The city's riverfront has seen a major rejuvenation with developments like the Detroit River Walk which includes miles of parks and fountains. In addition, there is the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge which is the only international wildlife preserve in North America, uniquely located in the heart of a major metropolitan area. The Refuge includes islands, coastal wetlands, marshes, shoals, and waterfront lands along 48 miles of the Detroit River and Western Lake Erie shoreline.
You can’t ignore the two things that put Detroit on the map and gave way to the nicknames Motor City and Motown.
In 1904, Henry Ford founded the Ford Motor Company. Ford's manufacturing and those of automotive pioneers William C. Durant, the Dodge brothers, Packard, and Walter Chrysler reinforced Detroit's status as the world's automotive capital. Today, you can visit the Henry Ford Museum and the Ford Rouge Factory where actual assembly still takes place.
Berry Gordy, Jr. founded Motown Records which rose to prominence during the 1960s and early 1970s with acts such as Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross & the Supremes, and the Jackson 5. Today you can step right back in time with a visit to the Motown Historical Museum and 'Hitsville U.S.A' – the Gordy home and first headquarters.