Gay Friendly Detroit...

Hardly an enclave for tolerance and goodwill, it is not surprising that Gay Detroit still struggles to assert itself. Nevertheless, the gay and lesbian community has set down roots - and gay Detroit has something to offer every traveler.

Detroit - and Gay Detroit - is rich in history, offering a hefty serving of American history built on the strait banks of the river connecting St Clair and Erie Lakes. Detroit (French for 'strait') and its namesake waterway still carry the anguished ghosts of the 1701 Le Griffon - then captained by Father Louis Hennepin who spied the strategic site, declaring it worthy of settlement. Over its tumultuous incarnations as a fur-trading center; a key stop on the underground railroad; the Paris of the West; Motor City, Motown, Rock City, The City of Champions, The D and The 313 - Detroit had its ups and downs. In 1812, Chief Pontiac's Rebellion sparked a bloody British takeover, only to be superseded by the Americans one year later. The all-consuming fire of 1805 left but one building standing; later, Detroit witnessed Jimmy Hoffa's rise in Union ranks, racial strife along the 8 Mile corridor and a fall from grace as it became known as the world's crime capital (and Halloween's eve Devil's Night birthplace) and, finally, the long-overdue downtown revival starting in the 1990's.

Music has been at the forefront of Detroit's nightlife since the late 1940s, culminating with Motown Records' success in the 1960s and early 1970s. Founded by Detroit's Berry Gordy, Jr. Motown spawned top-billing acts like The Temptations, Four Tops, Smokey Robinson, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Marvin Gaye and Aretha Franklin.

During the same golden music era, Metro Detroit spurred a high-energy rock scene centered around the Grande Ballroom with artists like Alice Cooper, Ted Nugent, Rare Earth, and Bob Seger. In the late 1990s, hip-hop also rose to prominence with the emergence of Eminem.

Hard hit by the oil crisis of the 1970's, when economical Japanese labels invaded the market, Detroit's fame as the world's automotive capital was suddenly eclipsed. Tough times followed for the largely untrained automotive workforce, as stable jobs disappeared in a flurry of layoffs - threatening livelihoods and beefing up unemployment and crime.

With so much living history going for it, Detroit offers much to the savvy gay traveler, making it an undeniably worthwhile destination - from gambling casinos, Broadway shows, Greektown strolls, quaint B&B's and architectural landmarks, to the lively cabarets at 8 Mile Road's Rainbow Room (where the prettiest women happen to be men).


Where to Stay in Gay Friendly Detroit

Bypassing Detroit's historical treasures would be a pity indeed - however, the Westin Detroit Metropolitan Airport's (734.942.6500) convenient location within the city's newest McNamara Terminal makes it easy to do business on the fly. Exceeding the usual biz appointments, Westin planners allowed for 25,000 square feet of flexible meeting space so that busy execs can zip through a day's worth of deal making with plenty of Ballroom seating to toast bullish gains. Should you crave a midnight splash halfway through the gala celebration, there is a 24-hour pool - even the Reebok Gym is always open (in case you choose to work away frustrated libido). And, when all is said and done, you can wash off the day's tensions in Westin's Heavenly BathSM (cold showers on the ready) before you freefall into wish-fulfilling dreams on a Heavenly Bed®.

A slice of Detroit history is served along with breakfast in bed (if you ask nicely!) at the 1891 Woodbridge Star (3985 Trumbull Avenue - 313.831.9668), a National Registered Historical Site. Minutes form the Downtown Theatre District, casinos, Riverfront, Comerica Park, Greektown, Mexican Village, Detroit jazz clubs, the Detroit Institute of Arts, Eastern Market, Windsor (15-minute drive takes you into Canada), and Renaissance Center, this small B&B is nestled in one of the city's oldest neighborhoods. You can rent the entire house for little over $1,000 per night - maybe even have a private turn-of-the-century costume party for up to 12 of your gay buddies in resplendent Victorian charm, complete with stained glass windows, marble and mahogany fireplaces, oak woodwork, ornate period embellishments and 10-foot ceilings. The Northwood/Hunter House sailed through Detroit's gilded age as a private residence for one the city's successful brewer families, the original horse-watering troughs still preserved in the property's carriage house. Converted to a place of worship in the 60s, a decade or so later it reclaimed its former purpose and was later acquired by a couple of enterprising gay-friendly innkeepers who currently run this quaint B&B. From the 3 rooms and 3 suites you may prefer the Jacuzzi-fitted Billiard Room, the 4-poster-bed Doll Room, or the Deco suite - where you slide to sleep in the queen-size metal sled right after a relaxing soak in the antic solid copper tub.

Detroit abounds with choice accommodation options that are steeped in the city's history, including the 'luxurious' (and reportedly snobbish) Atheneum Suite Hotel, in the heart of Greektown and close to most of downtown's gourmet delectations and circuses.


