Detroit offers several distinct points of interest for planning a trip: Belle Isle, an island park; the Riverwalk; music history; art; and ceramic craftsmanship. If you’re looking for a hotel in Detroit, it helps to first consider which of these interests matters most for your stay.
On the Detroit River: Island Park and Riverfront Walkway
Belle Isle Park is a 985-acre island park in the Detroit River near downtown Detroit. Its location in the river and its island character give the park a different profile from a path along the riverbank. If you’d like to plan time outdoors, Belle Isle is a specific focal point for your stay in Detroit.
Belle Isle Aquarium is also located on Belle Isle. It is North America’s oldest aquarium and features freshwater fish from the Great Lakes as well as rivers around the world. The focus here is on aquatic habitats, so the aquarium adds its own nature theme to the park.
The Detroit Riverwalk currently stretches for nearly five miles, from Gabriel Richard Park in the east to Ralph Wilson Park west of downtown. Unlike the island park’s area, this measurement describes a riverfront route with two named endpoints. Visitors can use the Riverwalk on foot, by bicycle, on roller skates and with other non-motorized forms of transport. There are also birdwatching stations with spotting scopes along the Detroit Riverfront. This means the river offers specific options for both getting active and birdwatching.
Motown, Art and Ceramic Craftsmanship
The Motown Museum is located on West Grand Boulevard. It houses Hitsville U.S.A. and an extensive collection of Motown artifacts, photographs, clothing and memorabilia. Previous guided tours included curated exhibits, Berry Gordy’s former apartment, original recording equipment and the legendary Studio A. Guided tours have been paused since January 20, 2026, due to construction; reopening is planned for spring 2027.
The Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) owns more than 65,000 works of art. Its collection spans from the earliest civilizations to the present day, providing a broad art-historical context for a visit to Detroit.
Pewabic Pottery, by contrast, focuses on ceramic craftsmanship. A self-guided tour of the museum on the second floor offers insight into more than 120 years of handcrafted Pewabic pottery and tile production. The cultural focuses are therefore distinct: the Motown Museum is dedicated to music history, the DIA to an extensive art collection, and Pewabic to the long tradition of pottery and tile.
These differences can help you shape your stay around what interests you most. If you’re focused on the river, the Riverwalk’s length and range of uses are relevant; for art and craft, the DIA’s collection and Pewabic’s ceramic history offer different perspectives. If Motown tours are important to your plans, take their pause and the planned reopening in spring 2027 into account.
Discover more destinations: Plymouth, Woodhaven, Lincoln Park, Taylor, Northville, Hamtramck, Flat Rock, Inkster
For the broader travel overview: Wayne.
