Many people say the best way to see Detroit is by car, but there is another way to roll through the city, and it looks like a lot of fun! Think of a bike mixed with a trolly, with 16 seats, pedals to power it forward, and a bar with cup holders to hold your drink.
It’s called the Detroit Rolling Pub, and over the past few years, these quadricycles have been growing in popularity.
Nick Blaszczyk and his wife are the owners. They were looking for a business to invest in and his wife came across peddle pubs. Once Nick’s in-laws saw them all over the streets of Nashville while on vacation, Nick and his wife jumped on the opportunity and bought their own.
The rolling pub holds 6-16 people and is for ages 3 and up. A bench seat is in the back for the younger riders. Each private tour lasts about 2 hours and comes with a driver who doubles as the DJ/MC.
After a quick introduction and some ground rules, it’s time to start pedaling.
And yes, you do need to actually pedal to make the vehicle move forward, however, they do have a motor assist if needed.
Oh, and we can’t forget the “pub” portion of the name. Blaszczyk worked with the city of Detroit to allow open adult beverages on the rolling pub. You can bring whatever drinks and snacks you want on the bike, and if your group is interested, they have some fun drinking games to play while you’re pedaling.
The music they play is up to you as well.
“You do about 3 miles, it’s a good work-out to burn off all the drink,” says Blaszczyk. “We usually make one to three stops along the way. We always stop for a group photo by one of the iconic scenes in Detroit.”
Since opening in 2015, they’ve greatly expanded. They have multiple, different themed rolling pubs to choose from, and they do aloha tiki tours and pedal boat tours on the Detroit River as well.
All rides are private parties, but you can ask them to set a tour of your choice. Explore Detroit’s beautiful architecture, get taken around to all the best photo spots, or host your bachelor party and stop by all the good Detroit pubs. Tours start at $275, and prime dates book up fast.
It’s a truly unique way to see the city.