With the largest concentration of Arab Americans outside of the Middle East and the largest Mosque in North America (the Islamic Center of America), and as the hometown of Henry Ford and Ford Motor Company, Dearborn is a diverse suburb of Detroit known for its automotive and arts and culture scene. It is also is the seventh-largest city in Michigan, featuring two walkable downtowns full of restaurants, nightlife, art, and more.

Primarily on the east side of Dearborn are a diverse mix of Middle Eastern restaurants, bakeries (check out Shatila Bakery), cafes, grocers, and hookah lounges. In downtown East Dearborn, you’ll find the Arab American National Museum and  City Hall Artspace Lofts that offer subsidized studio living for full-time artists. Just down Michigan Avenue, downtown West Dearborn has a good mix of bars, coffee shops, restaurants (see: Bangkok 96 and Al Ameer), record stores, and the location of Ford’s Wagner Place offices. In the central part of the city are the University of Michigan – Dearborn, Henry Ford College, the Henry Ford Museum, and Greenfield Village.

Photo by: Downtown Dearborn

Dearborn is also known for its large community events, such as Dearborn Homecoming and Dearborn Memorial Day Parade.

Photo by: Mary Laundroche, City of Dearborn

Photo by: Arab American News

Residents and visitors will also never have an issue getting around Dearborn, with both major transit agencies in Michigan serving the community because of its position between Detroit and the west suburbs. Residents have access to four of DDOT’s Connect 10 routes and SMART’s FAST Michigan Avenue route. These primary routes make it convenient to travel to Downtown Detroit, Southwest Detroit, Midtown, and the airport. The city is in process of launching a bike share system and created a multi-modal plan to improve walking, cycling, and transit options in the city in 2020. Additionally, there are several outdoor recreational spaces like the Rouge Gateway Trail, canoe launches on the rouge river, and over 400 acres of public parkland.

Photo: MI Trails Magazine