Self-Guided Detroit Walking Tour: Spirit and History

Navigate Detroit's past and present on your own time, from Buddy's pizza to the Joe Louis Monument.

This self-guided walking tour of Detroit uses the WalknTours smartphone app to navigate you through the city's artistic alleys, art deco architecture and public spaces at your own pace. You start at Buddy's on Broadway, where Detroit-style pizza was invented, and move through stops including Parker's Alley, the Guardian Building, The Spirit of Detroit sculpture and the Monument to Joe Louis. The tour takes 45 minutes to an hour, and you control when you walk, when you stop and how long you linger at each site. After the walk, you get access to a virtual version of the same route to revisit it later.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Detroit's history and landmarks

• Start at Buddy’s on Broadway
• Visit Parker's Alley
• Walk through The Belt alleyway
• Relax at Campus Martius Park
• See the 1928 skyscraper
• Explore the Guardian Building
• View The Spirit of Detroit statue
• Visit the Monument to Joe Louis

The Experience

The tour begins at Buddy's on Broadway, the birthplace of Detroit-style pizza, so you can grab a slice before heading out. From there, the WalknTours app guides you through stops that show how the city has transformed. You'll walk Parker's Alley, a brick-lined street named after Thomas Parker, one of Detroit's first Black landowners, and The Belt, part of a larger effort by the Library Street Collective to reclaim underutilized spaces in the old garment district.

The architecture tells Detroit's industrial story. The Guardian Building, completed in 1929, is one of the finest art deco skyscrapers in the United States—originally nicknamed the Cathedral of Finance. Nearby stands a 1928 tower that was the 4th highest building in the country when it was built, rising above the street like the edge of a cliff. Campus Martius Park, created in 2004, anchors the walk; USA Today named it a Top 10 Public Square in the country, a remarkable turnaround for a neighborhood few people felt safe walking through two decades ago.

The tour closes on two monuments to Detroit's people and values. The Spirit of Detroit sculpture, with its sun-like rays and figures representing human relationships, appears throughout the city as a symbol of the place. The Monument to Joe Louis honors the boxer who fought segregation and Jim Crow laws, and who told young African Americans to join the Army during World War II with the words: "Lots of things wrong with America, but Hitler ain't going to fix them." You move through the city at your own speed, stopping as long as you want at each site, and the app stays with you—you can walk the route again virtually anytime after.

What’s included

Smartphone-guided walking tour on the WalknTours app with audio in English; access to a virtual walk of the same route after you finish the in-person tour.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by WalknTours

Is this one for you?Solo travelers and anyone who wants to explore Detroit without a guide's schedule will appreciate moving through the city at your own pace—you stop when something catches your eye, linger as long as you want, and walk only the parts that interest you.

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Top questions

What is Parker's Alley and why does it matter in Detroit's history?

Parker's Alley is a brick-lined street named after Thomas Parker, a free Black man who was one of Detroit's first Black landowners. It's one of the stops on the walking tour that shows how the city's neighborhoods developed and who shaped them.

Can I take this tour without a guide, just using my phone?

Yes. The WalknTours app on your smartphone navigates the entire route, so there's no in-person guide. You follow the app's directions and information at your own pace and on your own schedule.

How long does the walking tour take?

The tour takes 45 minutes to an hour, depending on how long you spend at each stop. You control the pace, so you can move quickly or linger as long as you want.

What makes the Guardian Building worth seeing?

The Guardian Building, completed in 1929, is one of the finest art deco skyscrapers in the United States. It was originally called the Union Trust Building and had the nickname "Cathedral of Finance" for its architectural grandeur.

What do I get access to after I finish the in-person walk?

After you complete the walking tour, you get access to a virtual version of the same route. You can revisit the stops and the stories anytime using the app.

Is there anything special about The Spirit of Detroit sculpture?

The Spirit of Detroit is a widely recognized sculpture whose sun-like rays symbolize God's light and whose figures represent all human relationships. The image appears throughout the city and is central to Detroit's identity.