Winding through more than 200 miles of scenic roads and historic landmarks, the US 12 Heritage Trail is a journey through time. Along the way you'll enjoy wineries, monuments, incredible feats of innovation, and a relaxing end to your journey at the beach.
Start the adventure in Detroit. The Motor City has a distinctive personality and an incredibly storied past, which make it an exciting place to explore. Check out Woodward Avenue, the All-American Road and Automotive Heritage Trail, for some of the city's best architecture and coolest attractions, like the Detroit Institute of Arts and the Detroit Historical Museum. Get more in-depth into the city's auto history at the Ford Avenue Piquette Plant, the former factory and birthplace of the legendary Ford Model T. The Z Lot is a one-of-a-kind parking garage/art gallery where you can experience a different side of the city's car culture (oh, and The Belt, the alley beside the garage, is an art space as well).
Visit one of the oldest and largest markets in the United States, Eastern Market, where you can browse a vast array of local foods and goods. Grab coffee at Trinosophes and pizza at Supino's and walk from the market along the 1.5-mile Dequindre Cut Greenway down to the Riverfront. At the Riverfront, you can stroll through Milliken State Park and Harbor, the state’s first urban state park, and take in some great views of the Ambassador Bridge and Canada. The Riverfront is also home to the Department of Natural Resource's Outdoor Adventure Center, which is great for kids, with its many interactive and innovative exhibits.
You could easily spend a whole day exploring everything that Belle Isle Park has to offer. The island in the middle of the Detroit River features a restored aquarium, a conservatory, a nature zoo, and a museum. Crossing the MacArthur Bridge from Detroit to the island is like entering a whole other world!
The Michigan Soldiers and Sailors Monument is one of Detroit's oldest and most special pieces of public art. It's one of the country's first Civil War monuments, having been built in 1872, and has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places. A lot has changed in Detroit since it was unveiled, but it's stood the test of time, and remains a beloved sight in the city.
If you're looking to further explore the surrounding region of Detroit, head to nearby Wyandotte to bike the Downriver Ramble. The neighborhoods "downriver" from Detroit are worth touring, and this 18-mile ride is a great way to do it. There's also the considerably longer 86-mile Tour de Wayne and Washtenaw Classic, which Tour de France finisher and Dearborn native Frankie Andreu likes to take through the suburbs.
If you're looking for a wild adventure in Detroit, head to the Detroit Zoo. It's a world class facility with more than 2,500 animals of 270 different species, and it features incredibly detailed habitats to house them. All of your favorites are here, including penguins, bears, camels, gorillas, kangaroos, lions, rhinos, crocs, sloths, zebras and more. There's even a giraffe encounter, the world’s largest penguinarium and one of North America’s largest polar bear habitats.
One of the most prestigious history museums in the country is right along U.S. 12: The Henry Ford. It is, of course, named for Henry Ford, of Ford Motor Company, but it's so much more than just a museum about cars. Of course, there's auto history here, but they also have airplanes, helicopters, presidential cars (include the limo that JFK was assassinated in), the bus Rosa Parks rode, and the historical Greenfield Village (that you can tour in a Model T). If you want to make the most of a trip here, leave at least a day to explore... that's how much incredible history is contained within. At The Henry Ford, you’ll discover America and hundreds of hands-on ways to explore it.
Inkster is a suburb of Detroit that's worth spending time exploring. They have a nice farmer's market on weekends, and nearby you'll find the Wayne Historical Museum, which is located in the old Town Hall, a gorgeous Victorian building that's loaded with history. Old photos, maps, artifacts, art, and more tell the story of this part of Michigan.
Next stop on the route is Ypsilanti. This funky, artsy community has a bold personality that you can delve into at their historic district, Depot Town. It has an old train station and Civil War barracks, plus old buildings that now contain trendy restaurants and museums. One cool spot is the Automotive Heritage Museum, which has a massive collection of old cars and auto-related memorabilia.
Ypsilanti is also home to the Michigan Firehouse Museum, which is located in a 19th-century firehouse and filled with historical artifacts and modern info on firefighting, and the Ypsilanti Historical Museum, which is located in a Victorian home filled with beautiful old artifacts and cared for by incredibly passionate docents.
For hiking near Ypsi (as the locals call it) try the North Bay Trail. Two miles of trail are contained within a 15-acre park, and the hike takes you across boardwalks and bridges to islands on Ford Lake. Fishing fanatics: bring your gear, because the angling here is awesome.
The Lenawee County town of Tecumseh is home to the Cemetery Tour. The 20-mile bike route takes you to three old graveyards, which look like city parks, with their landscaping and old, ornamental headstones. Between the graveyards, one of which is the historic Brookside Cemetery, you'll pass by rural farmlands.
At Cambridge Junction Historic Park in Brooklyn, you'll find the famed Walker Tavern. Historically, a stagecoach ride from Detroit to Chicago took approximately five days, and a stop-off at Walker's Tavern was highly anticipated by many weary travelers. Today if you visit, you'll find it decorated as it was in the 19th century, with living history interpreters and awesome exhibits. You'll get a really unique look at life in Michigan back when it was considered the frontier!
As U.S. 12 makes its way west from Detroit, you'll pass through wine country. Plan to visit a few of the vineyards and wineries along the Southeast Michigan Pioneer Wine Trail. Cherry Creek Cellars uses old-world techniques to make wine in an 1870s schoolhouse, Sleeping Bear Winery uses all-Michigan grown fruits and grapes, and also has a sister brewery nearby, and the Pentamere Winery lets you peek into the winemaking process as you sip their offerings in their tasting room.
Lenawee County is a great region to explore in Southern Michigan. It's the home of the Pioneer Wine Trail, lovely lakes, and quaint towns. Take a ride on the Southern Michigan Railroad, the state's first branch railroad, to enjoy the scenery of the county. It's not all relaxing train rides and sipping wine here in Lenawee, though: feel the rush of pure speed at the Michigan International Speedway or by jumping 18,000 feet out of a plane at Skydive Tecumseh, the highest skydive jump offered in the U.S.
From small towns to big cities, it's hard not to be charmed by the rich history along this unique heritage route. Feel the allure of the past and the touches of personality that make southern Michigan's attractions so distinctively enjoyable!