Things to Do: Go to Greektown

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Greektown is a small part of Downtown Detroit with BIG personality. The Greektown casinos are your basic on land casinos. Free drinks while you are gambling, slot machines, card tables, buffets and more. It’s not Vegas, but if you are a gambler, it will work just fine. The restaurants in Greektown are really the hotspots. We went to Pegasus during our last trip planning trip and had a blast. We sat at the bar and enjoyed some house wine and some flaming cheese!

Photo by me

There are so many great spots it is sometimes hard to choose. I wish I could personally review them all, but our last trip was a quick one, so we will have to do with some internet reviews from Metromix Detroit.

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New Parthenon – This old-school Greek-themed restaurant is open until 3 a.m. and attracts a big after-bar crowd throughout the week. The decor is 100% Greek for those who enjoy surroundings that match their meal. The flaming cheese is always a hit with groups and families

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Pizza Papalis – Michigan-based pizza chain takes a stab at bringing Chicago-style pies to the Great Lakes State and does it well. The first Pizza Papalis opened in 1986 in the Greektown area of Detroit and now offers the same great pizza at nine locations statewide. The menu also features lasagna, chicken wings, salads and desserts.

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Astoria Pastry Shop - The original Astoria Pastry Shop opened in the Greektown district of Detroit more than 30 years ago. Since then it has been serving some of the richest, European desserts to city residents, and more recently many guests of the Greektown casino. Have your pastries boxed to enjoy at home or take pleasure in the charming surroundings and enjoy your pastry with a gourmet cappuccino in the bakery's delightful cafe.

Things to do: Motown Museum

Motown music has influenced the American music culture for decades and Detroit City is where it all began. I haven’t been to the home of Motown, but I have toured the Graceland Mansion (twice) and Suncoast Records Museum in Memphis. I imagine that the Motown Museum is the Northern version of these kinds of landmarks. Music buff or not, it is always interesting to see how many things have changed from the beginning of rock and roll. Just 30 years ago, recording an album and getting it played on the radio was a completely different process than it is today. That is largely in part to companies such as Motown Records. Artists such as Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, the Jackson 5 and many many others all got their start with Motown Records and will all be a part of the soundtrack at our upcoming Wedding Reception.

The museum features guided tours – “Visitors are encouraged to experience the Museum with one of our historical presenters. Tours are given at regular intervals during the Museum’s hours of operations.”

Hours of operation are: Tuesday thru Saturday 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM

Tickets: Adults: $10.00 per person, Seniors and Children 12 & under: $8.00 per person

For more information, visit their website: http://www.motownmuseum.com/

Things to Do: Go to Canada

Most people don’t know that Detroit is the only U.S. city that looks South towards Canada. We will be looking at the Windsor Canadian skyline from our hotel room at the Marriott and it may be tempting for some guests to head over the border.

FYI: YOU NEED YOUR PASSPORT TO GO TO CANADA!

Windsor is more than just a place for 18 year old Americans to drink legally…they have a Casino, too! Caesars just opened in Windsor and it is a big presence on the Canadian skyline. Canada casinos are smoke free, so if you are a non-smoker, who wants to gamble, this might be the place for you. Other Windsor attractions include Belle Isle Park and the Windsor Farmer’s Market. Don’t forget to give yourself time to get back stateside in time to be at the ceremony at 7:30pm!

Things To Do: River Walk

Planning our Destination Detroit Wedding has really opened my eyes to all the interesting things the city has to offer. I hope to post some details of fun Detroit sites and activities for our out of town guests over the next few months.

It is hard to imagine it now in the cold weather, but the Detroit River Walk is a jumpin’ spot in the summer months. The Riverwalk is a paved walkway that extends 3 1/2 miles along the Detroit River. It just so happens to go right past the Omni Hotel, one of the hotels where we will have a room block. You can spend the day walking the Riverwalk, stopping at the sites along the walk, such as the Chene Park, Rivard Plaza and the Butterfly Gardens.

If walking isn’t adventurous enough for you, you can head to the Wheel House Detroit, rent a bicycle and ride it in style. The Wheel House has Cruisers, Hybrid and Tandem bikes. The rates range from $15-$28 for a two hour rental, depending on what kind of bike you want. They also have guided tours through different parts of Detroit City.

Spending time on the River Walk could be a really fun way to spend the day Saturday before our wedding. Just make sure you leave enough time to get pretty for the big event starting at 7:30pm.