Grand Rapids

By plane

Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR). The airport for Grand Rapids and Kent County with daily flights (sometimes several) from most of the country's major hubs. Although it has customs facilities for direct international flights, in practice it has very few. Most flights are on Delta Air Lines, connecting through the Delta hub in nearby Detroit. There are non-stop flights to Grand Rapids Gerald R. Ford International Airport from the following cities (some cities may be seasonal or only offer service certain days of the week): Atlanta, Las Vegas, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dallas Fort Worth, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Memphis, Milwaukee, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New York, Orlando, Toronto, Phoenix, Tampa Bay, Newark, Fort Lauderdale and Washington.

By car

Major highways to Grand Rapids include I-196 (from the Chicago area), I-96 (from Muskegon, or from Lansing/Detroit), and US-131 (from Kalamazoo, or from northern Michigan).

By train

Amtrak offers one daily service from Chicago with its Pere Marquette train. is at 440 Century Ave.

By bus

• Greyhound and Indian Trails offer bus service to Grand Rapids from various Michigan cities.

Like most mid-sized U.S. cities, an automobile is the most convenient means of getting around, with convenient free parking available most places outside of downtown. Parking downtown can be inconvenient and somewhat costly on weekdays and during major events (e.g. arena concerts). Parking is not enforced after 6PM on weekdays and on the weekends (besides Monroe Center NW on Saturday). Walking within the immediate downtown area is pleasant enough in good weather, and generally safe.
Several taxi companies operate in the city, and cabs can be picked up at designated locations such as the airport, or by calling their dispatcher; cabs are usually not hailed on the street, except around the time bars close on weekends. Pedicabs are also becoming popular within the downtown area, and operate during special events and weekend evenings.
"The Rapid" bus service has a terminal downtown, and routes throughout the city and its suburbs, running early mornings through late evenings on weekdays. Several routes run with less frequent service on Saturdays and Sundays. The buses are clean, safe, and generally on-time.
Street addresses identify the quadrant of the city by adding NW, NE, SW, or SE after the full street name. There are a few numbered streets just northwest of downtown, but most of the numbered streets are from 28th Street and out on the south side; the far north side instead has Three Mile Road, Four Mile Road, etc. Generally speaking, east-west roads are called "Street" and north-south roads are called "Avenue",
Interwoven bicycle paths and trails make getting around by bike within the city simple. The city website has bike route maps to make finding your way around easy.

• Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park

  address: 1000 East Beltline Avenue NE
  Plan at least four hours and up to eight hours to enjoy all that there is to offer. Walk the outdoor nature trails and boardwalk, study world-class sculpture within the outdoor sculpture park (including "Leonardo's Horse", a finished interpretation of the giant sculpture Leonardo da Vinci intended to be his masterpiece), and enjoy endless hours of fun with the kids in the children's garden. Visit the indoor areas including a special sculpture exhibitions in the lovely indoor galleries, see the largest tropical conservatory in the state of Michigan and gaze at exquisite arid and carnivorous plants. The gardens host special concerts in their outdoor amphitheater. Beautiful scenery.

• Grand Rapids Public Museum

  phone: +1 616-929-1700
  address: 272 Pearl Street NW
  Offers the sights and sounds of centuries gone by, coming alive once again. Downtown on the west bank of the Grand.

• Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum

  phone: +1 616 254-0400
  address: 303 Pearl Street NW
  Chronicles the United States' "accidental" presidency, the only Chief Executive never elected to serve, who restored a measure of trust to the office following its greatest crisis. Permanent and changing exhibits, highlights include Watergate break-in tools, State Gifts, Bicentennial materials, Oval Office, and interactives. Betty Ford Daylily on display, seasonally, in Betty Ford Garden. President and Mrs. Ford's final resting places are just north of the museum. Free parking is available.

• Grands Rapids Art Museum

  phone: +1 616 831-1000
  address: 101 Monroe Center
  In addition to its permanent collection, features special exhibitions.

• Public ArtAs the website suggests, "The Greater Grand Rapids area has quietly built an impressive collection of modern and contemporary sculpture over the course of the last thirty years." Highlights around downtown include La Grande Vitesse, a particularly good example of an Alexander Calder stabile resplendent in trademark bright red-orange, Fish Ladder, a sculpture-cum-overlook platform with views of the riverfront and migrating fish, and Project X, an earthwork by minimalist artist Robert Morris built into a hillside in Belknap Park. The website has extensive information on the pieces, the artists, and their locations, and a section dedicated to the works at Fredrik Meijer Gardens mentioned above.

