Back in 2009—in honor of my 40th birthday—I gave you 40 Things to do in Detroit Before You’re Dead. That was followed up in 2010 by 41 More Things to do in Detroit Before You’re Dead.
After a year off, it was time to get back at it. Here are 43 more cool, interesting, fun things to do in the Motor City. Detroit is changing every day, new businesses are opening and people are moving into the city. Get out there and enjoy Detroit!
Astro Coffee and Buddy's Pizza.
1. Signal-Return - A letterpress studio in Eastern Market that offers workshops to all levels of print lovers. Take just two studio classes and you can use their space as a studio!
2. Mariner's Church of Detroit - You've probably walked by this place many times and heard it mentioned in the lyrics of "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitgerald." The beautiful church was founded by a woman in 1842.
3. Detroit Critical Mass (Facebook link) - Meet at the corner of Trumbull and Warren at 6:30 p.m. on the last Friday of the month for a two hour bike ride in Detroit.
4. Great Lakes Coffee Roasting Company - This is the new kid on the Woodward block and they're rocking it. Serving their own freshly roasted coffee along with craft beer, wine and specialty food, the space has the feel of a European cafe.
5. The Butcher's Daughter - The Ferndale gallery specializing in innovative contemporary art was started by Monica Bowman, who happens to be the daughter of a butcher.
6. Mudgie's Deli - Head to Corktown for an artful sandwich with top-notch ingredients. You can't go wrong with anything on the menu but when I can't make up my mind—which is often—I chose the Sho' Nuff.
7. Polish Art Center - Hamtramck—obviously—is home to this family-owned business celebrating Polish culture and traditional goods.
8. Detroit Drunken Historical Society - Do you want to learn about the history of Detroit? Do you want to drink an adult beverage while learning? If you said yes, these are your people!
9. Detroit Curling Club - It's not just for Canadians, anymore! Actually, they've been throwing stones and sweeping since 1885. Take a class and learn how to play, plus learn the history of the game.
10. The Detroit Mercantile Company - First, their tag line is awesome, "provisions for the urban pioneer." Second, they have really cool stuff in their shop at the northern end of Eastern Market. From bikes to t-shirts to garden accesories, they cover a lot of ground.
11. Belle Isle Aquarium - After closing in 2005 except for special occasions, the aquarium is now free and open to the public every Saturday from 10:00 a.m to 3:00 p.m.
12. Millers's Bar - This might not be the best burger in metro Detroit but the ambiance is unlike any other place in the area. Of course, they do have their diehard fans who will tell you it is the best. You decide!
13. D:hive Detroit - Formerly known as Inside Detroit, the Welcome Center offers information and advice on living and playing in Detroit. They also offer free tours and house the D:Pop shop, filled with Detroit merchandise.
14. Sugar House - Craft and classic cocktails served up in an eclectic and intimate setting. Don't expect to grab a Miller Lite or Absolut Vanilla, this establishment is for sophisticated tastes.
15. Wayne State Planetarium - Did you know that there is a state-of-the-art planetarium right in Midtown? They offer public shows and a monthly science lecture series.
16. MBAD's African Bead Museum - You can find African artifacts going back hundreds of years plus beads for sale and public art installations here.
17. Vincente's Cuban Cuisine - Every Friday and Saturday night they offer Salsa dancing and lessons. Learn a few moves and dance the night away!
18. Honor and Folly - Stay for a night (or two) at this adorable B & B nestled in the heart of Corktown. Or, sign up for one of their cooking classes.
19. Piquette Avenue Plant - Stop in for a tour of the birthplace of the Model T. You'll also learn about the other cars the plant produced and what it was like to be an autoworker in 1908.
20. Schnäck (Facebook link) - A pop-up serving German food—think pork, kraut, pretzels, beer & wine—once a month. Keep an eye on thier Facebook page for menus & events.
Miller's Bar and the Detroit Mercantile Co.21. Lincoln Street Art Park (Facebook link) - Located in the New Center neighborhood, this sculpture garden and public art space is a collaboration between five different organizations and local artists.
