Visit Wyandotte

People call Wyandotte a lot of things. They compare it to Ann Arbor and Royal Oak. They call it Downriver's downtown and a jewel on the Detroit River. But one thing is undeniable – Wyandotte is one of Metro Detroit's places to be.

Wyandotte has a vibrant downtown and lively night life and recreation on the river, and visitors come by the thousands for its art fairs, parades and fireworks shows.

"I always thought of Wyandotte as Downriver's downtown," says Jeff Olstein, whose family has owned White's Furniture in downtown for decades. "It's a place where everybody can come and enjoy themselves."

Biddle Avenue

Ask a local the best way to get a feel for Wyandotte and they most likely will tell you to take a walk down Biddle Avenue in downtown. The thoroughfare is really a stretch of Jefferson Avenue that is renamed Biddle in Wyandotte. It's lined with a large variety of stores, restaurants and businesses. People can find everything from clothing stores to high-end restaurants to local pubs to ice cream stores — offering a big-city feel wrapped in a small-town charm. It all comes together to create one of Metro Detroit's most eclectic downtowns.

"We're a destination town," says James DeSana, mayor of Wyandotte. "People who come here know why they're coming here."

Among the highlights are the original Chelsea Mens Wear & Shoes and Willow Tree Womens Fashions. Ice cream shops with famous Detroit names, such as Sanders and Stroh's, are also in downtown. People looking for a beer and TV to watch the game will find comfort in a place like Lions, Tigers and Beers. While those looking for an establishment with an old, neighborhood feel will enjoy themselves in several of downtown's watering holes, such as longtime local favorite R.P. McMurphy's.

There are a number of restaurants with several ethnic flavors, ranging from Italian to Polish, throughout the city. A favorite is the Portofino restaurant on the river, which recently added a comedy club. There are also a number of art galleries that draw in people from across the Midwest, such as the Biddle Art Gallery.

All of these things, from growing the businesses to improving the streetscapes, have happened steadily over the years.

"The town is constantly evolving and constantly improving itself," says Gilbert Rose, owner of Chelsea Men's Ware and Shoes and Willow Tree Women's Fashions. "It's a gradual process. It doesn't happen overnight."

Events

Events are key to helping bring more and more people to Wyandotte. The city is famous for them, whether it's for its art fair, fireworks or 3rd Fridays.

"In the last 10 years it has been a really upbeat with events and energy," says Lisa Hooper, executive director of the downtown development authority for Wyandotte. "We draw from the whole Downriver area so it's not just this city."

Wyandotte's art fair is second to only one other art show in the state – The Ann Arbor Art Fair. The Wyandotte Art Fair, held just before Ann Arbor's in mid July, attracts vendor upon vendor and many more spectators each summer. It's the second largest in the state and the city and the merchants have been working hard to keep it that way for its 45 years of existence.

They have also the 3rd Friday events throughout the year where merchants will roll out the red carpet for customers with themed events. They offer everything from horse drawn carriage or trolley rides. Many shops and galleries launch new product lines and host special events on the third Friday of each month. Some of the highlights include a February Ice Festival and a winter Christmas tree lighting.

David Lapp, who lives in Wyandotte with his family of four, loves the events. "We have a great downtown," Lapp says. "There is a lot of action down here."

Attractions

"The fact that we have a waterfront separates us from the rest of Metro Detroit," says Joe Maher, a Wyandotte resident and real-estate agent. And the city takes full advantage of it.

Wyandotte's two parks on the Detroit River, Bishop and BASF, are two of its most popular. It also has the only golf course on the Detroit River in Wyandotte Shores. A number of marinas and boat launches are also located on the river, like most other river communities. However, Wyandotte also has a kayak launch and is one of the main hubs for rowing teams in Metro Detroit. More than half a dozen high school rowing teams dock their boats and practice off the shores of Wyandotte.

Away from the water there are plenty of other options. The city has a skate park and the Yack Recreation building downtown. The Yack has a skating rink that can be used for both figure skating and hockey. There is also the city's historical museum located in a gorgeous Victorian mansion on Biddle just north of downtown.

All of these things make Wyandotte what it is and the people who live there wouldn't have it any other way.

"It's a really unique community," DeSana says. "It's really still a small town. We do all we can to make sure it stays that way."