Choose wisely. Connect locally.Add your business 
Grand Rapids is the second largest city in Michigan, built along the Grand River in the western part of the state, about 30 miles from Lake Michigan. The Odawa people lived along the river for generations before fur trader Louis Campau established a trading post in 1826, and the town took its name from the river's now-vanished rapids. Abundant timber made it the Furniture City in the late 1800s, when its factories produced fine furniture shipped across the country, and office furniture companies such as Steelcase still have their roots here.
Today Grand Rapids has about 195,000 residents and a fresh, creative energy. It has been named Beer City USA for its more than 40 craft breweries, including the celebrated Founders Brewing Co., and its downtown is full of restaurants, music venues and public art. Each fall the city hosts ArtPrize, an international art competition that fills streets, parks and buildings with thousands of works voted on by the public. The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum on the riverbank honors the 38th president, who grew up here and is buried on its grounds.
Visitors will find a surprising wealth of culture. Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park is one of the most visited art museums in the country, with a tropical conservatory and works by Rodin and Moore across 158 acres. The Grand Rapids Art Museum, the Grand Rapids Public Museum with its 1928 carousel, John Ball Zoo and the Heritage Hill historic district, one of the largest urban historic districts in the country, round out a visit, and Lake Michigan's sandy beaches at Grand Haven and Holland are less than an hour away.
A 158-acre botanical garden and sculpture park with works by Rodin, Calder and Louise Bourgeois, a five-story tropical conservatory, a Japanese garden and a summer concert amphitheater. Allow at least half a day and visit in March for the indoor butterfly exhibit.
The museum of the 38th US president sits on the west bank of the Grand River and covers Ford's life, Watergate and the 1970s through films, artifacts and a replica Oval Office. Ford and Betty Ford are buried on the grounds; the riverside walk to downtown is short and pleasant.
A riverside history and science museum with a recreated 1890s Grand Rapids street, exhibits on the city's furniture-making past, a working 1928 Spillman carousel and the Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium. Buy a carousel ride token at the desk; it is a favorite stop for kids.
GRAM occupies a modern LEED-certified building facing Rosa Parks Circle and holds about 6,000 works, from European old masters to American prints, design and contemporary art. Admission is free on Tuesdays and Thursday evenings, and the plaza outside hosts ice skating in winter.
One of the best-known craft breweries in the Midwest, Founders runs a large taproom and beer garden on Grandville Avenue serving its flagship All Day IPA, KBS stout and rotating small-batch beers with deli sandwiches. Free brewery tours run on some days; check the schedule first.
An indoor food hall and seasonal outdoor farmers market south of downtown, with vendors selling tacos, ramen, baked goods, cheese, spices and local produce, plus a teaching kitchen with cooking classes. The rooftop greenhouse and outdoor stalls are busiest on summer weekends.
An open art competition that turns downtown Grand Rapids into a citywide gallery, with hundreds of paintings, sculptures and installations shown in museums, bars, parks and on the river. Public voting helps pick winners. It runs in early autumn; wear walking shoes and grab a venue map.
One of the largest urban historic districts in the US, with about 1,300 homes in some 60 architectural styles built by the city's lumber and furniture barons. Walk streets like College Avenue and Madison Avenue, and look for the free self-guided walking tour map from the neighborhood association.
A hillside zoo just west of downtown with about 2,000 animals, including Amur tigers, grizzly bears, chimpanzees and a Living Shores penguin area, plus a zipline, ropes course and funicular. The zoo is seasonal in parts of winter, so check opening days before you go.
A hands-on museum in a downtown building near Heartside, with three floors of play exhibits on building, water, bubbles, pretend shopping and a toddler area. It works best for children under ten; visits typically take two hours and family memberships include reciprocal admission elsewhere.
The Blue Bridge is a former 1890s railroad truss bridge, now a pedestrian crossing painted bright blue, linking downtown with the west bank museums. It is the best spot to watch the Grand River and its fish ladder; it is lit up at night and part of the riverside walking trail.
A 1909 Prairie School home designed by Frank Lloyd Wright for clothier Meyer May, restored by Steelcase with original furniture, art glass windows and textiles. Free guided tours run on a limited weekly schedule, so check days and times in advance. It sits in Heritage Hill.
Top-rated local businesses in Grand Rapids, with real reviews on WiserMap.
No reviews yet. Been to Grand Rapids? Be the first to share your experience.
Share what you loved, what to skip and tips for other travelers.
Log in to write a reviewBeen to Grand Rapids? Add your best shots to the gallery.
Log in to add photosPhoto: Rachel Kramer, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: John Eisenschenk, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: WMrapids, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Photo: WMrapids, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Photo: WMrapids, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Photo: Image: WMrapidsSculpture: Alexander Calder, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: rossograph, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: WMrapids, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Photo: WMrapids, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Photo: WMrapids, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Photo: Cklane90, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: WMrapids, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Photo: User Jeffness on en.wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.5
Photo: Terry Johnston from Grand Rapids, USA, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: U.S. National Archives, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: JJonahJackalope, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Gpwitteveen, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Why.architecture, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: rossograph, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Gpwitteveen, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: WMrapids, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Stephanie Clifford from Arlington, VA, USA, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Stephanie Clifford from Arlington, VA, USA, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: WMrapids, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Photo: WMrapids, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Photo: en:User:Jaydec, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: User:Jaydec, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Kzoo Cowboy, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
