As with most other urban areas, precautions should be taken when out after dark: stay in groups; do not carry large amounts of money; and avoid seedy neighborhoods. The overall crime rate in downtown Detroit is below the national average, and crime has largely declined in the last twenty years, but the city itself is still among the most dangerous in the country.
Stick to major freeways when possible and try to avoid smaller streets through unfamiliar neighborhoods. How you carry yourself can easily keep you from getting mugged.
Contrary to some people's perceptions, downtown Detroit is generally well-policed and among the safest parts of the city. Crimes can and do occur in downtown, but exercising common sense will go a long way toward keeping you and your valuables safe.
Sporting events, festivals and other large public events are always heavily policed and very safe. Sporadic crime events, mostly alcohol-related and involving groups of youths, have been reported at some of these events but they are by far the exception.
Unfortunately for the music-lover, much of the current music scene is scattered between downtown venues like the Majestic Theater/Magic Stick complex, places in Hamtramck, and suburban venues in places like Royal Oak. So you will have to drive, navigate the city at night, and typically park on the street. Some venues, such as Harpo's on the east side, are in unsafe neighborhoods.
Always use caution and ask around before going to a particular venue. People at record stores, guitar shops, "cool" clothing stores, and the like often visit and know which venues are easy to get to and reasonably safe.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Detroit
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Detroit - updated May 2024
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Detroit Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