• Meyer May House

  phone: +1 616 246-4821
  address: 450 Madison Ave SE

• Grand Rapids African American Museum and Archives

  phone: +1 616-540-2943
  address: 87 Monroe Center NW

• Grand Rapids Symphony

  phone: +1 616 454-9451
  DeVos Performance Hall.

• Grand Rapids Ballet

  phone: +1 616-454-4771
  Michigan's only professional ballet company.

• Opera Grand RapidsOne of two opera companies in the state (Michigan Opera Theater in Detroit being the other), Opera GR is Michigan's longest-running professional company.

• Van Andel Arena

  phone: +1 616 742 6600
  address: 130 West Fulton

• West Michigan Whitecaps

  address: 4500 West River Drive
  Comstock Park. Minor League Baseball. Single A affiliate of Detroit Tigers

• Grand Rapids GriffinsAHL Hockey. Farm team for the Detroit Red Wings.

• Grand Rapids Civic Theatre

  phone: +1 616-222-6650
  address: 30 N. Division
  The Grand Rapids Civic Theatre is the largest community theatre in Grand Rapids and one of the largest in the entire United States, with over 3,000 season ticket holders annually. We reach over 90,000 people during a single season: 110 performances of the six main stage productions; twenty performances of the two productions for children; and a varying number of special events. GRCT is one of the oldest community theatres in Michigan and in the United States. GRCT has a history of continuity and is one of the more self-sufficient arts organizations in our cultural community.

• Circle Theatre

  address: 1607 Robinson Road SE
  Circle Theatre continues to produce a season of main stage and Magic Circle productions during the summer months of May through September. The rest of the calendar year is focused on the academic theatre programs of Aquinas College and the Catholic high schools.

• Actors' Theatre

  address: 143 Bostwick Ave NE
  Actors' Theatre is committed to bring West Michigan the best in entertaining, innovative, challenging and thought-provoking theatre.

• Dog Story Theatre

  address: 7 Jefferson Ave SE
  Blackbox theatre that rents space to different acting troupes, so there's always something fresh going on! Comedy on Monday nights.

• Urban Institute of Contemporary Arts

  address: 41 Sheldon Blvd SE
  Hosts art exhibitions and art house cinema not found elsewhere in the area. Check website for gallery hours and movie listings.

• Grand Rapids Children's Museum

  phone: +1 616-235-4726
  address: 11 Sheldon Ave NE

Events

There are a lot of ethnic festivals during warmer months and are most often held at the downtown Calder Plaza.

• Festival of the ArtsCommonly known as simply Festival, this summer weekend event is the nation's largest all-volunteer arts festival. Chosen by the Library of Congress as a Local Legacy. This event generally occurs in the first full weekend of June.

• Fulton Street Artisan's MarketAn open-air market, full of arts and crafts from all skill levels. Booth space is fairly cheap. Open June 14th to September 17th (in 2009), Sundays from 11AM-3PM. On the corner of Fulton and Fuller streets.

• Celebration on the GrandA live music festival and fireworks show held on the weekend after Labor Day. A tradition for the area since the 1980s.

• Blues on the MallLive Blues performances every Wednesday at Rosa Parks Circle in the summer. Usually the best time to take in downtown nightlife during the week.

• ArtPrizeDowntown Grand Rapids and some of the adjoining neighborhoods is transformed into one giant arts showcase, as competing artists place their sculptures, paintings, murals, performances, etc., throughout the urban landscape, vying for the world's largest cash prize for art (first prize: $200,000). Winner is decided by public vote, enhancing the dialogue between artists and the public, both expert and casual observer alike. Runs for 3 weeks late Sep—early Oct.

• Schuler Books and Music- on 28th Street SE,cthis large independent bookstore is a great place to relax, read and even get some coffee.
• Bohemia Too- Cross a bead store with some funky clothing, gifts, and books and what do you get? This boutique store is right downtown on Weston Ave.

There are several enclosed shopping malls and retail centers in the city and its suburbs - most notably Woodland Mall in the southeast, Rivertown Crossing in the southwest, and Knapp's Corner in the northeast - but they feature much the same stores as similar malls in other cities, so they are mostly of interest to local shoppers and those from less urban areas without such resources.

• Bistro Bella Vita

  address: 44 Grandville Ave SW
  Fantastic Mediterranean country cuisine. One of the best values in all of West Michigan. This is more like a place you'd find in New York or Chicago. Great wine and beer list. Open for lunch and dinner.

