Downtown Detroit and Midtown are walkable and connected by the QLine streetcar, but the wider metro area, including many of the city’s best-known attractions, is not well served by transit, so a rental car is worth planning for.
Detroit’s Metro Area Is Spread Out
Many attractions sit well outside downtown, and Detroit’s limited rail network means a car is often the only practical way to reach them without a long rideshare ride.
When You Definitely Need One
The Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village in Dearborn, about 20 minutes from downtown, and Ann Arbor, home to the University of Michigan roughly 45 minutes west, are both far easier to reach with your own car.
Compare rental rates above if Dearborn or Ann Arbor are part of your plans, or check flight and hotel options if you’re keeping things downtown.