Best Neighborhoods To Trick-Or-Treat In Detroit

Detroit isn't just your average major metropolis when it comes to Halloween. For decades, Detroit and the surrounding suburbs have been the birthplace and home of "Devil's Night," the annual night before Halloween when pranksters and troublemakers alike join together for what sometimes is harmless fun, which at other times can be more destructive, including acts of arson and vandalism. That's why knowing where your children will be trick-or-treating is important each and every year. Here are the best places for your kids to go door-to-door for candy this year and still have a great time doing so.

Corktown (Detroit)

One of the fastest-growing sections of Detroit these days is also its oldest section (and for a city dating back to 1701, that's pretty impressive). Corktown is a quaint and quiet little area when compared to downtown or the Woodward Corridor, but there are plenty of young families in this area that are always excited to make this Halloween tradition an exciting one for young children. The old houses are often decorated in some great and spooky decor, perfect for a kid looking to grab some candy and a few scares.

University Of Detroit Mercy Neighborhood/Campus

If you live near the University of Detroit campus, you may find your options limited for a safe and fun location to take your children trick-or-treating. Thankfully, the University of Detroit Mercy campus offers plenty of neat options for trick-or-treating right on their campus! There's different stations to trick-or-treat at, plus many other options for fun, including face painting, a "Best Costume" contest, and lots of games, too. This usually takes place a few days before Halloween, so check their website for details!

Birmingham 

It's no secret that Birmingham is one of the best and wealthiest neighborhoods in all of metro Detroit. Located within the Woodward Corridor just south of 16 Mile Road (or Big Beaver Road, as it's known out there), these houses are large, and many kids don't often get a chance to be up close to such extravagance these days. Trick-or-treat times are generally between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Halloween night, but residents of the city often set their own rules. If you can get your kids to these neighborhoods this year to do a little trick-or-treating, you'll find that it could be well worth the trip for the sights alone (and hopefully there'll be some good candy for the kids, too).

Related: Ask A Detroit Expert: After-School Activity Ideas

Sterling Heights

Still one of the area's largest cities, Sterling Heights has long been home to many, many families and has a long history of great Halloween traditions, including multiple hours of handing out candy to kids, plus a huge number of homes willing to participate. The sheer number of small neighborhoods in this city north of Warren and Detroit allows children and their parents to find the best area of homes closest to them to do their trick-or-treating in. Many of the families here are old hands at giving out candy to kids, and look forward to it each year when the children come to their doors. Sterling Heights never disappoints on Halloween.

Royal Oak

Still one of the most popular neighborhood for young families outside of Detroit, Royal Oak is also fast becoming a popular location for trick-or-treaters. As many Generation X and Millennial young couples are buying homes and having kids of their own, they're also looking to replicate that wonderful feeling of trick-or-treating that they loved and experienced as kids themselves. Royal Oak is a historic and older neighborhood, with plenty of interesting old homes and lots of massive trees and other natural decor, all of which can make for some wonderfully decorated homes! Trick-or-treating is generally done in the twilight hour, but if a home has its lights on, it's still fair game!

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Michael Ferro is freelance writer and a graduate of Michigan State University where he majored in Creative Writing and received the Jim Cash Creative Writing Award. Born and bred in Detroit, he currently resides in Ypsilanti Township. Additional writing can be found at Examiner.com.