Detroit Senior Activities

If you're 55 and over and still young at heart, Detroit is a city full of energy and activities designed to please.

No matter your age, activity level or interests, Detroit has a wide variety of cultural, entertainment and outdoor to-dos sure to fill up your days with fun.

1. DAY 1: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
2. DAY 2: 9 a.m. - 8 p.m.
3. DAY 3: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.

3 DAYS | 15 HOURS

1. DAY 1: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Ford House

Tour and Dine at the Ford House (Edsel & Eleanor Ford House)

Experience the elegant lifestyle of a bygone era at the Ford House in scenic Grosse Pointe Shores. At the home of Henry Ford’s only child, Edsel, you’ll see original antique furnishings, an impressive collection of fine and decorative art and much more in a breathtaking 60-room Cotswold mansion. Dine in the Cotswold Cafe, and then take a stroll on 87 acres of gorgeous lakefront gardens and grounds.

Spend the Evening at One of Three Downtown Vegas-style Casinos

MGM Grand Detroit

Ignite your senses at the city’s first and only urban gaming and resort destination built from the ground up. Featuring a signature eatery from celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck as well as TAP sports pub, pouring Michigan craft beers. MGM is home to the only resort-style spa in southeast Michigan and offers exciting gaming, five unique bars and lounges and a 400-room hotel.

MotorCity Casino Hotel

Try your luck at the 2,900 slot machines and 59 game tables and take a break from the outside world at MotorCity Casino. Hit the D.Tour Spa for your adventures away from gaming. Dine at award-winning Iridescence or take in a concert at Sound Board. Book one of the hotel’s 400 rooms, all loaded with amenities.

Greektown Casino-Hotel

Greektown Casino-Hotel is located in the heart of Detroit’s most bustling restaurant districts. New Super Pit table games and a new video poker lounge, The Fringe, are among the updates at Greektown; a luxury 400-room hotel and plenty of dining and entertainment options round out the offerings at this unique location.

2. DAY 2: 9 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Ford Rouge Factory Tour

Spend the Day at The Henry Ford

Connect with America’s history at this national historic landmark consisting of three unique venues and more than 26 million artifacts on 200 acres, or take in a film at The Henry Ford Giant Screen Experience.

Greenfield Village

Experience the sights, sounds and sensations of 300 years of American history. Take a ride in an authentic Model T, visit Thomas Edison’s lab and see world-class artisans at work.

Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation

From race cars and freedom rides to modular houses and microprocessors, experience the breakthroughs, big and small, that have made our world what it is today. Highlights include the Driving America exhibit, President Kennedy limousine, Rosa Parks bus, President Lincoln chair, DC-3 airplane, and more.

Don’t Forget Lunch

Grab lunch at the Michigan Café or Lamy’s Diner in Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, or A Taste of History or Eagle Tavern in Greenfield Village. Snack your way through the offerings throughout Greenfield Village, such as Mrs. Fisher’s Southern Cooking (barbecue stand) or Cotswold Cottage (tea and sweets near the garden).

Ford Rouge Factory Tour

Put yourself at the center of sheer manufacturing might. See the history of the complex, the world’s largest living roof on this “green” plant and watch the action of the real-life factory floor where the Ford F-150 is made.

Dinner at Ford’s Garage

Have a prime burger and a craft brew while you enjoy a bit of automotive nostalgia at Ford’s Garage. The restaurant’s interior celebrates the look of a 1920s-era service station. Grab a drink or two at one of the bars with a Ford Model T perched high above.

3. DAY 3: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.

QLine Streetcar

Take a City Tour

Take a driving tour of downtown Detroit. Be sure to check out the new Little Caesars Arena and The District Detroit – just a few walkable blocks from the city’s signature sports stadiums Comerica Park and Ford Field — as well as Campus Martius Park, the Joe Louis Fist, the Spirit of Detroit and the fabulous Fox Theatre. Take in the wide variety of architecture in the city — from the towering Renaissance Center to the Guardian Building, Detroit’s “Cathedral of Finance.” Or, hop aboard the Detroit People Mover — a one-way, raised light-rail system with 13 stops at key downtown attractions. At just 75 cents a ride, the People Mover isn’t just a great way to get a handle on where things are downtown, it’s also an arts attraction — the stations feature more than $2 million in mixed-media artwork by renowned artists (go ahead and touch!). You can also ride Detroit’s new streetcar, the QLine, a 6.6 mile loop on Woodward Avenue that runs from Congress Street downtown to West Grand Boulevard.

Tour and Shop Detroit’s Pewabic Pottery

Visit the national historic landmark where this unique art form was developed in 1903. Pewabic is known for its distinctive vibrant glazes used for pottery and tiles. Get a demonstration of how the pottery is made and create a tile to take home. Pewabic Pottery houses a museum, gallery of contemporary pottery, learning center and gift shop.

Visit the Detroit Historical Museum

The Detroit Historical Museum is the only museum dedicated to telling our region’s history, with permanent exhibitions such as America’s Motor City, Doorway to Freedom – Detroit and The Underground Railroad and the beloved signature exhibit, The Streets of Old Detroit.

Other Options:

  • Tour Detroit’s historic churches
  • Visit the city’s museums — Arab American National Museum, Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, Detroit Institute of Arts, Holocaust Memorial Center, Motown Museum
  • See the birthplace of the Model T, the Ford Piquette Avenue Plant
  • Wander the riverfront on the pathways of Detroit’s RiverWalk and William G. Milliken State Park and Harbor
  • Visit the Michigan Outdoor Adventure Center
  • Tour the waterways on a Diamond Jack’s cruise
  • Visit historic Eastern Market on a Saturday morning year-round or on Tuesdays during the summer and fall
  • Check out our newest state park, Belle Isle, home of the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory