Driving Down to Dearborn on Less Than $48 a Day

Automotive enthusiasts (a high-falootin' term that means people who like everything about cars) should love the drive to Dearborn, Michigan, a town synonymous with the rise of America's first mass-produced, self-propelled vehicle, the Ford. Dearborn is easily reached from Detroit, just ten miles northeast, or neighboring Canada on I-94, the same road from Detroit's Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, the major airline hub--think Northwest--in this part of Michigan.

Dearborn, with its high ratio of expense-account toting business travelers to budget-minded leisure visitors, is more expensive than nearby Detroit, but it is still possible to spend a day here, lodging and three meals included, for as little as $47.94. This can be accomplished by sharing a $67 double room at the Red Roof Inn, having a $2.95 omelet for breakfast at Leon's Family Restaurant, scarfing down a medium-sized pizza for lunch at Crazy Pizza ($4.99), and enjoying a pork chop dinner at the City Tavern for just $6.50. (For more details, see the listings below.)

Highlights

The city's most famous tourist destination is the Henry Ford Museum, a veritable Disney World of inventor's, industrial and automotive history--it's combined with the huge Greenfield Village theme park, making it one of the nation's favorite places to visit.

Amongst the many displays inside the museum, the standouts include the topless 1961 Lincoln X-100 in which President Kennedy was assassinated and the chair in which President Lincoln was killed. Of interest also are the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile and Buckminster Fuller's futuristic Dymaxion House. In the railroads section, several huge locomotives (including the largest steam-powered engine ever built) and complete trains dominate. There are also areas featuring aviation, racing cars, agriculture, home arts, firearms, clockwork, jewelry, silver and pewter. The museum is open daily except Thanksgiving and Christmas days.

Greenfield Village, which likes to call itself "America's Hometown Celebration," is adjacent to the Museum and is open daily from 9 to 5, except Thanksgiving and Christmas. Inside this sprawling area, you can see an IMAX movie, look at Henry Ford's birthplace, move through two of Thomas Edison's workshops, see Luther Burbank's garden office and Noah Webster's house, and ride a railroad train, a Model T, a horse-drawn bus, or a steamboat, just to mention a little of what is offered here.

Also at Greenfield, you can work in a print shop, operate a railroad handcar, make a brass candleholder, blow glass, weave, or throw pottery. You can see a daily parade, meet a robot replica of George Washington Carver or listen to any of several musical presentations. There's even a baseball game to watch on about ten days in summer, with a pre-game concert. For shopaholics, there are five different stores on site.

Admission to the Museum alone is $12.50, to the Village alone $14, to both $24. Seniors and children aged 5 to 12 pay less, children under 5 are free. Located at 20900 Oakwood Boulevard, Dearborn, phone 313/271-1620, Web site www.hfmgv.org. Detailed hours and driving directions found here.

For those who can't get enough of cars, there is the Automotive Hall of Fame, at 21400 Oakwood Boulevard (next door to the Henry Ford Museum), Dearborn, phone 313/240-4000, Web site www.automotivehalloffame.org. There is a lot of interactive displaying here, and much about who built cars and why. Admission is just $6 for adults, less for seniors and young people aged 5 to 12.

In Detroit

For visitors to the area, a side trip from Dearborn to Detroit can be wonderfully instructive and even entertaining. To spruce up for its 300th birthday this July past, the city pulled out all the stops, resulting in a new downtown and a sparkling array of museums, parks and sports venues.

Among the highlights is the beautiful and inspiring Charles H. Wright Museum of African-American History, the world's largest of its kind, with a permanent main exhibit on the past 600 years of African-American experience. Two additional galleries host changing exhibitions, and there is a theater for special programs. You can lunch at the cafe or shop in the museum's store. Contact them at 315 E. Warren Avenue, phone 313/494-5808, Web site www.maah-detroit.org. Closed Mondays, admission $5 for adults, children 17 and under $3.

Nearby is the new (July 2001) Detroit Science Center, with a lot of interactive displays the children should like. IMAX theater, gift shop and a cafe at the ready, also. 5020 John R. Street (next door to the Wright Museum), phone 313/577-8400, Web site www.sciencedetroit.org. Admission $7, less for children and seniors, closed on some holidays.

Two old standbys are also important: the Detroit Institute of Arts, with its huge Diego Rivera frescoes on the industry of the city; and the Detroit Historical Museum, where you can stroll the simulated streets of this city in the 1840s, 1870s and early 1900s. The Arts Institute is at 5200 Woodward Avenue, near the Wright and Science museums, and can be reached by phone at 313/833-7900, Web site www.dia.org, closed Mondays and Tuesdays and some holidays; recommended donation is adults $4, children $1.

