Detroit Marathon

The annual Detroit Free Press Marathon and Half Marathon will be taking place on NIIC's opening day, Sunday October 20. Between the hours of 4am and 2pm on Sunday October 20, there will be increased traffic, street closures and related delays in the downtown and waterfront area.Please plan your travel and arrival to NIIC accordingly and allow for additional transit time. See here for our Marathon Sunday Travel Updates and here for detailed local street closure and parking information.

For those driving into NIIC and arriving BEFORE 11AM, we recommend the following:
NOTE: Southbound Lodge M10 will be closed till 9am.
Take 375 south to westbound Jefferson to TCF

NIIC will have a coat / luggage check onsite to help out and reduce the need for those traveling on Sunday to go directly to their hotel first.

NIIC attendees are also strongly encouraged to make their hotel bookings as soon as possible. Downtown properties will book up quickly!

Airport Information

The Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) is located ~21 miles southwest of the TCF Center (NIIC venue) and Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center (NIIC hotel).

Neither TCF Center nor the Marriott provide direct shuttle service to/from the airport. For driving directions from the airport to the hotel, please consult the “Airport Information” on the hotel travel directory.

• The local public transit system SMART offers a high-frequency service called FAST. From both DTW terminals, take the Eastbound Route 261 (Michigan Avenue) bus; in just over an hour, it will reach the Larned & Brush stop, a 4-minute walk from the NIIC hotel. Find more information on public transit schedules here.

• Trinity Transportation is a local shuttle service business that offers rides to and from the Metro Airport, which you can book or find more information about at trinitytransportation.com.

• Estimated taxi or car service fare (one-way) is $50-$65 and takes about 25-30 minutes without traffic.

For more information, please visit the airport website or call them at 734-247-7678.

For those traveling by car or shuttle service, NIIC will also be providing a discount code for LYFT and ShuttleFare. These details will be available by mid-September.

Ground Transportation (Amtrak, Rail and Bus)

• Detroit’s Amtrak Station is about 4 miles away from the NIIC hotel and venue, and accessible by the Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) 004 Woodward bus or 016 Dexter bus.

• Detroit’s Greyhound Bus Station is a several-minute drive from the NIIC hotel and venue.

• The Detroit People Mover elevated train and the Qline are two local transit services (check out their websites for more information).

THINGS TO SEE & DO, WHERE TO EAT IN DETROIT

NIIC’s 2019 Co-Hosts in Detroit share the following recommendations of how to make the most of your time in the Motor City. Enjoy! Download PDF Guide

Downtown Detroit

• Central Kitchen and Bar Gastropub in Downtown Detroit that serves contemporary American classics.

• Vicente’s Cuban Cuisine

• Dime Store American Brunch Bar in downtown Detroit.

• Lafayette Coney Island and American Coney Island Coney Islands are what Detroit is known for. Check out these dueling institutions that serve the famous Detroit-style coney dogs.

• San Morello Italian restaurant located inside The Shinola Hotel featuring dishes like charred octopus with nduja and fancy wood-fired pizzas.

• Plum Market Great stop for healthy food options. 

• CVS on Woodward For all your snack needs or travel essentials.

• Avalon International Breads Bakery and cafe with vegetarian options.

• Go Sy Thai

• Mr. Kabob Xpress

• Mike’s Kabob Grill

• Roasting Plant Coffee

• Fort Street Galley  Food hall with several options.

• GM Renaissance Center Lots of options for all price points.

Detroit - Midtown, West Side, East Side

• Bangkok 96 Street Food Located inside Detroit Shipping Co, this is an offshoot of the Bangkok 96 restaurant in Dearborn and serves a delicious fusion of Asian cuisines.

• The Block Contemporary restaurant & bar serving global-inspired dishes. Good happy hour on Monday - Friday from 4-7 p.m. 

• Coop Carribean Fusion Chef Max is a native Detroiter and brings you this Carribean Fusion Restaurant. 

• Detroit Vegan Soul Great tasting, high quality, nutritious vegan food.

• Ima Modern Japanese noodle shop in Corktown with a creative take on udon noodles, rice bowls and shareable plates. 

• The Jamaican Pot Caribbean inspired dishes for an authentic Jamaican experience.

• Maty’s African Restaurant Senegalese restaurant in Old Redford serving delicious African food

  • https://www.hourdetroit.com/restaurants-food/matys-african-cuisine-brings-authentic-senegalese-food-to-detroit/

• Motor City Soul Food  Southern style comfort food.

• Momo Cha Napalese restaurant located inside Detroit Shipping Co. serving small dumplings called momos. 

• Norma G’s Carribean comfort food based on the owner’s Trinidadian heritage, voted one of the best new restaurants in Detroit.  

  • https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/dining/restaurant-of-the-year/2019/02/06/norma-gs-detroit-best-new-restaurant-free-press/2649050002/

• Yum Village YumVillage brings diverse, accessible and convenient Afro-Caribbean to Detroit.

