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 We were initially unbothered by what we considered overblown and outdated stereotypes about the area.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.
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.