5 Things In Detroit That Exist Nowhere Else In The US
We take for granted that Coney dogs and Detroit pizza are available to us whenever we want, any day of the week, sometimes 24 hours a day and seven days a week. But leave Detroit, and you'll find no real Coney dogs. Sure, other cities have "chili dogs," But our Coney dogs are specially-processed Vienna dogs found only in Detroit with their special combo of loose chili (made with Hungarian spices), white onions and mustard. As for Detroit-style pizza, we created the square deep-dish Sicialian pizza with a twice-baked crust ourselves here through the likes of the world-famous Buddy's Pizza.
Joe Louis Arena
19 Steve Yzerman Drive
Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 471-7000
www.joelouisarena.org
Detroiters love watching their Red Wings in the race for the Stanley Cup. One commonplace sight in the Motor City during playoff season is an octopus (or octopi). Since the 1952 playoffs, Red Wings fans have been throwing the marine creature onto the ice from the stands to symbolize the eight wins traditionally needed to win the Stanley Cup when the NHL had only six teams. The Wings swept the series that year, and ever since, the octopi have been a symbol of good luck for Detroit hockey fans.
marchedunainrouge.com
The Marche Du Nain Rouge is an annual parade/run/party thrown by Detroiters to celebrate everything good about the city of Detroit by continuing to ward off the "Nain Rouge" or the Red Devil that was first foretold to Detroit's founder Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac in 1701 by a fortune teller. The Nain Rouge is said to be the cause of all of Detroit's misfortunes and grief over the many hard years and hard times, so local residents get together once a year to dress up like the Nain, throw a party and join in a massive party to ward off the harbinger of doom for another year. Sure, it's just an old wive's tale, but with the city finally seeing much-needed progress after years of down-slide, can you blame locals for getting a little nutty once a year for a parade through Detroit's downtown?
Related: Best Scenic Drives In Detroit
John K. King Used & Rare Books
901 W. Lafayette Blvd.
Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 961-0622
www.rarebooklink.com
The world-famous John K. King bookstore near downtown Detroit is the largest bookstore in Michigan. Also known as one of the largest in the country, this landmark store has been a mecca for book lovers for many years, especially those who favor rare and hard-to-find books, which John K. King bookstore specializes in. The building itself is quite iconic, filling in an old four-story glove factory with hundreds of thousands of books, giving those who love the sight, smell and feel of old books something truly awesome to behold.
Woodward Dream Cruise
woodwarddreamcruise.com
One of the world's largest classic car shows is held each year right here in the heart of Detroit's main thoroughfare: Woodward Avenue. The Woodward Dream Cruise sees so many of the country's coolest cars all gathered in one city for a monumental drive through what likely was the city of their birth.No where else in America can you find such an incredible collection of cool cars, fancycars and famous cars than you can in Detroit in August. Locals turn out every year and tourists travel from all over the United States to see the spectacle, and it's rightfully become a rite of passage for many Detroiters. If you've lived here all your life, yet never been to a Woodward Dream Cruise, you've got some explaining to do.
Related: Best Kayaking Around Detroit
