Grand Rapids is having a moment. At the end of June, CNN named it one of “America’s Best Towns to Visit” in 2024, citing its vibrant arts scene, thriving beer culture, and family-friendly recreation. And that’s just the latest in a string of accolades that has been coming Grand Rapids’ way for years. The Right Place, an economic development organization based in Grand Rapids, keeps track of all the recognitions—from WalletHub’s “Best Cities for Jobs” to U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Places to Live for Quality of Life.”
Grand Rapids also has long been known as Beer City, USA, being named just that by USA Today multiple years in a row—including 2024, when it beat out sudsy cities like Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
A West-Side Hub
Grand Rapids is the seat of Kent County and serves as the economic and cultural hub of West Michigan. Originally home to the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Bodéwadmi tribes, it became a fur-trading post for European settlers in 1806. Grand Rapids grew alongside gypsum mining, and later, timber harvesting, which laid the foundation for its other nickname, “Furniture City.” Today, headquarters for Steelcase, Meijer, Amway, and many more large corporations are located there. There are also seven universities, the largest being Grand Valley State University.
The city is always bustling with activity, from sports games and outdoor concerts to festivals and fun runs. It is known internationally as the home of ArtPrize, an annual art competition that draws hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world and leaves in its wake a trail of public art throughout the city.
“There are lots of really cool art all the time in downtown Grand Rapids, and a lot of that is attributed to ArtPrize,” says Kate Lieto, associate vice president of marketing for Experience Grand Rapids.
Getting Around
Grand Rapids is smack dab in between Detroit and Chicago, Illinois; it is a two-and-a-half-hour drive from each city. There’s no need for meeting and convention attendees to drive, though, with the Gerald R. Ford International Airport providing more than 100 daily flights. The airport is a 20-minute shuttle or Uber ride from downtown Grand Rapids.
Once attendees arrive, they don’t always need a car due to the area’s walkability and ample public transportation, including the bright pink Dash shuttle with free service throughout downtown. For more casual rides and team-building opportunities, consider a bike/scooter share program and the lively Great Lakes Pub Cruiser.
A River Runs Through It
Grand Rapids is known for its burgeoning arts scene, cultural attractions, craft breweries, and outdoor recreation. It’s less than an hour from the sandy beaches and quaint towns near Lake Michigan, and its vibrant downtown runs alongside the banks of the Grand River, creating a dynamic setting for meetings and events of all sizes.
The river is what drew the Joint Aquatic Sciences Meeting in May 2022, says Amy Young, owner of Grand Rapids-based Destination Consultants. The weeklong conference of 3,000 used meeting spaces at DeVos Place and Amway Grand Plaza, Curio Collection by Hilton, with outings that reflected the group’s aquatic mission. Guests took a 3-mile Grand River walking tour, went kayaking, and enjoyed a sunset cruise on the Grand Lady riverboat. They also had a large dinner on the historic Gillett Bridge.
According to Lieto, the bridge is a very popular gathering spot. “Groups set up tents, catering, and tables right on the bridge,” she says. “It’s a cool, nice touch in warmer weather—something a little bit different.”
Convention Neighborhood
Grand Rapids is so meeting-friendly that it boasts a designated “Convention Neighborhood” encompassing an expo center, 2,500 hotel rooms, restaurants, shopping, and entertainment within a 10-minute stroll. The area is anchored by DeVos Place, featuring a 162,000-square-foot exhibit hall, 26 meeting rooms, a 40,000-square-foot ballroom, and an adjoining 2,500-seat performance arena.
The 12,000-seat Van Andel Arena, known for hosting big-name concerts and sporting events, also accommodates meetings and conventions. A climate-controlled SkyWalk connects DeVos Place and Van Andel Arena, with three hotels—the Amway Grand Plaza, JW Marriott Grand Rapids, and Courtyard Grand Rapids Downtown—in between.
Unconventional Spaces
Nontraditional meeting spaces also abound in Grand Rapids. Many planners are familiar with “The B.O.B.,” a historic landmark restored as a “big old building of fun” with a comedy club, entertainment, pizzeria, brewery, and outdoor beer garden. At The B.O.B., planners can arrange anything from an intimate gathering for 20 to a full buyout for 2,000. “It’s a much more casual feel, perfect for an opening or closing party,” Lieto says.
Adjacent to The B.O.B. is GLC Live at 20 Monroe, an art deco-inspired concert hall that accommodates groups of up to 2,600 with state-of-the art lighting and sound, custom menus, and mixology. “It has a really large open floor plan that’s great for events,” Lieto says.
Where to Stay
There are many hotels in downtown Grand Rapids, with CityFlatsHotel and The Finnley Hotel offering boutique experiences. “We have over a hundred hotels in Kent County, so there are lots of options for every price point,” says Lieto. Planners also will find hotels along 28th Street, a 7-mile stretch of lodging, dining, shopping, and entertainment options outside the city center. Among them is the newly renovated Sheraton Grand Rapids Airport Hotel with minimalist, modern rooms; an outdoor pool and a hot tub; and the on-site 28th Street Bistro Restaurant and Bar.
Out and About
Booking exciting activities, tours, and outings is easy in Grand Rapids. The Grand Rapids Art Museum—known as GRAM—houses a world-class collection in a building with beautiful architecture and stunning views of the city. The Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, named the best sculpture park in the country this year by USA Today, displays impressive works of art complemented by botanical gardens inside and out.
Additionally, there’s a reason Grand Rapids is known as Beer City, USA. More than 40 craft breweries are located within a 30-minute drive, with beer tours available for planners to book.
When it comes to dining, Real Seafood Co., Leo’s Seafood, and Ruth’s Chris Steak House are classic favorites, while Monsoon is newly popular with its elevated Vietnamese cuisine. “Diverse cuisine is popping up around all of Kent County, which has been a really nice addition to our food and dining scene,” Lieto says.
Doug Small, Experience Grand Rapids president and CEO, says the region is in the “second-richest agricultural area in the U.S. outside of California,” noting that Grand Rapids-area restaurants capitalize on that. “A lot of our local restaurants have really used that to their advantage by bringing the—I think it’s an overused term—farm-to-table,” he says. “I always tell people it’s earth-to-table because of the Great Lakes and fish.”
And the local food scene only continues to explode. Small says it’s a rare week that goes by without a new eatery opening. “What we currently have continues to get better,” Small says. “We’re thought of by our visitors as being a great town for cuisine.”
He also can’t say enough about the Grand Rapids Downtown Market, which features a collection of indoor food merchants and restaurants, event spaces, a nearly 5,000-square-foot commercial kitchen, and more. “Not a person calls who I won’t tell to go to the market,” he says. “It’s a great lunch spot. Anybody can grab anything they want.”
For ambitious meeting planners like Young, day trips to small towns on Lake Michigan’s shoreline offer many options. She has taken groups shopping in Holland and Grand Haven, dune riding and boating in Saugatuck, and wine tasting along the coast.
Beyond those nearby attractions, there’s so much to do in the city itself. And with Grand Action 2.0 developing 31 acres along the Grand River, that’s only going to become truer with a new riverfront amphitheater and professional soccer stadium slated for completion in 2026. Grand Action 2.0 Executive Director Kara Wood says the two developments will spur economic growth in the form of housing, attractions for visitors, employment opportunities, culinary outlets, retail, and various other investments. “Looking at the riverfront improvements just with the amphitheater project, it’s going to be remarkable,” she says.