The Historical Museum is at 5401 Woodward Avenue, just down the block from the Institute, and its phone is 313/833-1805, closed Mondays and some holidays. Admission $4.50, less for seniors and students, children 11 and under free. Free admission to all on Wednesdays. Web site www.detroithistorical.org/index.asp.

Fans of Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross and the Supremes, the Temptations, the Jackson 5, Gladys Knight and others in that category of superstar singers should get themselves to the Motown Historical Museum, out at 2648 West Grand Boulevard in Detroit, phone 313/875-2264 or 313/875-2265, fax 875-2267, e-mail motownmuseum@aol.com. They will find a fascinating (but smallish) display about the stars, the original recording studio and more, including an all-important gift shop with albums and memorabilia. It's all housed in the original buildings formerly know as Hitsville, USA, where the sound and the legends all started. Open daily, admission $6.

Lodgings

Though I don't usually recommend chain motels, you can take my word that the Dearborn Red Roof Inn is not your average cookie-cutter place to stay. It's bright and cheerful, it's run on a close-to-European guesthouse basis by a couple who knows all that implies in both ambiance and service, and it's cozy and comfortable. (Did I mention clean?) The rates are good, too, a double costing from $66.99 to $91.99, depending on the season (highest in summer, naturally). The rooms are fairly large for a motel, and there's a restaurant for all three meals should you so choose. Just ten miles west of Detroit, it's also only two miles from the Greenfield Village/Henry Ford Museum (the motel has package stays including that complex available). You can find them at 24130 Michigan Avenue, Dearborn 48124, phone 800/RED ROOF or 313/278-9732, fax 313/278-9741, Web site www.redroof.com.

Higher priced, and just as nice, is the Quality Inn Fairlane, right across the boulevard from the Ford Museum. A standard double room here goes for $99, but that includes a complimentary continental breakfast. Facilities of the hotel include an outdoor pool and picnic area, the Chicago Road House restaurant and a pretty garden. You'll find them at 21430 Michigan Avenue, Dearborn 48124, phone 800/228-5151.

Dining Out

Leon's Family Dining is just what the good food doctor ordered. This friendly place, with a wonderful lived-in ambiance, bustling waitstaff and tons of comfort food, will make you feel better just by stepping inside. So successful it has spun off seven sister restaurants throughout Michigan, this location is the birthplace of all Leon's outlets and is exceedingly popular with the locals. It should be, with omelets starting at $2.95, corned beef hash and eggs (with toast) at $3.95, and Hungarian goulash dinners at $6.50 (including an all-you-can-eat soup bar, a choice of salad, applesauce, cottage cheese or cole slaw). For lunch, sandwiches start at just $2.50 (grilled cheese). Contact Leon's at 23830 Michigan Avenue, Dearborn, phone 313/563-3713.

If you're after fast food, Crazy Pizza has plenty of specials for pick up or eat-in, including small pizzas for $3.40, medium at $4.49 and large for $5.49. Their 12-inch subs start at $4.99, their seafood dinners from $5.99 (three pieces of perch, steakfries, rolls, choice of slaw or dinner salad). They're located at 4469 Telegraph, phone 313/792-9000.

One of the nicest places to eat in Dearborn is the City Tavern, where steakburgers run from just $4.95 (served with cole slaw, lettuce, tomato and pickle, and feature 1/2 pound of "pure ground top choice" beef). Sandwiches start at $4.50 (for turkey breast), and dinner specialties from $6.50 (broiled pork chop, with soup or salad, choice of potato or rice, and "freshly-made bread"). Weekday Mexican specialties such as the beef enchilada (with rice and refried beans) go for just $4.95. Find them at 14316 Michigan Avenue, Dearborn, phone 313/584-1515.

An all-you-can-eat lunch or dinner is available at the most fun eating place in Dearborn, BD's Mongolian Barbeque (their spelling, not ours). If you haven't encountered the concept yet, it works like this: you get yourself up to the buffet, grab a bowl and start off by selecting from a huge range of ingredients that you want for your own stir-fry. Choices include several varieties of meats, poultry and seafood, many different vegetables, selected oils and sauces, and lots of spices. Then you take this in your bowl to the grill, where a nimble-wristed chef quickly stir fries it while you watch. The all-you-can-eat lunch is $9.99, ditto dinner $12.99. If you want just one bowl of ingredients and a salad at lunch, it's only $8.99, without the salad $6.99. Kids under 12 pay just $4.99. White rice and tortillas are included in the price, too. A bright and cheerful atmosphere is a bonus. They're at 22115 Michigan Avenue, Dearborn, phone 313/792-9660. The Web site is www.bdsmongolianbarbeque.com.

Summing Up

You can view additional information about the cities of Dearborn and Detroit online at www.cityofdearborn.org and www.visitdetroit.com.