Detroit a haul, but worth the trip

Every year the joy of summer brings us back to lazy days, cookouts and, if you are very lucky, warm weather. There is nothing more exciting than the anticipation of months full of freedom and responsibility, and a possible road trip. \nDetroit, located just about 350 miles north of Bloomington, offers plenty of options for a variety of interests and a variety of budgets. Although the plan of a road trip will undoubtedly result in an odometer increase on your car, the excitement of the "Motor City" will prove to be well worth the sacrifice. \nDetroit is a city that takes pride in its history and has many museums to prove it. The Henry Ford museum, which calls itself "the history destination that brings the American Experience to life," is located in Dearborn, Mich., 20900 Oakwood Blvd., just a 15-minute drive from downtown Detroit.\nThe museum offers five different special attractions, including an IMAX theater, a Ford Rouge Factory Tour and their most famous exhibit, Greenfield Village, an innovative model of past American life. The Henry Ford is open every day from 9 a.m to 5 p.m. Special ticket packages and exhibits are available throughout the summer.\nOther historic museums include: The Detroit Historical Museum, 5401 Woodward Ave., the Dossin Great Lakes Museum, 100 Strand Drive and the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, 315 E. Warren Ave. -- all located in the heart of Detroit.\nAfter spending a day inside, you might want to check out an outdoor activity. Comerica Park, 2100 Woodward Ave., is home to the Detroit Tigers baseball team, and is an action-packed venue even when the Tigers are hibernating. The grand opening in 2000 pronounced Comerica Park a combination ballpark, theme park and baseball museum. Complete with a ferris wheel, carousel, walk of fame and several restaurants and lounges, you can easily find a day has gone by after making the most of Comerica Park. General hours run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday and Thursday and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday. Times vary based on scheduled events. \nLooking to spend your hard earned cash? The Somerset Collection, 2800 W. Big Beaver Rd., provides the ultimate shopping experience. The two-sided mall, complete with an elevated indoor walkway, consists of four core department stores including Marshall Fields, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue. \nThe southern side of Somerset typically caters to more high-end shoppers with stores like Gucci, Burberry and Tiffany and Co. The north side consists of more common, middle of the line stores, such as Gap, The Limited, Footlocker and Banana Republic. \nThe mall also encompasses several well-renowned restaurants such as P.F. Chang's, J. Alexander's and The Capital Grille. Beautifully adorned with large marble fountains, enormous skylights and seasonal décor within every department store, The Somerset Collection is truly not your average shopping mall. \nAlthough Bloomington has yet to please us with consistent warm weather, there is no reason to sit around and pout. Taking a mini road trip is the perfect way to take advantage of summer freedom and traveling to Detroit will help you achieve that goal.