Meetings Insight
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Why Meet in Grand Rapids?
Grand Rapids is one of the Midwest's hottest convention cities, hosting groups of all kinds from all areas of the country. Here are a few reasons behind our increasing popularity:
Facilities
Grand Rapids has the infrastructure of a much larger city. So we have a meeting facility that's just right for you: from our leading-edge convention center in the middle of downtown to dozens of distinctive spaces close to tourist, dining and shopping spots.
Need help deciding where to meet? See which city sector matches up best with your group.
Transportation
It's easy to get here. The Gerald R. Ford International Airport offers air service to 120 daily nonstop flights to and from 24 major market destinations. Downtown is just a 15-minute ride away.
Two major expressways converge in downtown Grand Rapids, making it easily accessible by vehicle. It's a 2 1/2-hour drive from Detroit and 3 hours from Chicago. Chicago visitors can also travel by Amtrak.
Sustainability
Grand Rapids is America's Greenest City. So it's the ideal host for sustainability-focused meetings ... or for any group concerned about the environment.
Services
Our Grand Response™ services team goes the extra mile to help you plan, promote and conduct a memorable meeting. Unlike many other cities, we work hand-in-hand with area hotels and facilities to help coordinate and implement your vision. It's a true team approach - and you're the most valued team member.
Things to Do
A city on the leading edge of art, culture, dining and nightlife. Minutes away from world-class beaches and a lake so vast it feels like the edge of the world. Grand Rapids is jam-packed with fun things to do when the meeting ends.
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Top 10 Reasons to Meet in Grand Rapids
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Hot Art.
An expansive public art program has helped make Grand Rapids an international arts destination. We host ArtPrize, the world’s richest art competition. This huge undertaking proves Grand Rapids can deliver a world-class experience – for 250,000 ArtPrize visitors or for your group. More
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Hot Eats.
Grand Rapids was a forerunner of the farm-to-table dining movement – and our restaurants continue to serve up an astonishing variety of fresh, local, sustainable and always creative dishes. More
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Big-City Excitement
Downtown Grand Rapids offers more than 90 restaurants, nightclubs, museums and entertainment venues within a five-minute walk of five hotels (and more than 1,400 rooms). More
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Backcountry Adventure
Golf, fishing, swimming, boating, biking, hiking, running, skiing, ice skating, atv-ing … it’s all here, and it’s all close by. Like, 10 minutes from downtown close by. More
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Titanic Exhibitions
Area museums present some of the nation’s most sought-after touring exhibits, from “Diana – A Celebration” to “Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition,” debuting at the Grand Rapids Public Museum in February 2013. More
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Family Fun
There’s plenty for the family to do while mom or dad is in meetings – from a morning at the zoo to an afternoon at the ballpark to a week at camp! More
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Coast with the Most
Grand Rapids is just 30 minutes away from Lake Michigan and a spectacular coastline that must be seen to be believed. Condé Nast Traveler called it one of the world’s Top 25 shorelines. Not the United States, not North America, THE WORLD! More
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A Place to See Before You Die
Patricia Schultz, author of, "1,000 Places to See Before You Die,” includes Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in her list of 30 Must-See Museums – alongside such celebrated institutions as The Hermitage in St. Petersburg, Russia, & The Museum of… More
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Travel Ease
It’s easy to get here: Two major interstate highways converge downtown, and the local airport – just 10 minutes from downtown - offers 140+ daily flights. More
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Community Pride
You’ll see it in clean streets, smiling faces and an ever-ready eagerness to pitch in and help out with anything you need. That makes a huge difference in the attendee experience! More