What to See and Do in Gay Friendly Detroit

Music stands at the core of Detroit's cultural life - Jazz, rock, hip-hop anyone? Annual events include the 27-year-old Ford Detroit International Jazz Festival (313.647.0149), held on several stages across downtown; the hip-hop Summer Jamz; and fun-filled Motown Winter Blast (313.963.8418) - a festival of outdoor events, concerts and family-favorite Greektown street party.

A cultural staple and member of the league of Historic Theatres listed in the National Register of Historic Places, Detroit's Music Hall (350 Madison St - 313.887.8501) was one of the first venues to be restored during the Detroit Renaissance. However, the place to learn about Detroit music greats is Motown Historical Museum (2648 W Grand Blvd - 313.875.2264), housing a fascinating collection of historical photographs, artwork, music and costumes. Each item tells a story - from the $800 loan given to Berry Gordy, Jr. by the Gordy family savings club (the Ber-Berry Co-op) to produce his first record - to the explosive popularity of Motown's artists throughout the world.

2006 saw the 36th Detroit Institute of Arts' Annual Fash Bash (313.833.6954), a major fashion event held in August on the rooftop of General Motors' new Beaubien Place parking structure in downtown Detroit, overlooking the Detroit International Riverfront.

The Detroit Institute of Arts is home to the Detroit Institute Theater (313. 833.3237), and site of some of the finest half-dozen encyclopedic collections in the western hemisphere: Fra Angelico's Angel Annunciate, Vincent van Gogh's Self Portrait, Auguste Rodin's The Thinker, the N'kesi N'konde Nail Figure from Kongo and Diego Rivera's Detroit Industry murals (5200 Woodward Avenue - 313.833.7900).

You may simply not have time to see all the city's museums and exhibitions - but if you can extend your visit, check out the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (4454 Woodward Ave Detroit - 313.832.6622), and Belle Isle Conservatory (313-852-4065). The Henry Ford & Greenfield Village (313.271.1620 ) is the nation's largest indoor-outdoor museum complex, with exhibits like the Automobile in American Life, Presidential Limousines and even Dymaxion House - 'the house of the future' designed by visionary architect R. Buckminster Fuller.

New Yorkers aching for Broadway-quality theatre can find it in Detroit's theater district (the nation's second largest in terms of seats) where the Fisher and Masonic Temple Theaters (6,500 combined seating capacity) hosted world premiers of Hello Dolly, Fiddler o the Roof, Sweet Charity and Mikhail Baryshnikov's US tour (313.872.1000).

For all your expectations of glitz and glamour, the Fox Theatre's opulent neo-Byzantine architecture (some 300,000 glass jewels embedded in the decor!) might well leave you speechless as you enter the cavernous lobby dominated by a two-ton chandelier. While undergoing renovations during the late 1980's (when it finally shed its porn & psychedelia reputation), treasures like autographed photos of Elvis Presley and vintage movie posters were found in the dusty cabinets of the theater's promotion office (2211 Woodward Ave - 248.433.1515).

If you are passionate about cars, don't miss the North American International Auto Show, held in January at downtown's Cobo Hall since 1965 - celebrating 100 years in 2007. Since its designation as an international event in 1989, the NAIAS has hosted 994 North American and worldwide vehicle introductions and sells over 700,000 tickets over the four-day event (248.283.5173).

Some of my gay friends prefer a quiet dinner at home, contriving sizzling concoctions for their partners - the Eastern Market (North of Gratiot Ave, East of I-75 - just follow the signs!) is the place to buy the gamut of fresh ingredients. This farmer's distribution center dates from 1941 and is the largest open-air flowerbed market in the United States (43 acres!), visited by 45,000 shoppers on any given Saturday. On the drive back (if you happen upon the perfect slice of time), you might spy the J.W. Westcott II (world's only floating post office!) delivering mail to freighters on the Detroit River.

The grass-roots Black Pride Society (BPSociety) holds Hotter than July, an annual event founded on the core principles of Kwanzaa, 'promoting collective works to nurture a healthy community through economics, spirituality, networking, education and culture'. BPSociety are the stewards of Midwest's oldest black lesbian, gay, bi-affectionate and transgender pride celebration.

For those aching to watch a good gay-themed movie, the Main Theatre (313-537-3323) in nearby Royal Oak hosts a midnight series of GLBT films from around the world each summer - their fourth edition of Reel Pride Michigan presented an engrossing schedule of thoughtful, provoking films.


Dining and Nightlife in Detroit

Downtown Detroit's dynamic culture vibes carry over to a multi-hued splattering of dining and circuses options -- whatever your culinary and ambiance pleasures, you're bound to have them fulfilled at one of the area's restaurants.

