Navigating Detroit with a wheelchair is not only possible but can be incredibly exciting. Whether you want to explore world-class museums, roll down public greenways, catch a baseball game, or eat your way through a market, it’s all possible with a wheelchair in the D.
There are a lot of ways to spend a long weekend in the Motor city. In fact, there are way too many wheelchair accessible activities and attractions to fit into a single weekend. The following detailed three-day itinerary is a great starting point if you’re visiting with a wheelchair, and want to get a taste of Detroit.
How to Get To and Around Detroit with a Wheelchair
As seasoned wheelchair travelers already know, it’s important to familiarize yourself with a city’s mobility services before getting into the nitty gritty of planning your itinerary. Once you know your modes of transport, it will be easier to organize your activities. Detroit has a number of wheelchair accessible transport options, including both private and public.
Detroit Metro Airport
Detroit Metro Airport (DTW) is where you’ll fly into if you’re visiting Detroit by plane. The airport is very accessible, with features like:
- Wheelchair assistance (bookable through your airline)
- Wheelchair van parking (in Big Blue Deck and McNamara garages)
- Accessible bathrooms
- High-speed terminal tram accessible by elevator
- Find more information on wheelchair accessibility at DTW here.
Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle Rental
If you or your travel buddies prefer to drive your own vehicle during your time in Detroit, then consider renting a wheelchair accessible van. These can be delivered to you directly at Detroit Metro Airport or elsewhere. Check out Creative Mobility Group online or by calling 888-998-4264 to book. Cloud of Goods also rents wheelchair accessible vans, and other mobility equipment. Some van features include:
• Side entry
• Rear entry
• Adaptive driving equipment
Checker Transportation
Checker Transportation is Michigan’s oldest and largest taxi company, operating since 1921, and they offer wheelchair accessible vehicles. Call 313-963-5000 to pre-book a journey, or discuss multiple journeys to fit your full itinerary.
Find more information on Checker Transportation’s wheelchair transport services here.
Uber and Lyft WAV
Both Uber and Lyft offer wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAV) in Detroit, which can be helpful when navigating downtown sites where nearby accessible parking is more difficult to find. It’s recommended to book in advance, if you can, because wait times can be unpredictable due to a shortage of vehicles.
Public Transport
Detroit’s called Motor City for a reason, and many people find it easier to get around by car than public transport. Saying that, public transport in the city is expanding, and there are some wheelchair-friendly options that you may prefer to use, especially when traveling downtown.
• Q Line: A 3.3-mile streetcar that traverses Woodward Avenue, connecting downtown, Midtown, and New Center. The streetcars are designed to have station-level access and there are reserved areas for wheelchairs.
• People Mover: An automated light rail system with 13 stops that loops around downtown Detroit. Stations have elevator access and trains have securements for manual wheelchairs. More information on ADA accommodations here.
• DDOT: The city of Detroit’s bus service, with 48 fixed routes. All buses have ramps and/or wheelchair lifts for access. There is also a new paratransit service.
• SMART Buses: The regional bus system for southeast Michigan. Fixed-route buses are accessible with ramps or lifts. There is also an ADA paratransit service.
Both the Q Line and People Mover are free to use. Find more information on public transportation in Detroit here.
3 Day Sample Wheelchair-Friendly Itinerary of Detroit
Day 1
Arrive to Detroit
Whether you’re flying or driving to Detroit, you’ve got options for arriving and getting into the city. The below itinerary can work with either your own wheelchair van, or with a combination of accessible taxis and public transport.
Check in to Your Hotel
There are many wheelchair accessible hotels in downtown Detroit, Corktown, and the metro area. See Visit Detroit’s full guide to wheelchair accessible hotels here. Some of the best include:
• MGM Grand Detroit
• The Westin Book Cadillac
• Hotel David Whitney
• Shinola Hotel
• Detroit Foundation Hotel
• Element Detroit
• Trumbull & Porter
• The Godfrey Detroit
Casual Lunch at Kresge Court
Your trip to Detroit starts at one of the city’s most iconic museums: the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA). You’re probably hungry after your travels, so begin your explorations with lunch at the DIA’s on-site café at Kresge Court. Choose from café fare like charcuterie, gourmet sandwiches, pastries, coffee, tea, and more.
Parking and entrance: The main entrance and John R. entrance to the DIA are both wheelchair accessible. There’s accessible metered parking by the main entrance as well as spaces in the DIA parking lot southwest corner.
Be Amazed at the Detroit Institute of Arts
Next up, spend a couple hours exploring the DIA. This museum houses over 65,000 artworks and is one of Detroit’s most beloved sites.
