No matter how far we stray from the Motor City, there are a few things that will always remind Detroiters of our beloved hometown. Our city is rich with tradition, artistic flair, history, and culture — and these strong traits never fail to make us proud of where we’re from. When we’re far from home, here are 11 things that will immediately bring us back to our roots.
- Motown Music
Flickr/tomovox Detroit is the proud home of that Motown sound, and the unforgettable tones of our favorite hits will always bring us back to the Motor City. From Diana Ross to Stevie Wonder, countless incredible musicians call Detroit home — and we’re so glad to share a hometown with them.
- Faygo
Flickr/Bob Gaffen No matter how far from Detroit you stray, one sip of Faygo will immediately take you right back home. It’s difficult, but not impossible, to find Faygo throughout other parts of the country, so perhaps you’ve taken a sip of Redpop in California and immediately found yourself back in Detroit.
- Square Pizza
Flickr/Garrett Ziegler Sure, other locales have gotten in on this trend — but we Detroiters know that square pizza is actually called Detroit-style pizza. There’s nothing better than that perfectly crispy corner piece, and we’ll always feel at home when our cheesy pies are served in this unique shape.
- Ice-cold Weather
Flickr/Corey Templeton Perhaps you’ve been strolling through the streets of Chicago, only to have a quick flashback to your hometown of Detroit. Sure, the colder seasons is rough in other parts of the world, but there’s something truly one-of-a-kind about a Detroit winter. When you feel chilled to the bone, you’ll surely think of your hometown.
- Michigan Lefts
Flickr/larrysphat Whether you’re across Michigan or just in a nearby state, you might have come across the infamous “Michigan left” during your travels. We Detroiters are certainly accustomed to this odd and sometimes-annoying traffic direction, and it will always sweep us back to our time in the Motor City.
- Watching a heartbreaking football game
Flickr/Pete Sheffield Oh, the Detroit Lions. While we love our team, they’ve certainly prepared us for a lifetime of disappointment when it comes to sports viewership. Thankfully, we aren’t the only team that manages to lose in comical ways, so there’s something sadly familiar about watching another group of players blow it at the last minute.
- That lyric in “Don’t Stop Believing”
Flickr/Chad Johnson You know the scene: you’re at a friend’s house out of state, enjoying your mixed drink, when Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing” comes on and everyone lights up with excitement. When it comes time to sing, “born and raised in South Detroit,” everyone looks at you. You simply don’t have the heart to tell them that South Detroit isn’t a real place.
- A real-life octopus
Flickr/jpowers65 Whether we’re at an aquarium or walking through a fish market far from home, nothing says “Detroit” like a real octopus. Why? Any true Detroiter knows: one of our favorite sporting traditions involves throwing an octopus onto the ice prior to a Red Wings game. Don’t ask us how, but it definitely brings good luck.
- Coney Dogs
Flickr/w_yvr There’s nothing worse than an imitation coney dog when you’re far from home and a craving strikes. Sadly, no one makes a coney dog quite like the Motor City — and we’ll always think longingly of home when we see these tasty dishes advertised elsewhere. Is your mouth watering already?
- Canada
Flickr/Ted Eytan Detroiters often think of themselves as honorary Canadians. After all, we literally live a stone’s throw away from the border, and many of us even make the daily commute to and from Windsor for work. If we find ourselves in Canada, there’s a certain sense of pride for a Detroit resident — despite our Americanness.
- Riverfront walks
Flickr/Sean_Marshall The world is full to the brim of beautiful bodies of water, including plenty of scenic rivers. When we’re strolling alongside one of these rivers, we can help but miss our beloved Detroit River. From freighters to fishermen, there’s always something to see, and riverfront scenery will always sweet us back home to Detroit.
Tell us, Detroiters: what reminds you of home? Did we leave anything important off our list? We’re always eager to hear from you, so share your thoughts in the comment section below!
Flickr/tomovox
Detroit is the proud home of that Motown sound, and the unforgettable tones of our favorite hits will always bring us back to the Motor City. From Diana Ross to Stevie Wonder, countless incredible musicians call Detroit home — and we’re so glad to share a hometown with them.
Flickr/Bob Gaffen
No matter how far from Detroit you stray, one sip of Faygo will immediately take you right back home. It’s difficult, but not impossible, to find Faygo throughout other parts of the country, so perhaps you’ve taken a sip of Redpop in California and immediately found yourself back in Detroit.
Flickr/Garrett Ziegler
Sure, other locales have gotten in on this trend — but we Detroiters know that square pizza is actually called Detroit-style pizza. There’s nothing better than that perfectly crispy corner piece, and we’ll always feel at home when our cheesy pies are served in this unique shape.
Flickr/Corey Templeton
Perhaps you’ve been strolling through the streets of Chicago, only to have a quick flashback to your hometown of Detroit. Sure, the colder seasons is rough in other parts of the world, but there’s something truly one-of-a-kind about a Detroit winter. When you feel chilled to the bone, you’ll surely think of your hometown.
Flickr/larrysphat
Whether you’re across Michigan or just in a nearby state, you might have come across the infamous “Michigan left” during your travels. We Detroiters are certainly accustomed to this odd and sometimes-annoying traffic direction, and it will always sweep us back to our time in the Motor City.
Flickr/Pete Sheffield
Oh, the Detroit Lions. While we love our team, they’ve certainly prepared us for a lifetime of disappointment when it comes to sports viewership. Thankfully, we aren’t the only team that manages to lose in comical ways, so there’s something sadly familiar about watching another group of players blow it at the last minute.
Flickr/Chad Johnson
You know the scene: you’re at a friend’s house out of state, enjoying your mixed drink, when Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing” comes on and everyone lights up with excitement. When it comes time to sing, “born and raised in South Detroit,” everyone looks at you. You simply don’t have the heart to tell them that South Detroit isn’t a real place.
Flickr/jpowers65
Whether we’re at an aquarium or walking through a fish market far from home, nothing says “Detroit” like a real octopus. Why? Any true Detroiter knows: one of our favorite sporting traditions involves throwing an octopus onto the ice prior to a Red Wings game. Don’t ask us how, but it definitely brings good luck.
Flickr/w_yvr
There’s nothing worse than an imitation coney dog when you’re far from home and a craving strikes. Sadly, no one makes a coney dog quite like the Motor City — and we’ll always think longingly of home when we see these tasty dishes advertised elsewhere. Is your mouth watering already?
Flickr/Ted Eytan
Detroiters often think of themselves as honorary Canadians. After all, we literally live a stone’s throw away from the border, and many of us even make the daily commute to and from Windsor for work. If we find ourselves in Canada, there’s a certain sense of pride for a Detroit resident — despite our Americanness.
Flickr/Sean_Marshall
The world is full to the brim of beautiful bodies of water, including plenty of scenic rivers. When we’re strolling alongside one of these rivers, we can help but miss our beloved Detroit River. From freighters to fishermen, there’s always something to see, and riverfront scenery will always sweet us back home to Detroit.
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