DETROIT - Travel media company Lonely Planet called Detroit the "American comeback city" in a list of best travel destinations for 2018.
The "Best in Travel 2018" destinations were announced Oct. 24, ranking Detroit second in the "Top 10 Cities" list, behind Seville, Spain.
The only other American city included on the list was San Juan, Puerto Rico.
In its description of Michigan's largest city, home to more than 600,000 people and birthplace of the auto industry and Motown, Lonely Planet said Detroit is "rolling again" after decades of neglect and emerging from bankruptcy in 2014.
"It's like the whole place is caffeine-buzzed, freewheeling in ideas," the travel outlet wrote. "Young creative types jump-started the scene when they began transforming the crazy-huge slew of abandoned buildings into distilleries, bike shops and galleries."
It noted the newly-opened QLine streetcar system and the Little Caesars Arena, plans for three new parks along Detroit's RiverWalk and a growing business presence, including new hotels, for those looking to visit and see the movement for themselves.
Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2018 includes lists of the Top 10 Countries and Top 10 Cities, along with Best Value Destinations. Destinations are determined by industry experts and traveler recommendations, with criteria such as novelty and wow-factor.
See Lonely Planet's Top 10 lists below:
Top 10 Countries
- Chile
- South Korea
- Portugal
- Djibouti
- New Zealand
- Malta
- Georgia
- Mauritius
- China
- South Africa
Top 10 Cities
- Seville, Spain
- Detroit, USA
- Canberra, Australia
- Hamburg, Germany
- Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Antwerp, Belgium
- Matera, Italy
- San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Guanajuato, Mexico
- Oslo, Norway
Best Value Destinations
- Tallinn, Estonia
- Lanzarote, Canary Islands
- Arizona, USA
- La Paz, Bolivia
- Poland
- Essaouira, Morocco
- United Kingdom
- Baja California, Mexico
- Jacksonville, Florida, USA
- Hunan, China