Detroit automotive history isn’t just about making cars — we know how to drive them too. Some of the Motor City’s best drives are on the city’s lesser-travelled roads, away from the highways and on historic surface streets with lower speeds. Take a Sunday cruise along one of these seven roads and you’ll see Detroit in an entirely new light.

1. Woodward Avenue: Woodward Avenue, the nation’s first paved road, is Detroit’s main thoroughfare and most recognizable surface street. M-1 was made for cruising. Drive the length of this Michigan Heritage Route and you’ll pass by iconic landmarks like the Fist of Detroit and the Fox Theatre, and through some of Detroit’s most beloved suburbs like Ferndale, Royal Oak and Birmingham.

2. Jefferson Avenue: What could be cooler than putting the top down and driving along Lake St. Clair? Take a scenic tour along the water of Grosse Pointe’s historic mansions for a new perspective on Motor City history that you won’t find anywhere else.

3. Hines Drive: Driving in Wayne County doesn’t get more scenic than Hines Drive, which runs the length of the Rouge River along land donated by Edward Hines. The route is dotted by Wayne County Parks and features views of the river.

4. Belle Isle: After the Belle Isle Grand Prix, Detroit’s main island attraction becomes the perfect destination for a pleasant Sunday cruise, with views of the Detroit skyline. Belle Isle is also a great place to pull off during your Sunday drive for an afternoon picnic by the water.

5. Ann Arbor Road: On the western edge of Wayne County you’ll find a great opportunity to hop off M-14 and roll down the windows. Ann Arbor Road winds past cider mills and historic farms under a serene canopy of trees.

6. Grosse Ile: This unique drive offers diverse views of the Detroit Skyline, Canada and the Detroit River, industrial yards, and historic mansions. Where else can such a diverse landscape come together but Detroit?

7. Lakes of West Bloomfield: Orchard Lake Road, Cass Lake Road, Orchard Lake Trail — head to West Bloomfield and take your time on the curving lakeside roads. The scenery is as gorgeous as the waterfront homes.

When you want to get out of the traffic and just cruise, where do you go? Let us know in the comments.

Flickr Photo by Michael Heughens Photography