Take Union Street Saloon (4145 Woodward Ave. - 313.831.3965), hub of the Cultural Center - Wayne State University, College for Creative Studies, Detroit Institute of Arts, Orchestra Hall, Detroit Medical Center and Hillberry Theatre are within minutes from the front door. The so-called Motown's hangout lets you mingle with the hip, urban crowd, the theater crowd, university professionals and students. Dating from the early 1900's, this casual dining place welcomes with Art Deco ambiance, wooden floors and lots of neon (though no TV or live music). Go for their famous Dragon's Eggs, Gumbo or the Salmon Salad. Spicier palates would appreciate the buffalo wings, just begging to be washed down with one 100 beers on the menu.

The Century Club building has a fascinating history - starting back in 1903, when it was constructed as a meeting facility for the Twentieth Century Club women, who later contracted noted architect George D. Mason to design an adjoining theatre space, now known as the Gem Theatre. This is where you'll find The Century Grill (313.963.9800), serving "New American" cuisine - Beef Wellington, Cedar Planked Whitefish (baked in Native American tradition on a cedar plank) and Cornish Game Hen Under A Brick (herb and spice basted, then grilled under a brick). If city planners had their way, the Gem Theatre (and Century Grille) would have been demolished in the late 1990's to make way for new sports stadiums for the Detroit Lions and Tigers. Fortunately, Detroit Theatre District pioneer Chuck Forbes (who had purchased the dilapidated building in 1984 and restored the ornate, Spanish Revival-style Gem Theatre), painstakingly relocated the Gem Theatre and Century Club facility to the corner of Madison Avenue and Brush Street - braking the Guinness Book world record for the heaviest building ever to be moved on wheels. Restored once more to incorporate a 200-seat cabaret-style theatre, the decor now includes artifacts from the historic downtown YWCA building - antique fireplaces, ornate chandeliers, and Pewabic tiles.

Skimming Italy, Spain and France, simply reading the menu at Twingo's Euro Cafe's (4710 Cass - 313.832.2959) is enough to get your salivary juices going: sherry-steamed mussels with Andouille sausage, red peppers and garlic; wild mushroom crepes; rack of pork with shallot-Riesling sauce; crayfish; chicken fricassee; and grilled flat-iron steak au poivre. Take your time degusting the well-presented dish of choice - and express your appreciation at the careful interior restoration. The owners have reused much of the original materials as they set about enlarging the restaurant - vintage tiles at the entrance were patched to look 'as new' and Brazilian cherrywood floors adorn the balcony, a prime seating area extending about half the space above the main floor, where the walls are done up in gold, green, blue and bright yellow.

For gay spirited drinks, get ready to hop over to Royal Oak and take a seat at Pronto! (248.544.7900), where the smoky bar with music videos is ideal for either gender to score with the same (while the smoke-free dining rooms are shared with all kinds). Upscale sandwiches dominate the menu, with salads, pizza (nouvelle offerings with toppings like artichokes and cilantro), pasta, calzones, potpies and even meatloaf sharing the bill.

For cozy one-on-one conversations before your clubbing night-spree, Ferndale's gay-centric Soho (205 W 9 Mile Rd -- 248.542.7646) features a hip, copper-tile fountain in the window facing Nine Mile Road, and bold original artwork. Intimate, with classy charm, Soho is a romantic cocktail stopover, where Top-40 dance videos play on flat-screen TVs.

Detroit... Gay Nightlife in Detroit

Does gay Detroit know how to party? Oh, yeah - get ready to fly over the rainbow!

A shining haven for boys who feel great in pumps, The Rainbow Room (6640 E 8 Mile Rd -- 313.891.1020) stands solo on a lone stretch of Eight Mile Road, welcoming foxy local queens who, a few nights each week, turn the dance floor into a star-search "in the family." Boys in plaid skirts and girls with penciled-in 'stache - the Rainbow runs the gamut. Though the long-established lesbian crowd reigns, heart-stopping dance floor sessions can be spotted any day of the week.

For deep testosterone vibes, the Backstreet (15606 Joy Rd - 313.838.6699), an on-and-off center of gay Detroit club life since the 1970s (when it was known as the Escape Disco and nearly naked men entertained the patrons), is hopping with centerfold-quality men (and those who want to know them better). Women are welcome, but Backstreet's black walls, metal accents, loud, pulsating music and pecs as far as the eye can see, make for a gay man's paradise.

Some say Menjo's (928 W McNichols Rd - 313.863.3934) is really a mini-bathhouse, where stalls are the patrons' fav hangouts - but this long-lived gay gathering spot is clearly thriving. The 2001 makeover added a booming sound system - conducive to skin-on-skin dancing and meat-market vibes (in clement weather, the little outdoor deck in the back is a perfect getaway). Expect (if not enjoy) the ubiquitous leering - but then Menjo's is known for buzz, booze, bodies and boogie, and stays open til 2am from Thursday to Sunday.

For a complete list of Detroit bars and clubs serving the local gay community - please click on the nightlife tab found on the left side of this page.

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