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 We were initially unbothered by what we considered overblown and outdated stereotypes about the area.
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.
This.
Detroit is a large city, and crime that’s reported gets associated with the city as a whole rather than the individual neighborhoods where it actually occurs. You wouldn’t be afraid to get a hotel in Brisbane’s city center because of violence in the Valley, would you?
You’ll be fine, but do be careful walking around, just as you would in any foreign city. And if you get scared, give me a call and I’ll try to come get you.
If you have wheels and are a bit of a foodie, I recommend Detroit Shipping Company. If you’re in town over Christmas, Campus Martius is fun.
Yeah, I’m truly not expecting anything I would expect from cities here other than supermarkets that stay open after sunset. Made this post in the spirit of due diligence in case I’m being overly optimistic, but mainly to compile some retorts to the things my wife keeps hearing that damn near convinced her to call this off.
Thanks for the recommendations! The Christmas market wasn’t on our radar at all, but I’m keeping it on mine.
Campus Martius at Christmastime has an outdoor ice rink and the markets include a tent where you can play table games with the family while having a warm drink.