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rick zombo

Looking for advice/attending a Wings home game

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Hey everyone,

Long-time LGWer here.

I'm taking my dad and brother to the Joe March 6th and 7th. This will be our first ever Wings home game. We're making the journey from the east coast of Canada so it's a biggish sort of deal.

I've been doing a s***-load of research in planning for this trip.

I just thought, since I have great respect for a lot of you, if anyone had any suggestions based on personal experience about the following:

1. Where to stay: I'm looking at Greektown Casino, Holiday Inn Express, Westin Book, and Doubletree Lafayette.

2. Best pre-game and post-game hangs for food and beer that have easy flow and access to the people movers.

I have read all there is to read on Trip Advisor, etc. But I want to hear what the LGWs hardcore locals had to say.

Pretty sure I have the rest covered but any other tourist tips, dos and don't, etc would be aprreciated.

I'll pay you back in advice if any of you are ever planning to travel to Atlantic Canada (which is beautiful, by the way) ;)

Mods, feel free to move this to where ever it should be.

Thanks all!!

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I don't want to put the link here since it's another forum, but hfboards has a 'visiting detroit' sticky in the wings forum. Maybe some good tips in there.

I suspect this is what I'm looking for. Thanks.

Tried to find something like that here on LGWs in the watercooler and some of the other non-hockey forums.

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Greek town is your best bet as far as hotels go. You can just take the people mover to go to the games. Will you have transportation? Are you comfortable driving in unfamiliar areas? If the answer to these questions are yes, I would recommend you check out some of the suburban downtown areas. Detroit is great, but there are other areas that have lots to offer.

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I'm going to be in Michigan for Christmas, and I'm going to a wings game while I'm home.

I plan on spending the night at Greektown that night just because it makes things so easy.

- You park in their garage, and your car is relatively safe, and free if you get your ticket validated inside.

- You have a place to eat before/ after the game.

- if you spend the night you can leave the next day in the daylight. (easier to find your way around, and if you do get lost it isn't at night)

- people mover is a pretty efficient/ safe way to get to the game and back, and there is a stop inside of Greektown.

Just my 2 cents.

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Thanks for the advice and well-wishes everyone.

Keep the tips rolling.

Anyone eat at Slows BBQ? Is it as good as they say?

IMHO, slows is pretty overrated. Is there any particular type of restaurant or food you want to experience? Detroit and the surrounding suburbs have really seen an explosion of great restaurants.

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Thanks for the advice and well-wishes everyone.

Keep the tips rolling.

Anyone eat at Slow’s BBQ? Is it as good as they say?

My experience there was great. I had a sandwich they call the Triple Threat. It was excellent. A little on the expensive side (the sandwich was $8.50), but it was definitely worth the price. Smoked applewood bacon, brisket and ham. It was very good. I would recommend eating before you go to the game, because food at the Joe is expensive, and there isn't much open after the game. The Casino is nice, I suppose but I can't handle the smoking and the noise. I try very hard to avoid it.

If you are driving on your own, I would definitely recommend a little sidetrip up north a wee bit to Hockeytown Authentics. Good stuff! Take I-75 North to E. Big Beaver Road (no jokes, please), and take that a mile or so. It's on the north side of the road, next to the Troy Arena complex.

And whatever you do, have fun.

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I stayed at the Antheum in Greektown... gorgeous hotel, kind of $$ but I felt very safe, car as well. http://www.atheneumsuites.com/

The last time I journeyed to Motown last year, a bunch of us went to Cobo Joe's bar before the game. It was a blast. They poured alcohol on the bar, and lit it. Um. Yes, we lived to tell about it, obviously. It was a lot of fun. We went back after the game, but it wasn't as much fun.

that's kind of all I've got. Have a blast!! :w00t:

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Awesome feedback folks. Really appreciate it. Since I haven't seemed to annoy anyone yet, here's another question?

How do you find driving in the city?

Basically, I'm trying to decide if we should fly in to Detroit, or fly into Toronto, rent a car and drive down. The four hour drive's a piece of cake.

I'm trying to gauge how useful it would be to have a car. A lot of things worth seeing and eating seem fairly spread out. The drinking would happen when the car's at the hotel ;)

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Awesome feedback folks. Really appreciate it. Since I haven't seemed to annoy anyone yet, here's another question?

How do you find driving in the city?

Basically, I'm trying to decide if we should fly in to Detroit, or fly into Toronto, rent a car and drive down. The four hour drive's a piece of cake.

I'm trying to gauge how useful it would be to have a car. A lot of things worth seeing and eating seem fairly spread out. The drinking would happen when the car's at the hotel ;)

I'd say it'd be easier to fly into Detroit.. unless it's much cheaper/more.comfortable for you to go the other way? You can always rent a car after you get there and crossing the boarder can be a hassle at times.

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Just stay away from Laikon in Greektown past dark.

Wasn't fun having to give my statement to the police until around 2am after witnessing a stabbing/murder.

Ya in general I wouldn't venture much outside the hotel area after dark. Your more likely to get mugged or stabbed than find anything interesting. Sure as hell don't want to find yourself getting lost.

