Day Trip: Grand Rapids

With world-class breweries, a cutting edge culinary scene, multiple music venues and one of the country’s most dynamic art events, it’s easy to see why Grand Rapids was named number one on Lonely Planet’s list of top 10 U.S. destinations to visit in 2014.

GAS

It’s 140-200 miles from Northern Michigan to Grand Rapids, with a round-trip tank of gas likely to run you $30-$50. From most every point in the region, hopping on US- 131 is your most direct route.

KNOWN FOR

Home to Grand Valley State University, Calvin College and Cornerstone University, Grand Rapids is a vibrant college town that offers plenty of attractions for nearly every taste and interest. Sports fans root for the West Michigan Whitecaps (affiliated with the Detroit Tigers) and Grand Rapids Griffins (affiliated with the Detroit Red Wings), while arts aficionados flock to the Frederick Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, Grand Rapids Art Museum and Urban Institute of Contemporary Arts. The famed Founders Brewing Company – along with Brewery Vivant, HopCat and Harmony Brewing Company – helped earn the city the title of Beer City USA in 2013.

STAY

Budget: New regulations allowing Grand Rapids homeowners to rent out their rooms on Airbnb.com offers budget-conscious tourists a chance to find a cheap crash pad for their stay – plus experience the city through the eyes of a local. Numerous weekend rentals can be found in the $35-$50/ night range.

Upscale: Two downtown hotels have come to define luxury in GR accommodations: the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel and the JW Marriott Grand Rapids. Both offer plush rooms within easy walking distance of top city attractions and amenities. Fall weekend rates start at $199 at the Amway and $279 at the JW Marriott.

Unique: If the thought of Grand Rapids breweries gets you hopped up, consider staying at Peaches Bed & Breakfast, a historic Georgian-manor style home in Heritage Hill. The inn features a "Sit. Stay. Beer. Weekend Package" offering guests a chance to participate in their own hands-on homebrewing session, plus enjoy chauffeured brewery tours and a four-course beer pairing dinner curated by The Great American Brew Trail host Amy Sherman. For more details, visit www.peaches-inn.com.

PLAY

While adults will find plenty to do in Grand Rapids, the city has no shortage of kid-friendly activities for families. The Grand Rapids Children’s Museum and John Ball Zoo – the latter features 2,000 animals, a petting zoo and a four-story zipline – are both popular choices with the younger set. Craig’s Cruisers, a "family fun center" with indoor/outdoor go-karts, mini-golf, laser tag and bumper boats, is another surefire hit.

For an evening out on the town, leave the little ones behind and head to the acclaimed San Chez Bistro for classic European and Mediterranean tapas. For more casual fare, Electric Cheetah offers clever takes on American dishes and an eclectic root beer menu as long as most restaurants’ wine lists. Further down trendy Wealthy Street, the recently opened Donkey Tacquiera is winning accolades for its authentic Mexican tacos, margaritas and horchatas.

For those willing to brave noise and crowds, downtown’s HopCat offers 130 craft beer taps, plus a diverse menu starring the pub’s ever-addictive Crack Fries. Both The Winchester and Stella’s Lounge offer delicious food that belies their dive-bar trappings; at the latter, both carnivores and vegetarians will appreciate the creative kitchen staff turning out giant blue-cheese-stuffed burgers with equal ease as farm-fresh salads and mouthwatering vegan appetizers.

For entertainment, head across the street to the Pyramid Scheme to catch one of the up-and-coming rock and indie acts that play there most weekends, or down the road to live music club The Intersection, where artists as varied as JJ Grey & Mofro (October 7) and GWAR (November 23) take the stage. Big-name headliners can be found at downtown’s Van Andel Arena, soon hosting Eric Church (October 9) and Cher (October 20), while Broadway Grand Rapids and the Grand Rapids Symphony perform at DeVos Performance Hall.

THE EVENT

It’s rare for a single event to define the identity of a city – Traverse City’s National Cherry Festival notwithstanding – but Art- Prize has done exactly that for Grand Rapids. The international art competition, held this year September 24-October 12, has transformed the community since its inception just five years ago, drawing almost 400,000 visitors and contributing $22 million in economic impact to Grand Rapids last year alone. For the uninitiated, the concept is simple: artists from around the globe fill hundreds of venues across Grand Rapids with their artwork for the duration of the event, during which attendees visit, view – and most importantly, vote. Public votes help narrow entries down into a list of Top 10 finalists, with further voting eventually determining a grand prize of $200,000 for the top vote-receiver. This year, 1,537 artists are registered to participate. Hotel rooms – particularly on weekends – can be at a premium during the event, so it’s best to plan out your visit in advance.

WHO KNEW?

Need a break from the hustle and bustle of the city? One of the country’s largest urban greenspaces, MillenniumPark, offers 1,500 acres of public recreation area just four miles outside the city center. The park features 20 miles of trails, a 100-acre lake with beach frontage and plenty of wildlife-watching opportunities. The city is also a mecca for fishermen: Field & Stream magazine declared Grand Rapids the sixth best fishing city in the country.

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