Articles

Food & Dining

College Student's Guide to Hosting Friends and Family

by Sarah McCrackin photo by Ashley Wierenga for Experience GR

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6 min story

If you couldn’t tell from its creative and lively atmosphere, Grand Rapids is a college town…

Group of three friends seated at a table at the Winchester, a restaurant in Grand Rapids.

Food & Dining

Grand Rapids Restaurants That Focus on Accessibility

by Cameron Young photo by Leigh Ann Cobb for Experience GR

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8 min story

Several years ago, Experience Grand Rapids asked four local residents with disabilities to share…

Experiencing art at the World of Winter festival in downtown Grand Rapids

Experiences

LGBTQ+ Weekend Getaway in Grand Rapids

by Courtney Vondran photo by Alyssa Zuiderveen Artwork: Massimals by Scroggin Studio

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6 min story

Ranked as one of the “Gayest Cities in America,” Grand Rapids is a must-visit for…

Amy Busse

Amy is a married mother of two fantastic girls who doesn’t understand why everyone doesn’t live on Michigan’s West Coast. With so many great things to do in the area, she will begrudgingly admit what her friends have known for years – it is hard getting her to leave. However, she will invite you to visit anytime to explore the great outdoors, festivals, fun fitness activities, and of course the breweries.

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Matthew Makowski

Matthew Makowski is a professional storyteller, positivity promoter, and local tourist who loves sharing the awesomeness of Grand Rapids for Experience Grand Rapids. Away from his work, Matthew enjoys burying his nose in a good comic book, cosplaying for charity as Captain America with The League of Enchantment, and exploring West Michigan with his wife, son, and far-out corgi, The Dude.

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Allison Arnold

Allison Arnold is a graduate of the University of Michigan and will be serving as an AmeriCorps Family Literacy & English Language Instructor at the Literacy Center of West Michigan. She is passionate about writing, food and culture, travel, and hiking. She can usually be found enjoying tacos and a beer, or writing for her blog, 4theloveoftacos.com.

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Brian Craig

Brian Craig recently moved to Michigan with his wife and three kids. He photographs and writes stories about parenting, food, history’s oddities, and happenings around Grand Rapids. A former teacher, Brian also tutors students with dyslexia, for the non-profit SLD Read.

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