5 Great Day Trips from Detroit and Surrounding Areas

The Detroit area is full of wonderful things to do, and places to see. Sometimes it is nice to get away from the hustle and bustle. If you are tired of motoring around the motor city, think about taking a day trip to one of these great destinations.

Gibraltar Trade Center

The Gibraltar Trade Center is an indoor public market that is open on the weekends. It is easily one of the nation's largest indoor flea markets at over 300,000 square feet, and hundreds of vendors. At Gibraltar there is always something for everyone, and many of the vendors sell items you cannot find at other locations. I love to do holiday shopping there because I know that the gifts I give will be one of a kind, and the trade center is open every day from Dec. 7 to Christmas. The market also hosts specific trade shows on weekends, so check their website often for shows related to your hobbies. I visit the Trade Center in Taylor Michigan; however there is also a location in Mount Clemens. The Gibraltar Trade Center's hours are 12pm - 9pm on Friday, Saturday 10am - 8pm, and Sunday 10am - 6pm. There is a 2$ per car admission fee.

Belleville Lake

Take some time to relax and spend the day at Belleville Lake in Belleville Michigan. The lake has some of the best fishing I have seen in the areas adjacent to Detroit, and offers recreational activities such as boating and swimming on hot summer days. You will get the most out of fishing in Belleville if you fish for channel catfish; however there are several other species of fish in the lake. The lake is over six miles long, covering approximately 1,220 acres in area.

Ann Arbor Arts Fairs

During the 3^rd full week in July, Ann Arbor hosts a set of four Art Fairs that collectively make up the Ann Arbor Arts Fairs. The Fairs are among the largest and best of their kind anywhere, and are an annual tradition in surrounding areas. The original, The Ann Arbor Street Art Fair has been around for over 50 years, and won several awards. Music, food vendors, and children's activities are also present at the festival, as well as hundreds of local artists specializing in all types of work. The fairs in 2011 are scheduled on July 20 -- July 23. I would recommend a trip to Ann Arbor for this event to anyone, as it is widely considered the premiere art fair in the whole of America.

Ann Arbor Hands on Museum

Another great destination in Ann Arbor is the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum. The museum opened in 1982, and features a collection of over 250 interactive exhibits on subjects including physics, geology, music, and technology. I believe I have never had so much fun as taking my nephew and spending the day letting him explore all the different exhibits. Since it is also a learning experience, there is little reason not to let your children experience this. The new viewspace exhibit from NASA features daily updated images from NASA's Hubble and James Web space telescopes. The exhibit also includes mission updates from Mars Exploration Rovers, Saturn orbiter and Titan lander, as well as a laundry list of space related features. The museum is open from 10am until 5pm Monday thru Saturday, and noon until 5pm on Sunday. General admission is 9$, however discounts are often offered for various promotions.

Caesars Windsor

When I was a younger man, my favorite day trip from Detroit was definitely a trip across the Detroit River to one of Windsor's luxury casinos. The drinking age in Canada is 19, and many of my friends took advantage of that. Caesars Windsoris definitely more than a casino. The 5,000 seat Colloseum often hosts top notch entertainment, and there are two nightclubs on the property, Cosmos and the VU Bar. Besides the large amount of possible activities featured on a single property, I always felt a little richer just being around the fancy décor. While rates on different packages vary, weekend rates run as low as USD$130.15 per night. Since 2009, a US Passport or NEXUS card is required to enter Canada.