Category: Community

Medical Mile

photo by Ideology for Experience GR

Published Sep. 25, 202512 Min Story

The founding of medical-research facility Van Andel Institute in 1996 jump-started a multi-billion dollar investment along Michigan Street in downtown Grand Rapids. Today, this section of Michigan…

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Heartside

photo by Ashley Wierenga for Experience GR

Published Sep. 23, 202519 Min Story

Heartside is a vibrant downtown Grand Rapids neighborhood encompassing art galleries, retail shops and entertainment venues alongside leading-edge medical facilities and revered spiritual centers…

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Sparta

Published Sep. 22, 202514 Min Story

Experience a slice of Americana in the village of Sparta, just 20 minutes north of Grand Rapids. It’s a quintessential Michigan small town, holding fast to tradition while embracing the future. The…

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From Indy's Playbook to Grand Rapids' Future

Published Sep. 15, 20253 Min Story

In early August, our Board of Directors, executive leadership and several community partners traveled by bus to Indianapolis for a city-immersion retreat. Indy has made remarkable strides in…

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Cascade

photo by Nick Irwin for Experience GR

Published Sep. 15, 202515 Min Story

Divided into east and west sections by the scenic Thornapple River, Cascade Township is situated about 15 minutes southeast of downtown Grand Rapids. It’s easily accessible from two major expressways…

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Alpine

photo by Aly Zuiderveen for Experience GR

Published Sep. 11, 202511 Min Story

Like 28 th Street in southeast Grand Rapids, Alpine Avenue (aka M-37) in northwest GR is lined with a wide range of shopping, dining, lodging and entertainment options – both locally owned and…

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Heritage Hill

photo by Nick Irwin for Experience GR

Published Aug. 07, 20256 Min Story

Heritage Hill is a residential neighborhood adjacent to downtown Grand Rapids. It boasts Michigan’s largest and finest concentration of 19th and early 20th-century homes, and is one of the largest…

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Byron Center

photo by Experience GR

Published Aug. 06, 202515 Min Story

Byron Center is a friendly, family-oriented community with a growing commercial presence. The 2015 opening of a Tanger Outlet Mall has drawn huge crowds to the area – and those that venture beyond the…

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Grand Rapids LipDub

Published Jul. 24, 20252 Min Story

You never know what will cause a viral sensation. In 2011, Grand Rapids did it with a large-scale LipDub set to a live version of Don McLean’s epic “American Pie.” The video was filmed on the streets…

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Explore the Southtown Corridor

photo by Experience Grand Rapids

Published Jul. 23, 202517 Min Story

The Southtown Corridor encompasses a collection of business districts south of Wealthy Street in Uptown Grand Rapids – Alger Heights, Boston Square, Eastern Ave. and Martin Luther King Jr St., Madison…

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