• San Chez Bistro

  address: 38 West Fulton St
  downtown. Upscale food, big city atmosphere, casual attire. Cuisine of Spain with a Latin and Cuban flair. Specializing in tapas, sangria, sherries, ports and a wonderful wine list.

• Rose's

  address: 550 Lakeside Drive SE
  On Reeds Lake. One of the many Gilmore collection restaurants, this is arguably the most popular. It has a great view and many delicious, yet tasty, foods.

• Yesterdog

  phone: +1 616-336-0746
  address: 1505 Wealthy SE
  Genuine early-20th-century memorabilia, genuine all-beef hotdogs, seemingly chaotic order-taking/filling procedure (trust them: it works). A quirky local institution in the Eastown neighborhood. (If you want to pass for a regular, skip the "dog" when ordering: e.g. "two Yesters, one Cheddar". Buy a T-shirt!)

• Sami's Gyros / The Pita House' Made to order eastern-mediterranean food, a local-immigrant success story.

• Gaia

  phone: +1 616-454-6233
  address: 209 Diamond Ave. SE
  Ample servings of delicious vegetarian food in the closest Grand Rapids gets to a bohemian atmosphere.

• The Beltline Bar

  address: 16 28th Street
  At Division Avenue. Mexican specialties, including their famous sauce-smothered "wet burrito". (No, it's nowhere near the East Beltline or the South Beltlineway back when they opened, 28th was "the south beltline".)

• Charlie's Crab

  address: 63 Market Ave SW
  Some of the best seafood Grand Rapids has to offer in a refined setting overlooking the Grand River.

• Silver Derby

  phone: +1 616-243-5777
  address: 816 Burton St. SE
  This "dive bar" has a great atmosphere and amazing chili dogs.
• El Burrito Loco/Cinco de Mayo (locations downtown, on East Beltline, Alpine Avenue, and Rockford). Another popular Tex-Mex eatery with Mexican-American flavors.

• Thai Express

  address: 4317 Kalamazoo Ave SE
  Good Thai food, especially on a student budget. Most dishes are between $6-8.

• Wolfgang's

  phone: +1 616-454-5776
  address: 1530 Wealthy St SE
  This is a breakfast restaurant where you must bring your appetite and expect long waits, particularly on the weekend, but it is worth it.

• Spinnaker

  address: 4747 28th Street SE
  A casual upscale restaurant open for Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and our Famous Sunday Brunch. All-you-can-eat crab leg buffet for $16.95 on Fridays and Prime Rib and Pasta on Saturdays for $16.95 $8-$40.

• MadCap Coffee Company

  address: 98 Monroe Center St NW

• Mulligans

  address: 1518 Wealthy St SE
  A bar/pub for twenty- to thirty- somethings into counterculture and indie rock. Sunday "make- your- own bloody mary bar". Not for the faint of heart. Right across from Yesterdog at the corner of Wealthy and Lake, in the Eastown neighborhood, a few miles East of Downtown. Bus 6.

• The B.O.B.

  address: 20 Monroe Ave NW
  At is a popular downtown nightspot featuring a diverse assortment of restaurants and bars under one roof, across the street from the Van Andel Arena, downtown. Buses 11,12 are closest, 1,3,4,6,9,13,14,15 all run nearby.

• The Intersection

  address: 133 Grandville Ave SW
  A long-standing venue for live rock and other kinds of music, in a large space downtown. Short walk from Central Station where buses 1-16 and 18 terminate.

• The Meanwhile

  address: 1005 Wealthy St SE
  Just west of Eastown, near Diamond Avenue. Opened in 2007, this hipster bar specializes in cheap drinks (numerous specials throughout the week), unique concoctions (try the "Vern Ehlers", named after the city's representative in Congress), pinball, and a great jukebox. Now features an outdoor patio in the back. Bus 5, or 4 and 6 get close.

• Billy's Lounge

  address: 1437 Wealthy St SE
  In Eastown, features live music - especially blues - most nights. Bus 6.

• Diversions

  address: 10 Fountain St NW
  The most popular gay/lesbian-friendly club in town, downtown on Fountain St. just west of Division Ave. Buses 6,9,13.

• Founders

  address: 235 Grandville Ave SW
  A great microbrew and taproom recently relocated to a new downtown locale. Count on a great variety of beer and occasional live music. Buses 1-16 and 18 all terminate at Central Station across the street.

