I recently traveled to Detroit for a family wedding. Each time I have been to Detroit, I had never been able to venture to the city center. I am so glad I was able to explore a bit of this diverse and up and coming city.

I had asked for recommendations for a brunch spot and was able to visit the Dime Store. There are no reservations so we tried to get there as early as possible. The 30 minute wait flew by since the restaurant is situated next to a gorgeous lobby in the building. We all loved the decor, our server was super nice and helpful. We all ordered different items and got to sample each other’s food. The food was absolutely delicious. Presentation was instagram worthy.

Portions were generous (yes that is Canadian maple syrup). Here is the link, I highly recommend for you to try this place out.

http://www.eatdimestore.com/

Satiated, we ended up walking around a bit and stumbled across the Guardian building. It is one of the most striking examples of Art Deco in Detroit and has been designated a National Historic Landmark. They have tours of the building but the security guards allowed us to roam and take photos in the lobby.

The surrounding area has lots of cool sculptures and sitting areas and was not far from the riverwalk.

I had to save the riverwalk for the next morning since we had family events to attend. The riverwalk was so charming, we could not believe we were in Detroit! It almost had a Cali vibe to the area.

There was a carousel, ice cream, sand trap and fountains for the kids to splash in.

We then drove a couple of miles to Belle Isle. It is a popular place to picnic and bike with the family. They also had a botanical garden and other sites that we will have to save for next time to check out.

We headed to Dearborn for some halal grub. This area is home to a large Arab- American population and you can find a variety of restaurants and dessert spots. We visited the Islamic Center of America. This mosque is very beautiful and the people were welcoming and gave us a short tour. I had never visited a Shia mosque before and was pleasantly surprised as to how organized the community was.

http://www.icofa.com/

We then headed to Shatila bakery since it came highly recommended. It did not disappoint!

Here’s the link

http://shatila.com/blog/

We had a great visit and hope to be back soon!