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Grand Rapids is located in beautiful western Michigan in Kent County. The city encompasses 44.6 square miles, and has a population of 197,800 residents. Grand Rapids flourished during the great 1880's lumber boom, becoming known for its craftsmen, carpenters and woodworkers. By the mid 1900's, it was considered America's furniture building capital. Due to many reasons, Grand Rapids is truly a great city.
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Gerald Ford Museum
The Gerald Ford Museum is one of Grand Rapids must-see attractions, celebrating a favorite son and former president (1974-1977). Galleries feature hands-on, interactive video displays including a holographic trip with President Ford and Secretary of State Kissinger to various hot spots around the globe and a holographic tour of the Ford White House.
Grand Rapids Art Museum
View a permanent collection encompassing over 5,500 works of art dating from the fifteenth century to the present. Art and artists of Michigan and the Great Lakes region are a focus of this renowned museum.
Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park
A stroll through this 125-acre park with the most comprehensive outdoor sculpture collection in the Midwest is not to be missed. View a monumental Leonardo da Vinci Horse and over 120 other works, tour the largest tropical conservatory in the state, hike nature trails, bring the kids to play in the children’s garden, there are even guided tram tours for seniors and the disabled.
Van Andel Museum Center
Discover this arts complex that includes a “Furniture City” exhibition illuminating Grand Rapids’ history of manufacturing and decorative design as well as a display of artifacts from the Anishinabe people, the American Indians of West Michigan. Tour an authentic, 1890’s main street with restored shops exhibiting clothes, medicines and toys of days gone by and kids will thrill to the working 1928 vintage carousel where 44 different horses go round, surrounded by 1,200 twinkling lights as the original Wurlitzer organ still plays its merry tunes.
Voight House Victorian Museum
Experience history at Voigt House and discover fascinating details of everyday life from the turn-of-the-century. This unique 19th century, Heritage Hill home was built in 1895 and is preserved with the original furnishings and personal possessions of a wealthy merchant and his family. The past comes to life during a tour of the opulent home, carriage house and historically landscaped grounds. |
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Grand Rapids Symphony
Celebrating its 75th anniversary season, GRS presents glorious, world-class symphonic music and a roster of dynamic guest artists and conductors. Special guests have included Kathleen Battle, Emanuel Ax, even Olivia Newton-John and the orchestra specializes in performances of beloved musical masterpieces like Dvorák’s Symphony No. 7, Ravel’s Bolero and Tchaikovsky’s Pathétique.
Opera Grand Rapids
West Michigan’s only professional opera company, OGR features up and coming singers and well as internationally acclaimed artists of the highest caliber. OGR presents three fully staged productions each season from October through May at the DeVos Hall in Downtown Grand Rapids.
Grand Rapids Ballet Company
Currently in its 33rd season, GRBC is Michigan’s only professional ballet company where original programming, innovative choreography and a commitment to excellence are the hallmarks. GRBC features twelve full time dancers and performs three fully staged, classical ballets each year at the DeVos Hall to the live accompaniment from the Grand Rapids Symphony.
St. Cecilia Music Society
Established in 1883 by nine Grand Rapids women determined to "promote the study and appreciation of music in all its branches," the society, named for the legendary patron saint of music, is housed in a splendidly restored, circa 1894, landmark building complete with art gallery and intimate concert hall, Royce Auditorium. Today, there is something for everyone at SCMS, where a broad range of affordable and accessible musical programs delights local audiences.
Grand Rapids Civic Theater
Grand Rapids Civic Theatre is the largest community theater in Michigan and the second largest in the US, offering 110 performances of six main stage productions year round plus twenty performances of two productions for children. From comedy to drama to all singing and dancing musicals, highly enjoyable, professional productions, many featuring famous guest artists, are presented in a 788-seat theater in dynamic Downtown Grand Rapids.