• Bar Divani

  address: 15 Ionia Ave SW
  Winebar with excellent selections of wine, beer and spirits, and fantastic cuisine. Wonderful atmosphere as well. Buses 1,3,4,6,9,13,14,15 all get close.

• Hopcat

  address: 25 Ionia Ave SW
  A great variety of craft and micro brewed beers, located next to Bar Divani, on Ionia. Featuring over 40 rotating draft beers, and over 100 bottles to choose from, there is something for everyone (including liquor for those that can't drink beer). Buses 1,3,4,6,9,13,14,15 all get close.

• Brewery Vivant

  address: 925 Cherry Street SE
  A Belgian-style brewery in an old chapel in the East Hills neighborhood. A small menu of gastro-pub style food is available, along with cider from Spring Lake's Vander Mill. Bus 4 or 6.

• Spinnaker Lounge

  address: 4747 28th Street SE
  A casual gathering spot, featuring multiple flat screen TVs, leather couches, and a fire place. Plenty of space for large gathering.

• America's Best Suites

  address: 35 28th Street SW

• Amway Grand Plaza Hotel

  address: 187 Monroe NW

• Best Western Midway Hotel

  address: 4101 28th Street SE

• Clarion Inn & Suites Airport

  address: 4981 28th Street SE
  Less than two miles from the Gerald Ford Airport. Business center with high speed internet available. Free airport and surrounding area transportation shuttle. Smoke-free, pet-friendly.

• Comfort Inn Airport

  address: 4155 28th St SE
  Less than fifteen minutes from downtown Grand Rapids and three minutes from the Gerald Ford Airport. Business center with high speed internet available.

• Comfort Suites

  address: 7644 Caterpillar Court

• Courtyard Grand Rapids Downtown

  address: 11 Monroe Avenue NW

• Crowne Plaza Grand Rapids Hotel

  address: 5700 28th Street S
  Just off I-96, minutes from the airport in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Only three miles from Gerald R. Ford International Airport, with free shuttle. Five minutes from the largest shopping mall in West Michigan

• Econo Lodge & Suites

  address: 2985 Kraft Avenue
  Southeast.

• Fairfield Inn Grand Rapids

  address: 3930 Stahl Drive SE
  Just minutes from the Gerald R. Ford International Airport and the DeVos Convention Center.

• Hilton Grand Rapids Airport

  address: 4747 28th St. SE, Grand Rapids, MI, 49512

• Holiday Inn Express Hotel Suites Grand Rapids/Airport

  address: 5401 28th Street
  A few miles from Gerald R. Ford International Airport and fifteen minutes via expressway from downtown Grand Rapids.

• Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites

  address: 6569 Clay Ave

• Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites

  address: 358 River Ridge Dr. Nw

• Motel 6 Grand Rapids East - Airport

  address: 3524 28th St SE

• Quality Inn Terrace Club

  address: 4495 28th St SE
  A Bed and Breakfast atmosphere ten minutes from the airport.

• Residence Inn Grand Rapids

  address: 2701 East Beltline Avenue SE

• Sleep Inn

  phone: +1 616 975-9000 or +1 616 954-6767
  address: 4284 29th St SE

• SpringHill Suites Grand Rapids Airport Southeast

  address: 5250 28th St. SE

• SpringHill Suites Grand Rapids North

  address: 450 Center Drive
  Near numerous shopping opportunities, ten minutes from downtown.

• Travelodge Grand Rapids

  address: 65 28th St SW
  Free breakfast and high speed internet in all rooms.

• Country Inn and Suites

  address: 5399 28th St

• JW Marriott

  address: 235 Louis Street NW, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503
  In the heart of downtown. Probably GR's most luxurious hotel (possibly tied with the Amway Grand Plaza).

Grand Rapids' crime rate is one of the most uneven in the USA. On the one hand, the city has dealt with rampant property crimes and pick-pocketing in the past. On the other hand, its murder rate is nowhere nearly as bad as Detroit and other Midwestern cities, being usually slightly above the national average.
The downtown area is safe if you use basic precautions. Several areas across the river and to the southwest of downtown are best to be avoided. The rest of the city is safe.

Consulates

• Netherlands (Honorary)

  phone: +1 616 855-3358
  address: 231 W. Fulton

The lakeside communities of Holland and Grand Haven lie half an hour to the west, with the arty/restaurant/shopping mecca of Saugatuck slightly further, but worth the drive.