Over 25 miles long, Detroit's Riverfront is once again nominated as one of the best riverwalks in the country.
The USA Today poll has 20 cities listed in the running for the coveted title, including Chicago, Boston, Nashville, New York, and Tampa Bay, to name a few.
For the past two years, Detroit has bagged the title, and the city needs your help to win that title for the third year in a row.
"Being able to call it a hat trick is exciting; it's a great honor," said Marc Pasco with the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy.
Pasco says with over 3.5 million people visiting the Detroit Riverfront each year, Southeast Michigan's favorite riverwalk has something for everyone.
"It's a four-season destination, and I think that's what makes our riverwalk different and special because it's the people who come down here and enjoy it," he added.
Married for 13 years, Bennett and Lavolia Taylor love taking strolls on the city's riverwalk. From being family-friendly to hosting events, the Riverfront is their favorite. Hence, voting for it was a no-brainer.
"My second home is Mississippi, so I love the south also. But Detroit, I'm talking about the Motor City, I just love it. It's a hard-working city, we may not be the prettiest, but we are moving up there," said Lavolia.
Detroit Riverfront also has a rich history. Back in 1819, the Detroit River was declared a public highway because of the incredible amount of boat and ship traffic. The Detroit River is also regarded as one of the best walleye fishing spots in the nation. And it's also home to the only international wildlife refuge in North America. But Marc's favorite fun fact is that the "river" is technically a "strait."
"The transformation of the Riverfront over these past 20 years has been phenomenal. The Riverfront didn't have a lot of public access, there was no place to park, no place to enjoy the Riverfront, it wasn't incredibly beautiful, it wasn't safe either. And that all changed when the conservancy launched 20 years ago," said Pasco.
Meanwhile, Bennett and Laviolia still think even with the cold, Detroit's got the best riverwalk.
"Let's make it number one because it is number one in the nation," Bennett said.
Monday, Feb. 6, is the last day to vote. Noon is the cutoff time.
To vote, head to https://detroitriverfront.org/bestriverwalk2023.
The winner will be announced on February 17th.