DeVos Hall
DeVos Performance Hall is the 2400-seat performing arts theater that is home to The Grand Rapids Symphony, The Grand Rapids Ballet Company, Broadway Theatre Guild and Opera Grand Rapids. DeVos Performance Hall provides an intimate setting for these Grand Rapids Arts Groups as well as other touring concerts and family shows.
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Grand Rapids Parks
Grand Rapids boasts over 2,000 acres of parkland where you can take advantage of natural beauty and recreational opportunities throughout the city. There are 78 parks with facilities ranging from tennis courts to playgrounds to basketball courts to baseball diamonds. Six parks feature pools and water playgrounds for summer fun and many parks play host to summer concerts and ethnic festivals.
Lake Michigan Beaches
Just thirty minutes west, the Lake Michigan coast is one of the world's most beautiful shorelines, encompassing some of the nation's top beaches. There are sand dunes to climb, wooded parks to wander, inland lakes to explore and glorious sunsets to enjoy.
Fishing Grand Rapids
Lake trout, brown trout, walleye, salmon, steelhead and bass, these are just some of the fish populating Lake Michigan as well as 11,000 inland lakes and streams. Whether its charter fishing, sport fishing or a leisure day on the banks of the Grand River, you're sure to land a great catch in Grand Rapids.
Grand Rapids Area Parks and Preserves
Michigan is all about the great outdoors, offering an exciting variety of recreational activities year round. There’s 3,200 miles of shoreline, 11,000 inland lakes, 5,600 miles of snowmobile trails, dozens of downhill ski resorts and four national parks offering every activity imaginable from boating and canoeing to hunting, hiking and biking.
Golfing Grand Rapids
It’s no wonder Golf Digest selected Michigan as the twelfth best golf destination in the world because Michigan is home to more than 1,000 golf courses and many world-class golf resort facilities. The Grand Rapids area is one of the nation’s summer golf capitals, flaunting more than twenty world-class courses.
Grand Rapids Natural Areas
Grand Rapids boasts several natural areas for hiking, biking and outdoor adventure. Amman Park Trails is a 331-acre preserve with hiking and cross-country ski trails, Burton Woods features six-acres with a series of trails under a dense canopy of trees and Riverside Park offers 250 acres on the east and west sides of the Grand River offering a refreshing natural environment with access for boats, extensive walking paths and water vistas.
Rosa Parks Circle Ice Rink
The Monroe Center Ice Rink at Rosa Parks Circle is designed by world-renowned architect Maya Lin and features beautiful fiber optic lighting that shines through the ice, which is especially impressive during the evening “Starlight Skate” and has made the rink a popular setting for marriage proposals. You can bring your own skates or select from more than 220 pairs of figure and hockey skates for free public use, housed in a newly renovated rink shelter.
West Michigan Whitecaps
Cheer on the pro, A-class, West Michigan Whitecaps, a baseball team affiliated with the Detroit Tigers. Part of the 14-team Midwest League, the Whitecaps play 70 home games each season at Fifth Third Ballpark in nearby Comstock Park.
Grand Rapids Rampage
Thrill to arena football at its finest! The Rampage takes on all comers at the new, 12,000-seat Van Andel Arena in dynamic, Downtown Grand Rapids.
Grand Rapids Griffins
The Griffins are an affiliate of the Detroit Red Wings. Take in exciting AHL hockey at the Van Andel Arena, a brand new 12,000-seat venue that’s the crown jewel of Grand Rapids’ downtown redevelopment.
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Rivertown Crossings Mall
Rivertown Crossings is the largest mall in the Grand Rapids area featuring 125 shops, restaurants and movie theaters. From elegant Marshall Field’s to value priced Kohl’s to specialty boutiques offering everything from the sublime to the ridiculous, you’re certain to find what you’re looking for.
Breton Village
Breton Village offers a delightful collection of fine fashion, specialty shops and restaurants. A unique mix of more the fifty different boutiques and eateries await all under one roof.
Centerpointe Mall
More than fifty department stores, boutiques, restaurants and retailers of all kinds. Find a bargain at the Nordstrom Rack,
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