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Awesome feedback folks. Really appreciate it. Since I haven't seemed to annoy anyone yet, here's another question?

How do you find driving in the city?

Basically, I'm trying to decide if we should fly in to Detroit, or fly into Toronto, rent a car and drive down. The four hour drive's a piece of cake.

I'm trying to gauge how useful it would be to have a car. A lot of things worth seeing and eating seem fairly spread out. The drinking would happen when the car's at the hotel ;)

Driving brings its usual problems of idiots who don't know how to drive in the first place. But I would definitely have my own set of wheels. It makes it a lot easier to get around.

I've never had a problem downtown after dark. I guess it just depends on what's going on and the weather.

Edited by Kira

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Have to go for the Lafeyette Coney Island experience after a game.... Its a must! Its like going to Montreal and not going to Schwartz for smoked meat... You just got to do it

"ONE UP!!!!"

Edited by The Secret

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Have to go for the Lafeyette Coney Island experience after a game.... Its a must! Its like going to Montreal and not going to Schwartz for smoked meat... You got to do oy

Have to go for the Lafeyette Coney Island experience after a game.... Its a must! Its like going to Montreal and not going to Schwartz for smoked meat... You got to do oy

Yeah. That's on the list. When I go to Montreal, I go to Schwartz's at least twice. :lol:

You recommend going after the game?

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Just stay away from Laikon in Greektown past dark.

Wasn't fun having to give my statement to the police until around 2am after witnessing a stabbing/murder.

:eh:

Ya in general I wouldn't venture much outside the hotel area after dark. Your more likely to get mugged or stabbed than find anything interesting. Sure as hell don't want to find yourself getting lost.

Are you talking specifically about Greektown or the city in general.

Please don't tell me that we're trapped in our hotel after dark. I mean, I hadn't planned on blindly roaming around the city after dark, but it would be nice to go somewhere to drink/eat/hangout after the game.

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It's already been said, but.

Antheum in greektown is really nice and near the Joe, but expect to pay between $200-$300 USD

You can't really beat the hilton doubletrees location, and as for the Coney island you said you've got on your list of things to do....

Theres two"rival" Coney islands that are literally right next to eachother, american and lafeyette.

Good hot dogs, and a fun atmosphere, you can't go wrong with either.

My advice would be to go to each one, grab a Coney dog, choose which one you like best then tell them why you like theirs better.

cobo Joes is always a good choice before games as long as you're early enough to get a table.

me and my gf walked in around 6 before a 7:30 game and waited almost an hour to get a table, but the bars got awesome service, and enough red wings nuts there to keep you preoccupied.

The foods not the greatest, but for the price and company you can't beat it.

Chelis chili is also right there, I honestly wasn't very impressed with it personally, but its chelios' chili bar, enough said.

The hockeytown cafes right off that stop too.

And also.

Since its your first time going.

It's a bit out of the way, but Id be remiss not to tell you that Slows BBQ is worth the price of cab fare, or even a rental car if you're into amazing BBQ.

And as for dos and donts.

I've personally never had a problem downtown at night, but i know plenty of people who have, so,

try to stay within the confines of the freeways and the river...

If you start seeing too many victorian style homes, or abandoned houses, just head back toward the lights.

Ha.

Not that the outlying areas are actually that horrible, or that there isn't shady spots in that area but less chance for bad times.

whatever you do.

Have an awesome time.

Edited by jimmyemeryhunter

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Yeah. That's on the list. When I go to Montreal, I go to Schwartz's at least twice. :lol:

You recommend going after the game?

I'd go after the game.

Last time I checked Lafeyette closes at 4 a.m. and Americans 24 hrs.

If you go too far down Lafayette the streets do get darker, and a bit worse.

But you'll be fine.

quote name="rick zombo" post="2458462" timestamp="1385564881"]

:eh:

Are you talking specifically about Greektown or the city in general.

Please don't tell me that we're trapped in our hotel after dark. I mean, I hadn't planned on blindly roaming around the city after dark, but it would be nice to go somewhere to drink/eat/hangout after the game.

You're not trapped there...

Ha.

Don't let them scare you.

It's a bit rough, but as long as you stick to the main streets, you generally dont have to worry.

Stay near the people mover, and remember it doesn't run after midnight.

So either find some place you like and have a cab take you back to your hotel, or find a place you like near the hotel so you don't freeze walking home.

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I'd go after the game.

Last time I checked Lafeyette closes at 4 a.m. and Americans 24 hrs.

If you go too far down Lafayette the streets do get darker, and a bit worse.

But you'll be fine.

quote name="rick zombo" post="2458462" timestamp="1385564881"]

:eh:

Are you talking specifically about Greektown or the city in general.

Please don't tell me that we're trapped in our hotel after dark. I mean, I hadn't planned on blindly roaming around the city after dark, but it would be nice to go somewhere to drink/eat/hangout after the game.

You're not trapped there...

Ha.

Don't let them scare you.

It's a bit rough, but as long as you stick to the main streets, you generally dont have to worry.

Stay near the people mover, and remember it doesn't run after midnight.

So either find some place you like and have a cab take you back to your hotel, or find a place you like near the hotel so you don't freeze walking home.

Excellent advice. Thx.

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