Detroit, Michigan, USA

Detroit, once home to approximately 2 million people in the 1950s, experienced a significant decline in its population, primarily due to economic factors. Today, the city’s population stands at around 640,000 inhabitants (as of 2025). For this reason, you’ll find many abandoned buildings and empty lawns in downtown. I personally wouldn’t recommend visiting Detroit for traveling purposes, unless you're really interested in that place. There are much better cities nearby, such as Chicago or even Cleveland. Furthermore, Detroit is considered one of the most unsafe cities in the United States. I stayed there for one day, which was totally enough for me.

Downtown

I arrived in Detroit by train in the evening after my visit to Chicago. Most of the buildings in downtown Detroit appeared cold and gray, and the road conditions were not the greatest. Maybe the winter also contributed to the cold look. The city heavily relies on cars, so public transportation is limited to buses and a few tram/streetcar lines. Since I didn’t have a car, I spent most of my day walking around. I stayed in a small hostel near downtown for the night, called Hostel Detroit, which was really nice.

First impressions of Detroit
First impressions of Detroit
Interesting Poster
Interesting Poster
Outskirts (1)
Outskirts (1)
Outskirts (2)
Outskirts (2)

Abandoned Buildings

As previously mentioned, the city center has numerous abandoned buildings and empty lawns. You can walk around all day long and see abandoned structures everywhere. Additionally, the city’s low population density makes it feel like a rural town rather than a huge city in some places. I was just walking all day long looking at the run-down places.

2411 14th St
2411 14th St

Milliken State Park Lighthouse

If you decide to visit Detroit, you should make sure to visit the Milliken State Park Lighthouse. It offers a view of the city’s skyline and the Canadian city Windsor, which is located on the opposite side of the Detroit River. This was one of the highlights of the day trip.

Skyline of Detroit
Skyline of Detroit

Belle Isle Zoo

The other highlight was the (of course) abandoned zoo at Belle Isle. The place is supposed to be demolished in the coming years, so I was lucky to still have the opportunity to visit it. Although technically trespassing into the zoo is prohibited, there are numerous holes in the fences that allow you to enter. As a law-abiding person, I chose not to enter the zoo and instead used photos from the internet, of course 🥹.

Inside Belle Isle Zoo (1)
Inside Belle Isle Zoo (1)
Inside Belle Isle Zoo (2)
Inside Belle Isle Zoo (2)
Inside Belle Isle Zoo (3)
Inside Belle Isle Zoo (3)
Inside Belle Isle Zoo (4)
Inside Belle Isle Zoo (4)

Conclusion

When writing this article, I was torn between publishing it and not doing so, as it’s mostly consists of negative opinions about Detroit. However, I decided to publish it because I want to be transparent about my opinions and document all my experiences in the United States. I don’t intend to offend anyone who lives in Detroit and loves their city. I visited Detroit because I was genuinely interested in exploring it. I had heard many things about Detroit and wanted to see for myself. It met all my expectations and I enjoyed my trip. As mentioned earlier, if you’re genuinely interested in Detroit, then go there. Otherwise, skip it and head to Chicago instead. My next stop was Cleveland, Ohio by bus.