The museum is accessible throughout, with smooth floors, elevators, and accessible bathrooms on every floor. You can also rent a complimentary wheelchair or motorized scooter when you check in (for instance, if you use a manual wheelchair normally you may prefer a scooter at the DIA because the museum is massive!).
Find more information on accessibility at the DIA here.
Discover the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History
Next door to the DIA is another of Detroit’s best museums: the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. Since 1965, this museum has been telling the story of the African American experience both in Detroit and around the world.
Every area of the museum, including each exhibition, is accessible to wheelchair users. There are elevators and ramps throughout, as well as some complimentary wheelchairs to loan during your visit.
Dinner at Buddy’s Pizza
For dinner on your first night in Detroit, it’s got to be Detroit-style pizza… and there’s no better place to try that than at Buddy’s Pizza, where it was invented.
Buddy’s has a few locations throughout Detroit and the metro area, but the most convenient for your itinerary will be their downtown Detroit location on Grand Circus. You can even reach it from the Wright Museum by using the Q Line, which is wheelchair accessible.
Nightcap at Your Hotel Bar
After a leisurely dinner, it’s time to drive, uber, or use public transit to get back to your chosen hotel. Why not finish with a nightcap at your hotel bar?
Many of Detroit’s wheelchair accessible hotels also have on-site restaurants and bars with no barriers. Some of the best include:
• IO Rooftop Lounge at The Godfrey
• TAP at MGM Grand Detroit
• AXIS Lounge at MGM Grand Detroit
• Evening Bar at Shinola Hotel
Day 2
Explore and Eat Breakfast at Eastern Market
Rise and shine on your second day in Detroit! You’ll start your day at Eastern Market, which is the largest outdoor farmer’s market in the country. Try to arrange your visit for a Saturday so you can experience the Saturday market in all its glory, filled with local Michigan farmers, flowers, food traders, artisans, and more.
Do some shopping and grab your breakfast while you’re here (The French Cow does amazingly authentic crepes).
The market has smooth cement flooring and there are no stairs. All entrances are wheelchair accessible, and most paths are wide. There are also several wheelchair accessible bathrooms.
Parking: If you’re driving instead of taking a taxi or uber, there are multiple parking lots near Eastern Market. The best one for handicap parking is off Wilkins Street.
Get Outdoors
You have time after your visit to Eastern Market to explore some of Detroit’s beautiful green spaces and paths. Some of the best wheelchair accessible options include:
• Dequindre Cut: Conveniently located right by Eastern Market, the Dequindre Cut is a nearly two-mile public path surrounded by street art, that connects to the Riverwalk. The path is paved and wheelchair accessible, with ramps down to path-level
• Detroit International Riverwalk: One of Detroit’s most special places, the 5.5-mile riverwalk is a wheelchair accessible paved trail with beautiful views of Detroit and Canada. Cullen Plaza, in particular, is a good place to access it because it has accessible bathrooms, nearby parking, and a pavilion with food and drink options.
• Belle Isle: This 982-acre state park and island in the Detroit River offers stunning views and some accessible museums and attractions.
• Metroparks: If you want to head further out into the metro Detroit area, there are numerous parks that are wheelchair accessible, some even featuring track chairs, floating beach wheelchairs, and fishing piers!
Go on a Guided Tour of Michigan Central
Next up, you’re heading to Corktown, which is Detroit’s oldest (and historically Irish) neighborhood.
Begin with a visit to Michigan Central, which has been lauded as the most important adaptive reuse project to ever happen in Detroit. What was once an abandoned train station has been transformed into a tech and mobility hub, by Ford Motor Company. This place is an incredible symbol of the positive change happening in Detroit, and is truly a must-see while you’re here.
Be sure to pre-book a tour of Michigan Central with Detroit History Tours (they frequently sell out!). You can do so here. Tours run 90 minutes, and for the purposes of this itinerary a 1pm to 2:30pm Saturday time slot works well.
Parking and entrance: All entrances to Michigan Central are wheelchair accessible. Bagley Mobility Hub parking structure, and the path to Michigan Central from there, are both wheelchair accessible. There’s also ADA drop off at the station’s east entrance.
Late Lunch or Early Dinner at Batch Brewing Company
After your tour of Michigan Central, grab a late lunch at Batch Brewing Company, also in Corktown. This restaurant and brewery is located just a four-minute drive (about one mile) from Michigan Central, and has some street parking nearby.
Enjoy a taste of Michigan’s craft beer scene while you’re here. If hand-crafted beer isn’t your thing, then there is also an extensive menu of wine, hard cider, seltzer, cocktails, and non-alcoholic options. And don’t forget the delicious food (in particular: their famous hand-pulled pretzel served with spicy brown mustard and cheddar cheese sauce!).
If you choose to dine on the patio, there are some wheelchair accessible picnic tables (worth reserving ahead of time).
