Private Tours
Over the past 20 years of hosting visitors and residents of Detroit on walking tours of the city, we’ve amassed a wealth of knowledge that we’re happy to share with you! Most of our tours are walking tours, since we believe the best way to see the city and experience its dynamic energy is from the ground. We can also offer guide services for tours booked with private transportation. For all requests, we ask that you contact us at least one month in advance to discuss opportunities for you and your group to discover Detroit!
Bookings has closed for the winter 2022-2023. Thank you and see you in warmer temps!
Pricing for our private walking tours:
$100 for groups of 5 or less
$20/person for groups of 6 or more
Featured Preservation Detroit Walking Tours
Our most popular walking tours of the city embrace the vibrant neighborhoods and unique cultural highlights of each area. Each guide specializes in this area of the city, so you know you’re in expert hands. Walking tours generally take about 2 to 2-1/2 hours. We are happy to accommodate varied group sizes and will work with you to develop an itinerary that works with your needs.
Downtown | Long the beating heart of Detroit’s dynamic business and commercial industry, the downtown area has seen dazzling change in recent years as renovation and restoration continue to evolve the city’s buildings and streets. Highlights of the tour include the stunning Art Deco masterpiece Guardian Building, the emerging Capitol Park area, and an architectural walk down memory lane as we stroll Woodward Avenue from Grand Circus Park to the riverfront. Along the way, the tour loops past many historic houses of worship and significant sculptural and architectural works.
Eastern Market | Since the late 19th century, Eastern Market has hosted a weekly farmer’s market-one of the oldest and largest in the country - as well as restaurants, warehouses and gathering spots. The stroll through Eastern Market brings to life the sights, sounds and smells of 100+ years of public commerce in Detroit. This tour highlights the commercial and development history of the market, with plenty of time to stop and smell the flowers (or kumquats, or butcher shops, or whatever you prefer).
Midtown | Formerly known as the Cass Corridor, Midtown is perhaps the most dramatic example of Detroit’s adaptive reuse. Cultural institutions live side-by-side with architecturally significant private housing and apartment complexes in this part of the city. A tour of Midtown is a great way to catch up on the changes a modern industrial city experienced over the span of the twentieth century and beyond, and our guides discuss in-depth how shifting real estate changes have impacted the area.
Cultural Center | The Detroit Institute of Arts hosts one of the finest art collections in the world. The Detroit Public Library’s renowned architect, Cass Gilbert, designed some of the country’s greatest Italian Renaissance masterpieces. From the Maccabees Building, an Art Deco gem, to the residential oasis of Ferry Street’s historic mansions, the Cultural Center tour is a compact exploration of the city’s large-scale architectural variety.
In addition, the following Specialty and Annual Tours are available for private tour:
>> Eastern Market District by Bus
>> Public Art in the Cultural Center
>> Yamasaki in the Cultural Center
>> Woodlawn Cemetery
>> Mount Elliott Cemetery
Please direct all inquiries to info@preservationdetroit.org for booking a tour, as they vary by subject matter and expert availability. Bookings are closed for winter 2022-2023.
Info about our private walking tours:
We ask for at least 1 month's advance notice for all private tour requests. Cost is on a sliding scale based on the number of people in your group. Payment is due in full 2 weeks prior to the date of the tour. Refunds can be done up to 7 days prior to the date of a tour; after that, we cannot do a refund but we can reschedule if need be. All tours take place rain or shine, and are about 2 to 2.5 hours long but can be longer or shorter based on your needs.
Read reviews or leave a comment about our tours on Trip Advisor.