Beautiful natural areas/clean city/DELICIOUS BEER
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3/12/2013
Having not grown up in Grand Rapids, I knew very little about the area when I first moved there for college. I was blown away. May through October, Grand Rapids is wonderful. It is within a 45 minute drive to either of the beautiful beaches at Holland or Grand Haven. The Meijer Gardens are unparalleled in their scope of art or quality of greenspace in the state and arguably the midwest. Downtown is very clean and has a nice park with a bandshell in the heart of the city that offers great concerts in the summer and ice skating in the winter. a decent number of restaurants that offer outdoor seating and patio space. The new downtown urban market (opens this spring) will be a year round contribution to the city which will hopefully be similar to Pike Place Market in Seattle. Artprize in the fall is a brainchild of Grand Rapids and is one of a kind in scope and in the number of differing mediums of art. Quite the experienced!
The city recently tied for the title of Beer City USA. It is well deserved. To a beer lover, there is no dispute that this area is a paradise and a mecca for amazing craft. Founders, Vivant, Hopcat, Perrin, The BOB, Grand Rapids Brewing Co, Harmony, and Hideout. Not to mention New Holland in Holland and two other micro breweries coming to Muskegon later this year. If you love good beer, you will be happy here.
That being said, winter in the area is cold and very snowy with not much to do in terms of outdoor activities. Also, the job market is not the best which means I will probably have to move away after I graduate this August.
Aaron | Richland, MI