Experience Grand Rapids wants every visitor to our region to feel welcome and accommodated. That includes travelers with all different types of abilities.

In 2018, we teamed with Disability Advocates of Kent County (DAKC) to highlight accessibility features at 60+ of the area’s most popular hotels, attractions, restaurants and service providers. DAKC, which strives to help people with disabilities live the self-directed life they choose, surveyed each venue and provided detailed information on navigating their space if you have mobility, auditory or visual issues.

Our work was honored with a 2019 Governor’s Award for Innovative Tourism Collaboration from the Tourism Industry Coalition of Michigan (TICOM). It was also a factor in WalletHub naming Grand Rapids the #8 Best U.S. City for People with Disabilities that same year.

Tram Tour at Meijer Gardens
Family at the at Meijer Gardens

The Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park is accessible for all.

Photo by Haley Chicoine for Experience GR

Our Accessibility Journey

While we were pleased with the recognition, we know that accessibility is an ongoing journey, not a destination. We are always looking for ways to help our partners become more inclusive and reach out to travelers looking for accessible destinations. We are pleased to report that we have received a grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation to further these efforts.

The $100,000 grant was awarded in June 2024 on the basis of an application detailing our accessibility plans. The grant requires a matching $100,000 investment from EXGR and all funds must be spent by November 2025.

“The goals of our accessibility project are threefold and are ultimately aimed at making Grand Rapids a top choice for accessible travelers,” says Kate Lieto, EXGR’s Vice President of Marketing. She outlines the goals as:

  1. Education. We will be training tourism stakeholders in best practices to improve accessibility and create a more welcoming environment. Our annual Partner Event in November 2024 kicked off the education process with a joint presentation by EXGR and DAKC.
  2. Information. We have engaged DAKC to survey all 350+ of our industry partners to provide visitors and local residents with the most comprehensive, up-to-date reference on local accessibility. This information will be featured on ExperienceGR.com.
  3. Marketing. Wheel the World is an online travel booking platform focused on providing all the details travelers need about accessible hotels and experiences around the world. While the name implies wheelchair accessibility, Wheel the World is dedicated to making travel accessible for people with all types of disabilities.

Grand Rapids now has a landing page on Wheel the World and has achieved “Destination Verified” status, meaning the organization has assessed each point of accessibility at 50 Kent County restaurants, hotels, attractions and more. Wheel the World trained DAKC team members to perform accessibility measurements and suggest actionable insights for improvement. DAKC also provided training and resources to help businesses better understand accessibility needs.

As one of 114 (and counting) verified Wheel the World destinations around the world, Grand Rapids is now able to reach out to travelers with disabilities in a way we haven’t before. We are weaving Wheel the World content – including this video depicting wheelchair-accessible adventures in town – into our annual marketing strategy to inspire travel to Kent County.

Two women in wheelchairs exploring downtown Grand Rapids.

Grand Rapids joins Wheel the World to offer travelers with disabilities verified accessible experiences.

Photo by Wheel The World for Experience GR

Bottom-line Benefits

Investing in accessibility and inclusion is not just the right thing to do, it can also be beneficial to the bottom line. Our sister company, the West Michigan Sports Commission, has found great success in emphasizing the area’s accessibility-friendly environment, and has helped host such events as wheelchair rugby, tennis and lacrosse tournaments here in town.

The WMSC has also convinced Move United to host The Hartford Nationals in Grand Rapids in 2025 (July 11-17) and 2026 (date TBD). The nation’s largest and longest-running national sport championship event for youth and adult athletes with a physical disability, visual impairment or intellectual disability, The Hartford Nationals will bring upwards of 400 athletes and 150 coaches to Grand Rapids each year, generating an estimated economic impact of more than $4.2 million.

That’s money spent in local hotels, restaurants, stores, attractions and other businesses – some of which will be invested back into even more accessibility features!

Visit our Accessibility landing page for more information, including accessible tourism insights from travelers with disabilities.