Things to Experience on 28th Street in Grand Rapids
Downtown Grand Rapids is the region’s premier meetings and convention destination, but it’s not the only local place to find everything you need to host a successful event. A seven-mile stretch of 28th Street through Wyoming and Kentwood, two southern suburbs of Grand Rapids, encompasses the largest concentration of lodging, dining, shopping and entertainment options outside of the city center – and all of it is within 10 minutes of the Gerald R. Ford International Airport.
Choose from 30+ hotels with meeting capacity up to 570 attendees, dine at 40+ restaurants featuring cuisine from around the world, shop at the area’s largest mall, play a round of golf or a game of pickleball, see a movie, visit a brewery and more, all along or just off 28th Street.
You’ll enjoy free parking wherever you go on and around the roadway. You can enter the 1-96 expressway directly from 28th Street, giving you quick and easy access to all the wonders of the region. The art, culture and nightlife of downtown Grand Rapids is just 10 minutes or so away and Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, the area’s most popular attraction, is even closer. But you don’t need a car to get around – catch the Rapid bus at the airport to take you to 28th Street and throughout the city.
For first-class meetings infrastructure across a range of price points, excellent airport proximity and abundant after-hours leisure opportunities, consider the 28th Street convention corridor.
Hotels
With more than 30 hotels to choose from, 28th Street offers budget, capacity and amenity options for meetings large and small. Many of America’s most popular hotel brands are represented here, offering all the programs and perks you expect. Properties with on-site restaurants can save time on busy days and facilitate informal connections. Will attendees be traveling with family? Consider a hotel with a pool or water park. Every hotel is within 10 minutes of the Gerald R. Ford International Airport, and all of them feature complimentary on-site parking.
Attractions
From Indian Trails Golf Course at the west end of the 28th Street convention corridor to river front Leslie E. Tassell Park at the east end, planners and attendees will find plenty of opportunities for play, inspiration and wonder. Dave & Buster’s and Main Event offer multiple activities under one roof, from arcade games and giant TV screens to escape rooms and laser tag. Phoenix Theaters presents first-run movies in 4K digital format and offers heated reclining seating for guests. Ken-O-Sha Park offers wooded trails and nature-inspired play areas, and Sky Zone features trampolines, climbing walls, a zip line and much more. Close-by attractions include Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park, Robinette’s Apple Haus & Winery, TreeRunner Grand Rapids Adventure Park, the Golf Club at Thornapple Pointe, X-Golf and AMF Eastbrook Lanes.
Shopping
Woodland Mall, West Michigan’s largest indoor shopping experience, boasts 100+ mainstream and upscale stores, from JC Penny and Macy’s to Apple and Pottery Barn. There are 100 or so additional standalone stores along this stretch of 28th Street, from homegrown boutiques to big box retailers including Barnes & Noble, Best Buy, Costco, Home Depot, Marshalls, Target and Walmart. Shop for food and beverages at D&W Fresh Market, Meijer, Rishi’s International Beverage , Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods Market. . Browse luxury clothing brands for men and women at A.K. Rikk’s and gently used clothing, home goods and more at Plato’s Closet and Uptown Cheapskate. Explore contemporary Scandinavian furniture at Design Quest and old-school audio equipment at Bring Back Analog. Discover your next great read at Schuler Books or Baker Book House, a Christian bookstore. If you can’t find it on 28th Street, you probably don’t need it!
Dining
Enjoy Asian cuisine at Nagoya Sushi and Thai Fusion, Eastern European dishes at Al-Bos Eurocafe and Bosna Express, Indian food at Indian Masala and Madras Indian Grill, Italian at Noto’s and Pietro’s, Mediterranean at Le Kabob and The Pita House, south-of-the-border favorites at Cantina and El Arriero, and so much more. Savor perfectly paired craft beverages and meals at Broad Leaf Brewery + Spirits and Thornapple Brewing Co. Indulge your sweet tooth at Cindy’s Donuts & Ice Cream, Frosty Boy, Himalayan Café & Desserts or Sugar Momma’s Bakery & Café. With more than 40 restaurants, 28th Street has whatever you’re hungry for.
The Airport
The Gerald R. Ford International Airport is less than three miles from 28th Street. In 2023, Airports Council International named it North America’s Best Airport serving 2-5 million passengers in 2023, 2024 and 2025, and has also hailed it as the Continent’s easiest and most enjoyable airport. A marvel of speed, cleanliness and convenience, it’s in the midst of a $600+ million project to make the passenger experience even better.