Overview
Michigan consists of two peninsulas divided by Lake Michigan and connected by one of the longest suspension bridges in the world. Michigan, the “State of the Great Lakes,” also borders Lake Superior, Lake Huron, and Lake Erie. Lower Michigan consists of inland lakes, meadows and sandy beaches as well as the “Motor City” Detroit. Both agriculture and industry play a major role here. Upper Michigan is more mountainous and features forests, white beaches, trout streams and ski resorts. Michigan’s coastline is more than 5,149 km long. It has more lighthouses than any other US state and numerous shipwrecks.
- Travelationary: Covers basic information about Michigan geography and economy.
Getting there
Arriving by plane
Lufthansa (LH) flies from Frankfurt to Detroit.
Flight times
Detroit – London: 7 hrs 10; Detroit – New York: 1 hr 40 min. Detroit – Frankfurt: 8 hr 5 min; Detroit – Vienna: 12 hrs 45 mins (with 1 stop); Detroit – Zurich: 11 hrs 20 mins (with 1 stop).
Note on arrival by car
Average car travel times: Detroit – Cleveland: 3 hours; Detroit – Indianapolis: 5 hrs; Detroit – Cincinnati: 5 hrs; Detroit – Toronto: 5 hrs; Detroit – Chicago: 5 hrs; Detroit – Buffalo: 6 hrs; Detroit – New York: 13 hrs; Detroit – Dallas: 24 hrs; Detroit – Miami: 27 hrs; Detroit – Los Angeles: 49 hrs; Detroit – Seattle: 49 hrs Average bus travel times: Detroit – Cleveland: 4 hrs; Detroit – Cincinnati: 6 hrs; Detroit – Chicago: 6 hrs; Detroit – Toronto: 6 hrs; Detroit – Indianapolis: 7 hrs; Detroit – Duluth: 19 hrs
Arrival by train
Detroit is on the Michigan Services Amtrak line. Additional information from Amtrak (website: www.amtrak.com).
Passport and visa regulations
Entry with children
Since June 27, 2012, children need their own travel document (passport / children’s passport) for trips abroad (also within the EU). Entries of children in the parental passport are no longer possible.
Contact addresses
Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau
211 West Fort Street, Suite 1000
US-48226 Detroit, Michigan
United States
(313) 202 18 00, (800) 338 76 48 (toll free within the US).
http://www.visitdetroit.com
http://www.visitdetroit.com Travel Michigan
300 North Washington Square, 2nd Floor
US-48913 Lansing, Michigan
United States
(517) 335 45 90, (888) 784 73 28 (toll free within the US).
http://www.michigan.org
http://www.michigan.org Great Lakes USA
c/o TravelMarketing Romberg
Schwarzbachstraße 32
D-40822 Mettmann/Düsseldorf
Germany
(02104) 79 74 51.
http://www.greatlakes.de
http://www.greatlakes.de
Mon-Fri 09.00-17.30 (by phone).
Attractions
- Usaers: Provides a full list of major rivers and mountains in Michigan.
Detroit
Industrial Detroit is the »Autostadt« of the USA. It was founded in 1701 and today has over 1 million inhabitants. The city is a major port due to its location on the St. Lawrence Seaway, which connects it to the Atlantic.
There are numerous museums, art galleries, zoos and amusement parks. Cultural events and the league games of the local clubs are crowd pullers. The Renaissance Center is home to many restaurants, a 1400 room hotel and a number of different shops. At Belle Island, a municipal island park, you can bike and canoe, or visit an aquarium and a museum covering the history of the Great Lakes. The Cultural Center includes thatDetroit Historical Museum, the Detroit Science Center and the Detroit Institute of Arts, one of the largest art museums in the United States. Detroit Zoological Park is home to over 5,000 animals in relatively natural surroundings, and the grounds can be toured on a tractor-train. Greektown on Monroe Avenue offers Greek restaurants, music and specialty shops. The Fort Wayne Military Museum is a well-preserved Civil War fort.
Shopping
Overview
The best places to shop in Detroit are the Renaissance Center, Greektown or suburban malls. The resort towns have specialty shops and shopping galleries.
Nightlife
Introduction
Detroit’s Fisher Theater performs Broadway shows. The Detroit Symphony Orchestra performs in Orchestra Hall September through April and during the University of Oakland’s Meadow Bank Music Festival (June through mid-August). Michigan Opera Theater performs at the Masonic Temple during the spring season and at the Fisher Theater during the fall season. Opera, ballet and plays can be seen at the Music Hall Center (Oct – Dec). Rock and soul concerts take place in the Cobo Arena. Some restaurants offer concerts and other performances. The range of music in the clubs is quite varied and ranges from Motown Soul to classical music. There are summer theaters in all regions.
Culinary
Overview
Steaks and seafood are particularly popular.
Climate
Best travel time
Summers are warm with cool nights. Especially on the big lakes, the winters are very cold (good winter sports opportunities).
Country data
Phone prefix
+1
Area (sq km)
250493
Population
9,986,857
Population density (per square km)
67
Population statistics year
2019