a more curated experience, sign up for one of the fun guided walks. 

Nearby, Belle Isle provides more opportunities to lace up those walking shoes. More of the stunning Canadian skyline views make exploring the conservatory and other attractions on the island's 985 acres a dream. Detroit is also home to the Eastern Market, the U.S.'s largest historic public market. If you're looking for delicious local eats, you'll want to spend a few hours perusing over 200 stalls selling everything from fresh produce to cheesecake. After stocking up on your favorite eats, stop and smell the flowers; the market is the largest open-air flowerbed market in the U.S., so if you're a plant lover, a visit is your choice to stroll through (or purchase!) a few. 

Detroit began shedding its dangerous reputation a while ago, and city officials show an ongoing commitment to continually improve public safety. These efforts have seen a drastic reduction in crime across the board, so with the usual precautions, you can hop from world-class museums to upscale restaurants without fear. Outdoor diversions are equally safe with partnerships between locals and city officials that see citizen volunteers helping visitors enjoy public spaces, while the official Safety and Security program targets crime. If your plans include a large event, the city deploys weapon-spotting technology to prevent illegal weapons and the dangerous incidents they may cause.

But like any big city, Detroit still has a few volatile pockets, so you'll still want to stay alert while traveling around the city. Some of the most dangerous areas to be aware of include Belmont, Van Steuban, and Petosky-Otsego. Other high crime areas to stay away from are Warrendale and Fishkorn. This list isn't exhaustive, so always do your own research. Also, take common-sense precautions like refraining from flashing cash in public and keeping sensitive or valuable items at your hotel or safely hidden away. Use main roads as much as possible and always follow your instincts if a street or area feels off. When choosing your hotel, stick to touristy areas like Downtown, Midtown, Corktown, or Greektown.

Around 30% of visitors to Detroit go for business, and a large part of the remaining 70% travel for conferences or other events. With these statistics, there's a strong likelihood that your next trip to the city is for something other than fun. After your meetings are done for the day, don't forget to explore the eclectic attractions scattered around the city. Although Detroit may not come to mind when you think of the top U.S. destinations to visit, you would be surprised at how much there is to enjoy. 

If you happen to be attending a conference at Huntington Place, one of America's first mega-convention centers, you'll be close to the scenic riverwalk and the pretty Belle Isle, a bustling island with an abandoned zoo that gives horror movie vibes. Be sure to spend some time in both. You'll also be close to the award-winning Detroit Institute of Arts. From new takes on African American art to interesting exhibitions on armor and puppets, the museum is a delightful collection of art and the fresh ways it can be applied to everyday topics and objects. The Museum of Illusions and its mentally stimulating experiences are also nearby. 

If you're a sports lover with energy to spare after your meetings are done for the day, Detroit is known for a vibrant sports scene with famous local teams in the NBA, NHL, NFL, and MLB. Check if your trip coincides with a game at Comerica Park or Ford Field, and grab some tickets before you go. In addition to games, Ford Field hosts big names like Ed Sheeran and the Foo Fighters, so if you're not into sports, you could easily catch a concert instead.