Grand Rapids
Craft beer, art, and family fun
A lot of people are talking about Grand Rapids these days. Lonely Planet called it the best place to visit in the U.S. in 2014. Two polls across the country named it Beer City USA. Time magazine named the city’s annual ArtPrize event one of the top five fairs in the world, making it the only American on the list. Even with all of this praise, Grand Rapids can still surprise tourists with fun things they didn’t expect. Check out the city’s clean and safe downtown. Five great hotels are only a 10-minute walk away from more than 150 restaurants and shops, five museums, and a variety of bars and performance spaces.
ArtPrize is an art festival.
ArtPrize is the world’s richest and most open art competition. It takes place every fall in downtown and draws more than 1,500 artists and 400,000 guests. Some ArtPrize pieces are always on show along with dozens of other important works of art, such as La Grande Vitesse, the huge Alexander Calder sculpture that has come to represent the artistic spirit of the city. There are also two great art museums in downtown, and the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park is only a 10-minute drive away. It is one of the 100 most popular art museums in the world.
Craft breweries and foods made by hand
Grand Rapids is also known for its culinary skills. The city is in the middle of one of the best growing areas in the world, and cooks in the area make the most of the food that grows there. People can shop at dozens of farm markets, such as the Downtown Market, which sells fresh ingredients and specialty foods all year long. They can also pick their own food at family farms.
Craft drinks are another thing that draws people in. The metro area has more than 30 craft breweries along a “Beer City Ale Trail.” The Founders Brewing Company is the world’s third-best brewery, and HopCat is America’s best restaurant.
Culture and the arts
Michigan has one of the largest community theaters in the country and the only professional ballet group in the state. There is live music of all kinds in many places in downtown, including nightclubs, parks, and public meeting spots. It’s usually free and outside.
Looking for Cool Things
Visitors can practice their shopping skills at two huge shopping malls, each surrounded by busy business areas. There are also many small shops in the neighborhoods that sell unique items, often made by the artist whose name is on the door.
Getting away with the family
Grand Rapids has been named the best place in America to raise a family, so you don’t have to leave the kids at home when you go. There are fun things for people of all ages to do, from a traditional urban zoo to a museum just for kids. Minor league baseball and ice hockey teams put a lot of effort into kid-friendly marketing. The Meijer State Games of Michigan, which happen every two years, are like the Olympics for families.
The Great Outside
Grand Rapids has all the fun of a big city, but you can always find outdoor activities nearby. Fishermen set their lines in the Grand River in downtown. Five minutes from downtown are dozens of difficult golf courses and hundreds of miles of bike and hiking tracks.
Shorelines on Lake Michigan, which has been named one of the world’s top 25, are only 30 minutes from downtown. You can spend one day at the beach and the next night in Grand Rapids.