Detroit's Best Guided Tours (Even For Locals)

When it comes to high-profile cities, Detroit is near the top of the charts when concerning land mass. In fact, just within the 143 square miles that officially make up Motown's city limits, you could fit the complete cities of Boston, San Francisco and Manhattan all neatly within its borders. It's safe to say that it would take a lot of time and effort to get all that ground covered to see the best sites that the The Motor City has to offer. Here are some of Detroit's best guided tours that could benefit anyone, from the wayward visitor to a longtime resident.

Show Me Downtown Detroit Tours 
8200 East Jefferson Avenue #1908
Detroit, MI 48214
(313) 444-2120
www.showmedetroittours.com

Wildly popular travel website Trip Advisor rated this downtown Detroit touring business as the No. 1 attraction in all of Detroit. One wonderful aspect of these fine tours is that they never stop, running throughout the year, all year along. Join these well-advised guides as they chauffeur you around in a private van service to get you all of the secrets and hidden knowledge concerning one of the most fascinating cities in the Midwest. Prices are $59 per adult, with discounts for students and seniors (includes pick-up and drop-off downtown).

Centered around the internationally famous Detroit Auto Show each winter, the Motor City Brew Tours will once again present its annual gatherings on January 17 and 24, encapsulating the start and finish of the Auto Show. For only $49.95, guests will get an in-depth look at the auto industry through Detroit's eyes, a tour of future industries in the Motor City, including brewery tours with complimentary beer tastings and a light lunch. This is always a favorite for locals and those in from out of town for the International Auto Show who want to get a little more up close and personal with Detroit.

Every couple of weeks, The Detroit Bus Company offers a fun and new themed tour through the heart and mind of Detroit, showcasing the city's past, present and future. Past tours have included "Scofflaws and Speakeasies: The History of Drinking in Detroit" and "Comedy Bar Crawl: A Tour of Comedy Clubs in Detroit." These tours give access to places and areas that not even most lifelong Detroiters are aware sit right in their backyard. Please visit the website for a list of upcoming shows and prices.

Related: A Breakdown Of Detroit Neighborhoods

Pure Detroit Architecture Tours 
500 Griswold St. Suite 250
Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 963-1440
www.puredetroit.com

If you happen to be a real architecture aficionado and have been aching to know more about Detroit's old and beloved skyscrapers, as well as take a walk through some of the most famous, then the Pure Detroit Architecture Tours are made for you. This company believes in the revitalization of Detroit through hard work and education, so much so on the latter that it has been offering some of the most informative and sought-after free tours of the Motor City's most historic buildings for years now. The famed Guardian Building (also known as "The Cathedral of Finance"), the Fisher Building and a combined tour of many others all have their own personal walking tours. Pure Detroit's guides have years of experience and extensive knowledge concerning these iconic buildings, and for no charge at all, these tours are one of a kind.

Maybe riding around on a bus all day or being shuffled about in the cold isn't really your thing. Once the weather starts to warm up and the spring and summer months roll along, the folks at Preservation Detroit offer some of coolest historical tours of Detroit being offered these days. If you have a penchant for knowing the past, or perhaps were fascinated by history in school, these tours will cater to your every whim. Members can take a weekly tour for only $8, while non-members will pay $12 in advance or $15 at the door.

Related: A Walking Tour Of Detroit's Downtown