Casinos: There are 3 casinos in Detroit for those of you who are gamblers

Motor City Casino: 2901 Grand River AveDetroit, MI48201

MGM Casino: 1777 3^rd Ave.Detroit, MI 48226

GreektownCasino : 555 E. Lafayette St.Detroit, MI 48226

Don't forget Detroit's music legacy — it's the hometown of Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross and Madonna. The Motown Historical Museum, near Detroit's downtown, is where Berry Gordy Jr. built Motown's powerful roster, which at its peak included Diana Ross and the Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye and the Jackson 5. There, you'll see Motown's first recording studio, known as Studio A, and one of Michael Jackson's hats.
2648 West Grand Blvd., Detroit, Mich. 48208; 313-875-226442.3641409-83.088346motownmuseum.com

Ford Factory: The auto industry remains central to Detroit's economic and cultural identity. To understand the industry's rise, take the Ford Rouge Factory Tour in Dearborn, Mich., less than a 20-min. drive southwest of Detroit. The factory that Henry Ford built along the Rouge River was the scene of the Battle of the Overpass, a key moment in the rise of American unions. You'll get a peek at a Ford F-150 truck's assembly line and a set of classics like the 1965 Ford Mustang. If you've got a half hour to spare, watch two short films about the plant's history. In the summer, it's smart to get a reservation for the tour.

The Henry Ford Museum
20900 Oakwood Blvd., Dearborn, Mich. 48124; 800-835-523742.3031087-83.2331085thehenryford.org

Greenfield Village, an outdoor re-creation of a 19th-century town, pays tribute to the American people who followed their dreams and made life-changing discoveries along the way. Within the 80-acre site, you'll find historical replicas of the bicycle shop where the Wright brothers created the first airplane and of Thomas Edison's Menlo Park laboratory. You can also ride in vintage autos, learn fine craft-making, enjoy a train or carousel ride, and even shop and dine in the style of yesteryear.

The Detroit Institute of Arts opened at its current location, near downtown, in 1927, during the post–World War I auto-industry boom that made Detroit one of the world's wealthiest cities. The museum's Beaux Arts building is massive, with more than 100 galleries, but if you choose carefully among the collections, you can be in and out in two hours. Check out the works by Degas and Cézanne and the collection of pieces by African-American artists; also, definitely see Diego Rivera's expansive mural known as Detroit Industry. Finally, spend a few moments to reflect in the Kresge Court, an inner courtyard and café. 5200 Woodward Ave., Detroit, Mich. 48202; 313-833-790042.359115-83.065277dia.org

Detroit History Museum

5401 Woodward Ave.Detroit, MI 48202

Ford Piquette FactoryYou can visit the birthplace of the Model T. The Ford Piquette Avenue Plant is again open and evolving into a symbol of Detroit's ability to invent, innovate, and rebound.Walk the plank floors worn smooth by hundreds of workers and thousands of cars. See Henry Ford's competition, his early successes and false starts.461 Piquette St. Detroit, MI 48202313.872.8759

The Detroit Institute of Arts opened at its current location, near downtown, in 1927, during the post–World War I auto-industry boom that made Detroit one of the world's wealthiest cities. The museum's Beaux Arts building is massive, with more than 100 galleries, but if you choose carefully among the collections, you can be in and out in two hours. Check out the works by Degas and Cézanne and the collection of pieces by African-American artists; also, definitely see Diego Rivera's expansive mural known as Detroit Industry. Finally, spend a few moments to reflect in the Kresge Court, an inner courtyard and café.

5200 Woodward Ave., Detroit, Mich. 48202; 313-833-790042.359115-83.065277dia.org

Belle Isle:This island lies in the Detroit River between the U.S. and Canada. Detroit bought the island in the late 1800s and commissioned Frederick Law Olmsted, a chief architect of New York City's Central Park, to oversee Belle Isle's landscaping. For decades, the island was a central part of life in the region, home to a zoo and an aquarium, the latter of which the city has kept closed in recent years because of budget cuts. But other attractions, including a private yacht club, remain. In the summer, stroll or jog along Belle Isle and get terrific views of downtown Detroit and Windsor, Ont. You can get there by crossing the MacArthur Bridge, which is about 3 miles east of Detroit's downtown.East Jefferson Ave., Detroit, Mich.4821442.3432541-82.9743495belleisleconservancy.org