Catch a Game or Show
If it aligns with your trip (and your interests!) then this evening is a perfect time to catch a sports game or some live entertainment, and experience that incomparable Detroit energy for yourself.
Detroit has four major-league sports teams, that all play within downtown:
• Detroit Lions football at Ford Field
• Detroit Tigers baseball at Comerica Park
• Detroit Pistons basketball at Little Caesars Arena
• Detroit Red Wings hockey at Little Caesars Arena
All venues are wheelchair accessible, with parking, elevators, and accessible seats, but be sure to confirm these details when you book.
If theater, concerts, or comedy are more your thing, then grab tickets for this evening. The Fox Theatre, and other theatres in Detroit, have wheelchair accessible entrances and seats, but again confirm details when you purchase tickets. You can check out upcoming events in Detroit here.
Note: Depending on timing, if you’re still hungry for dinner then most of these venues have food options!
Try Your Luck at a Casino
Some will want to call it a night, but for the night owls, this is a good time to check out one of Detroit’s wheelchair accessible casinos! These include:
• MGM Grand Detroit Casino: This casino-hotel is open 24/7, and is fully wheelchair accessible, including valet parking. It’s also huge, at over 140,000 square feet!
• Hollywood Casino at Greektown: This casino is fully wheelchair accessible throughout, including wide pathways and wheelchair accessible gaming tables and slot machines. It also has accessible parking.
• MotorCity Casino: Another casino option that’s wheelchair accessible throughout, including valet and complimentary parking.
Day 3
Breakfast at Haus of Brunch
It’s your final morning in Detroit! Grab a quick breakfast at your hotel, or head out for brunch at one of Detroit’s restaurants.
One great choice for wheelchair users is Haus of Brunch. This is a new brunch-focused restaurant, located inside the Westin Book Cadillac hotel. The menu ranges from southern soul food to Middle Eastern cuisine, and it’s fully Halal with an extensive mocktail menu.
Like the hotel’s other amenities, this restaurant is wheelchair accessible. There’s also valet parking available, as well as some street parking and surface lots nearby.
The Henry Ford
After breakfast, take a taxi or drive out to Dearborn, where you’ll visit the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation. Spend a couple hours exploring the museum’s many exhibits dedicated to the country’s great inventors and innovators.
This museum is huge, so if you use a motorized wheelchair be sure it’s full charged. Most of the museum’s exhibits are wheelchair accessible, except for:
• Inside the Allegheny Locomotive cab (a virtual tour available nearby)
• Inside the Sperry-New Holland Combine cab (stairs)
• Inside the Rosa Parks Bus (stairs)
• The Dymaxion House (narrow doorway)
Parking and entrance: There is first come, first served accessible parking in the west parking lot close to the museum’s welcome center. There are also drop off zones by the clock tower and welcome center entrances. All public entrances are wheelchair accessible.
Explore Greenfield Village
If you have time, head over to explore Greenfield Village next. This historical village is part of the Henry Ford complex, and will take you back in time to experience historical buildings, shops, vehicles, and more.
It’s possible to explore Greenfield Village with a wheelchair, and it gets good reviews from wheelchair users. Some of the historic buildings have limited accessibility (see a full list here). In some cases, you can use a ramp to enter. There are also limitations for some of the village’s rides, like the Model T vehicles and railroad, so read up on that before your visit so you’re prepared (they may require transferring).
Parking and entrance: You’ll find first come, first served accessible parking on Village Road by the Greenfield Village entrance. There are also drop off zones in front of the ticket office. All public entrances are wheelchair accessible.
For more information on accessibility at Greenfield Village or The Henry Ford, visit here.
Head Home
All good things must come to an end, and it’s time for you to head home from Detroit. Hopefully you enjoyed your time rolling through Motor City, and come back soon!
Organizations That Support Wheelchair-Users in Detroit
If you need help planning a wheelchair accessible trip to Detroit, Visit Detroit has many travel guides and resources, and is here to help.
There are also dozens of Detroit-based organizations doing the work to make the city more accessible for people with disabilities:
• Detroit Disability Power
• Detroit Accessibility Project
• Disability Network Wayne Country Detroit
• Warriors on Wheels of Metro Detroit
• Michigan Disability Rights Coalition
There are so many ways to spend a weekend (or longer!) in Detroit as a wheelchair user. Check out more wheelchair accessible attractions, metroparks, and conference centers in Detroit to expand your itinerary.
While the city is making strides toward being more accessible, there are still barriers you’ll have to consider, like some uneven pavements and navigating parking.
Even though wheelchair travel undeniably comes with those added challenges, Detroit is improving in accessibility and aims to be a welcoming place for travelers who use wheelchairs.
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