Art, Architecture and Music in the Midwest: Discovering Detroit and Cleveland

You’ll spend half a day today exploring downtown Detroit in the company of a local guide. As you walk, you’ll wander through its industrial wasteland and up-and-coming neighbourhoods to feel the energy that emanates from this fascinating city. You’ll discover Detroit’s complications and contradictions along with its architectural marvels designed by the likes of Albert Kahn, Minoru Yamasaki and Daniel Burnham. Using the Detroit People Mover (a kind of aerial metro), you’ll head to Detroit River, where you’ll visit The Renaissance Center, Hart Plaza, One Woodward Avenue and the famous Guardian Building. Finally, Midtown and the iconic Fisher Building are just an electric tram ride away.

You’ll have two more days to get to know Detroit at your own pace: visit the Detroit Institute of Arts to browse a vast collection of work from antiquity to today, in particular Diego Rivera’s Detroit Industry Murals; spend some time admiring innovative and experimental pieces in the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCAD); enjoy an organic lunch on-the-go at Eastern Market, the beating heart of the city where food vendors, musicians and community organisations are surrounded by art galleries and studios. Traverse the Riverwalk to Belle Isle by bike, a peaceful refuge in the middle of the Saint-Clair River where you can take in the view of Canada and the Detroit skyline as daylight fades; visit Corktown to see the imposing Michigan Central Station and breathe in the smell of fresh coffee from the many cafés; learn more about the city’s history at the Ford Piquette Avenue Plant Museum; go and see The Heidelberg Project, a once-abandoned street transformed into an outdoor art project by local artists; or see a jazz concert at Cliff Bell's, an Art Deco jazz institution that opened in 1935.

This morning you’ll pick up your rental car and drive to Cleveland, Ohio on the shores of Lake Erie, one of the five Great Lakes in Northern America. This journey takes around three hours. When you arrive, you’ll head straight to your hotel in the centre, an impressive 20th-century building with elegant interiors. Don’t miss happy hour this evening before a delicious dinner at the restaurant.

You’ll have two full days to explore Cleveland your way, but to set you off on the right track, we’ll organise tickets for you to visit the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. This incredible building combines geometric forms, cantilevered sections and a glass pyramid; inside, you’ll find no less than seven exhibition levels that pay homage to rock through their instruments, sheet music, snippets from films and interviews, and even objects and stage costumes that belonged to the legends of the genre.

When you’re all rocked out, there are plenty of other things to do in this lively city. Don’t miss a visit to West Side Market, the city’s oldest market where you can pick up local produce, fresh pastries and snacks for on-the-go. The Arcade is Cleveland’s iconic historic shopping arcade, which occupies a beautifully renovated stone and brick building that dates back to 1890. This stunning spot is a great place to browse the shops before grabbing a slice of Cleveland pizza. If you’re in the market for a little culture, visit the Cleveland Museum of Art and the MOCA (Museum of Contemporary Art), or let yourself be wowed by a Cleveland Symphony Orchestra performance at Severance Hall. Finally, for a break from the hustle and bustle of the city, take a stroll along the promenade on the edge of the lake and through the green spaces that have afforded this city the nickname the ‘Forest City.’