22. Preservation Detroit - Formerly Preservation Wayne, they offer lectures and tours of Detroit neighborhoods and places of cultural interest (including cemetary tours!).
23. Detroit Bus Company - Sick of waiting on a bus or spending the big bucks on a cab? Just call or text and your on-demand bus will be with you shortly for $5 a ride.
24. Atwater Brewery - Stop in for a cold craft brew at their Detroit Tap Room located right in the middle of their brewery.
25. Dossin Great Lakes Museum - Sitting on the banks of the Detroit River on Belle Isle, the museum is the place to learn about our Great Lakes, the Detroit River and maritime history.
26. Free Art Friday Detroit - Every Friday there is an art scavenger hunt in Detroit. Artists hide their pieces and leave clues on Twitter using the #FAFDET hashtag. Go find art!
27. Komodo Kitchen - A once-a-month pop-up restaurant featuring Indo-fusion food and beverages. Immerse yourself in the flavors and culture of Indonesia.
28. Salt & Cedar - Another letterpress studio in Eastern Market! Besides producing custom products, they also conduct workshops, an occasional pop-up cinema plus their Book and Bread series.
29. Green Dot Stables - A jockey-inspired bar in Detroit? Sure, why not! Recently reopened, they are known for their huge array of sliders and cheap prices.
30. Goods Detroit - A "T-Shirt Bakery" that makes custom tees, hoodies, totes, etc. while you wait. They also carry other products by local artisans.
31. Astro Coffee - They only serve beans from roasters that they love. Stop into this Corktown cafe and order a flat white or a builders tea.
32. OmniCorpDetroit - A gathering place for designers and artists, engineers and musicians, and everyone in between. They hold an Open Hack Night the first and third Thursday of every month.
33. Glass Academy - Michigan's largest hot glass studio offers glassblowing classes, custom beer mugs and more. Stop by their Coffee Nights (the second Wednesday of every month) for drop-in workshops.
34. Motor City Wine - This hybrid wine shop & bar offers monthly wine tastings, food pairings and live jazz. How can you not love a place that has "Monthly Meat" events?
35. Red Bull House of Art Detroit (Facebook link) - A studio and exhibition space for emerging Detroit area artists. New artists circulate through the space every few months, culminating in a group exhibition.
36. Nancy Whiskey - The epitome of neighborhood bars, you'll encounter old timers and new hipsters when you step through the doors in Corktown. Live music and cheap PBR's are a staple of the pub that's been around since 1902.
37. Artist Village - Situated behind Motor City Java House and a product of Blight Busters, Chazz Miller and the Artist Village use art to revitalize neighborhoods.
Grand Army of the Republic building.38. Grand Army of the Republic Building - You can't currently go inside the castle in Detroit but you can appreciate its beauty from outside. It's being lovingly restored by Mindfield, a creative production company, that will use the building as its headquarters—along with mixed use—when finished. (I've been inside, it's going to be fantastic!)
39. Detroit Passport to the Arts - Think of it as an entry level membership to the Detroit cultural scene for the 45 and under set: six performances followed by six networking events. Yes, in a few short years I'll be too old to take advantage of this. *Sigh*
40. Ernie's Market (Facebook link) - Huge sandwiches (they come in three "sizes:" $3, $4 & $5) served with a smile and a Hershey's Kiss from Ernie himself. Get the $5 sammie. Yeah, Baby!
41. Belle Isle Nature Zoo - Visit the deer encounter, check out a beehive and learn about Michigan flora & fauna on our island park.
42. Tashmoo Biergarten - The community-driven, pop-up European-style beer garden in the West Village opened last year. Happy Tashmoo season!
43. Buddy's Pizza - If you haven't had a square pizza at their original location at Conant and Six Mile Road and played a game of bocce ball after, you haven't really had Buddy's.
So, if you add the previous two lists to this one, that makes 124 Things to do in Detroit Before You’re Dead. How many have you done?
If you haven't done so already, check out 40 Things to do in Detroit Before You're Dead and 41 More Things to do in Detroit Before You're Dead.