• Shangri-La Authentic Cantonese with Dim Sum and sushi.

• Kuzzo’s Chicken & Waffles  A Detroit favorite!

• Sala Thai  Authentic Thai cuisine in Eastern Market.

• Cafe d’Mongo’s Speakeasy A favorite night spot.

• Bert’s Jazz Marketplace Famous for music and BBQ in Eastern Market.

• Baker’s Keyboard Lounge The world’s oldest jazz club!

• Motor City Wine  Great spot for wine and music.

• Brooklyn Street Local In Corktown, try the poutine!

• La Feria Spanish tapas restaurant in Midtown.

Southwest Detroit - The heart of Detroit’s Latinx community

• El Barzon This restaurant located in Southwest Detroit combines the best of both worlds in Italian & Mexican food and puts them into one menu.

• Taqueria El Rey Family-owned Mexican restaurant serving delicious food in Southwest Detroit. 

• El Nacimiento Mexican Restaurant

• La Terraza Mexican Restaurant

• Mi Pueblo Mexican Restaurant

• San Blas Mexican SeaFood Restaurant

• Nuestra Familia Mexican Restaurant

• Lupita’s Mexican Restaurant

• Evie’s Tamales

• El Salpicon Restaurant - Mexican seafood restaurant based on the coast of Nayarit best known for ceviche dishes

• El Rincon Tropical - Puetorrican restaurant

• Armando’s Mexican Restaurant

Hamtramck - A city 2.1 square miles home to folks from around the world

• Aladdin Sweets Aladdin Sweets & Cafe brings the culinary traditions of Bangladesh to Hamtramck. Dishes include biryani, curry and more.

• Royal Kabob

• Amar Pizza - Home of the Famous Ghost Pepper Pizza

• Reshmi Sweets & Cafe Indian restaurant known for its modern interpretation of classic dishes.

Dearborn - Home to Michigan’s Arab American community

• Al Ameer This Lebanese restaurant in Dearborn was the first restaurant to receive the James Beard America’s Classics Award and was the only Michigan restaurant named to Eater’s 2018 list of America’s 38 Essential Restaurants. 

• Qahwah House This coffee house located in Dearborn serves the best Yemeni coffee, pure Sidr honey and fresh-baked pastries. 

  • Owner Ibrahim Alhasbani’s flies the coffee beans directly from the family farm.

• Black Scroll Network 

  • Excellent walking tours led by renowned educator and historian, Jamon Jordan, sharing the history of African Americans and Black people in the City of Detroit. 

• Detroit Xperience Factory

  • The Detroit Experience Factory connects locals and visitors to Detroit’s people, places and projects through contextual storytelling, interactive experiences and innovative resources. 

• Pure Detroit in Guardian Building

  • Pure Detroit invites you to tour the building that became known as the city’s Cathedral of Finance. Beginning in the building’s grand banking lobby, you will learn the details surrounding the building’s creations, including the banking titans, stone workers, artists, and architects involved.

• Arab American National Museum

  • The Arab American National Museum opened in 2005 and is the first museum in the world devoted to Arab American history and culture. Located in Dearborn. 

• Charles H. Wright Museum Wright Museum 

  • The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History is located in Detroit’s Cultural Center.

• Detroit Historical Museum

  • Detroit Historical Museum chronicles the history of the Detroit area from cobblestone streets, 19th century stores, the auto assembly line, toy trains, fur trading from the 18th century, and much more.

• Detroit Institute of Arts

  • The DIA is one of the largest and most significant art collections in the United States. 

• The Henry Ford Museum

  • At The Henry Ford, you'll discover America—its culture, inventions, people and can-do spirit—and hundreds of hands-on ways to explore it, enjoy it and be inspired by it. 

• Motown Museum

  • Nicknamed “Hitsville U.S.A” this former photographer’s studio is the site of Motown’s first headquarters.

• MOCAD - Museum of Contemporary Art of Detroit

• Heidelberg Project

• Riverwalk and Milliken State Park

  • The Riverwalk is a 3.5 mile route offering breathtaking views of the Detroit River and city skyline. 

• Belle Isle

  • Belle Isle Park is a 982-acre island park located in Detroit with historic, environmental, and cultural resources that have been beloved for generations. The park is home to the Belle Isle Aquarium,  Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory, Dossin Great Lakes Museum, Belle Isle Nature Center, the James Scott Memorial Fountain, and more!

• Campus Martius

• Spirit of Detroit / Joe Louis Fist

• Hart Plaza

  • Michigan Labor Legacy Monument

  • Memorial to the Underground Railroad 

• Capitol Park

• Grand Circus Park

• Greektown

Getting Around

• Parking at TCF 

• People Mover - Great views of downtown, check out the murals at each station - only $0.75

• MoGo

• Q-Line

• DDOT

• Lyft: Use NIIC’s discount code (NIIC19) with Lyft and get 25% of 2 rides to/from the Detroit airport (DTW) and the TCF Center or Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center

  • Discount code is valid Oct 20-22, 2019 only