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Discover the coolest urban experience in Michigan's second-largest city. Explore 200+ restaurants, shops, venues and cultural sites within a 10-minute walk of 14 downtown hotels.
Grand Rapids is a vibrant city with art, culture, beer, nature and more. Find out what to do, where to stay and how to plan your trip to Grand Rapids, Michigan.
By far one of the best things to do in Grand Rapids is wandering around one of the city’s many museums. Head to the Grand Rapids Public Museum on Pearl Street, where the story of West Michigan is on display. A highlight of the Public Museum is its planetarium, which puts on regular shows and presentations. When in town with the whole family ...
- Address: 303 Pearl St NW. 2 hours to Half Day. TIME TO SPEND. To learn about the life of the 38th president of the United States, consider a visit to the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum.
- Address: 1000 E Beltline Ave NE. Parks and Gardens. TYPE. 1 to 2 hours. TIME TO SPEND. For an art-filled afternoon spent outdoors, head to the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park.
- Address: 272 Pearl St NW. Museums. TYPE. 1 to 2 hours. TIME TO SPEND. A great place to stop for a local history lesson, the Grand Rapids Public Museum specializes in science, history and culture.
- Address: 101 Monroe Center St NW. Museums. TYPE. 1 to 2 hours. TIME TO SPEND. Culture hounds will want to plan a visit to the Grand Rapids Art Museum, which showcases a permanent collection of more than 6,000 objects representing everything from the Renaissance to modern art, with a special focus on 19th- and 20th-century European and American art.
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- Grand Rapids Public Museum
- Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park
- Grand Rapids Art Museum
- The Gerald Ford Presidential Museum
- John Ball Zoo
- Blandford Nature Center
- Grand Rapids Children’s Museum
- Fish Ladder Park
- Meyer May House
- Grand Rapids Symphony
The Grand Rapids Public Museumis among the top tourist attractions in the city for history buffs. It originally began as the Lyceum of Natural History in 1854, meant to showcase information on west Michigan through immersive, educational content. The Grand Rapids Public Museum contains three entire permanent exhibit floors focusing on various topic...
The Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Parkis one of the most fun places to visit in this part of Michigan! It opened in 1995 as a recreational, cultural, and educational site for the midwest. Spanning 158 acres, it’s full of famous sculptures and is very much loved by art aficionados. The main space of the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture ...
Looking for cool vacation spots? One of the best things to do in Grand Rapids, Michigan for art lovers and artists is to visit the Grand Rapids Art Museum. The museum itself is stunning and is the only LEED Gold-certified museum. With 125,000 square feet to its name and 20,000 square feet of gallery and exhibition space, it’s home to over 6,000 wor...
The Gerald Ford Presidential Museumis dedicated to the titular 38th United States President’s life, achievements, and legacy. It opened in 1982 and has become one of the important Grand Rapids attractions. Home to a mix of permanent, temporary, and special event exhibits, it’s a fascinating location! Temporary exhibits can feature artifacts from th...
Wondering what to do in Grand Rapids if you love animals? Check out the fun and urban John Ball Zoo, near the downtown area! It’s been open since 1891 and relies a lot on volunteers to support its good work. With over 1,100 animals within its walls, all housed within realistic and suitable habitats, it’s filled with activities and fauna from across...
Blandford Nature Centeris a non-profit, independent organization with over 143 acres of space to its name. It’s one of the best things to see around the downtown area of Grand Rapids, Michigan, especially if you have kids with you! The center is home to some amazing flora and fauna like vultures, hawks, falcons, and beyond. Aside from serving as a ...
The Grand Rapids Children’s Museumis located in the city’s downtown area on Sheldon Avenue. It is situated inside a building from 1916 that has been wonderfully renovated. Better yet, it’s been specifically made so that the museum’s front wall is entirely made of clear glass. This allows you to look in and see the kids having a ton of fun! No wonde...
Looking for unique things to do and unusual points of interest? Head to Sixth Street Dam and pay a visit to Fish Ladder Park, one of the coolest places to travel in the US! The unusual five-step “ladder” is both a practical environmental tool and a work of public art. It’s a brutalist art installation designed to aid in the migration of fish, creat...
The Meyer May Houseis one of the best Prairie-style houses not just in Michigan, but in all of the United States! This is because it’s one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s and has been restored extremely faithfully. Fans of Wright’s work will easily see his signature style in the home today. Its wall of windows, low-pitched roofline, seamless transition fro...
The Grand Rapids Symphonyis definitely among Michigan’s top 10 entertainment groups. The symphony is packed with renowned musicians and is well-respected for its impeccable performance in various fun events and festivals. This includes the Symphony Youth Choruses, the Bach Festival, the Youth Symphony and Classical Orchestra, and the Symphony Choru...
Grand Rapids, Michigan. From world-class attractions and outdoor recreation to nationally ranked food and craft beverage scenes – Grand Rapids, Michigan is filled with unexpected surprises. Discover why we're America’s Best Beer City, the nation’s Craft Beverage Capital, and a Top 20 U.S. Foodie City. Get an eyeful of spectacular art and ...
Learn about the mission, vision and work of DGRI, the nonprofit organization that promotes and enhances Downtown GR. Find out how to get involved, support, or access city building tools and resources.
