As a newcomer to Windsor, you can enrich your experience by familiarizing yourself with Detroit and the surrounding Southeast Michigan area.

You may have already noticed that Windsor's downtown and northern border lie directly across the river from Detroit, the skyline of which Windsorites enjoy every day. In a very real sense, Windsor and Detroit's lived experiences are comingled. Many Windsorites work, study, socialize, shop, pursue relationships, and enjoy themsleves across the border on a daily basis.

While Windsor itself is a mid-sized city, the Detroit-Windsor census metropolitan area is home to 5.7 million people, which is greater than any urban centre in Canada aside from Toronto.

Windsorites enjoy direct access to all the amenities a population of that size enables via the Ambassador Bridge and Windsor-Detroit Tunnel. For most Canadian citizens, crossing the border is a straightforward, quick, and hassle-free process. With favourable traffic, it's not uncommon to travel "door to door" from one's home in Windsor to a gallery, sporting event, or theatre in downtown Detroit within 20 minutes.

Living and working in Windsor grants one a unique opportunity to experience a city that is famously becoming one of the greatest, most challenging, and most intriguing post-industrial urban laboratories in the world. From urban farming to community activism to micro-businesses to its growing community of young urban graduates from across the United States, Detroit is transforming before our eyes. Windsor is a great place to be part of that, or just to watch it unfold.

Recently, the New York Times wondered aloud whether Detroit is "The Most Exciting City in America?" while Lonely Planet named Detroit #2 on its list of the Top 10 Cities to Visit in 2018 -- anywhere in the world!

Other American cities are also an easy drive away from Windsor, including Ann Arbor and Toledo (only 45 minutes away) and places a little further afield – you can be in cities like Chicago, Cleveland, Cincinnati, or Columbus in 3-5 hours.

We've curated the following list of links to help you get started exploring your new neighbour to the north.

 

Disclaimer: The external resources to which this page links are highlighted for information and entertainment purposes only. While this page was curated in good faith, inclusion does not constitute an official endorsement from the University of Windsor.