A Vegan & Sustainable Weekend Itinerary for Grand Rapids

Start with Sustainable Accommodations

Start by booking a stay at an eco-conscious hotel. There are a number of worthy choices right downtown, within a 10-minute walk of 200+ restaurants, shops, entertainment venues and cultural sites. Consider:

• CityFlatsHotel, a LEED Gold-certified boutique hotel in which no two rooms are the same – but all offer such green features as cork flooring, bamboo linens and low-flow water fixtures.
• The historic Amway Grand Rapids Plaza Hotel, whose 2023 renovation reduced energy usage by nearly 20%.
• Holiday Inn Grand Rapids Downtown, an IHG Green Engage Hotel implementing a wide range of green solutions to measure and manage its environmental impact.
• Embassy Suites, Canopy by Hilton, Homewood Suites and Hampton Inn and Suites, each part of LightStay, Hilton Worldwide’s program to track energy, carbon, water and waste data, and social impact metrics.
• AC Hotel by Marriott, Downtown Courtyard by Marriott and Residence Inn by Marriott, all of which adhere to corporate standards for reducing environmental impact, sourcing responsibly and operating sustainably.

For a more personal experience, you might want to check out Peaches Bed & Breakfast, an elegant Georgian-style home located in the historic Heritage Hill district adjacent to downtown. Peaches participates in Michigan’s Green Lodging initiative, scoring higher than any other state property when it first became certified in 2007.

There are also many suburban hotels that prioritize sustainability – including Hyatt Place Grand Rapids South, the area’s first LEED-certified hotel.

Friday Morning: Breakfast, Animals & Nature

Kick off your vegan-based trip to Grand Rapids with breakfast at Rise Authentic Baking Co., about one mile west of downtown Grand Rapids. Walk, drive, rent an e-bike or scooter, or take The Rapid Bus Laker Line to get to this entirely vegan, gluten-free and soy-free bakery that uses no artificial flavors or colors.

You’ll find a large selection of rotating donut and pastry varieties here, as well as breakfast and lunch dishes that change with the seasons. VegOut Magazine named Rise to its 2024 list of The Best Vegan Bakeries in the U.S., which cited its “delicious array of baked goods each day,” so you know you’re in for a treat.

After filling up on vegan donuts (and throwing a few extras in your bag for later), walk just around the corner to John Ball Zoo, a classic urban zoo whose origins date back to the 1890s. Today, the zoo is home to more than 2,000 animals and its Wildlife Conservation Fund supports conservation projects both regionally and across the globe. It also strives to minimize its environmental impacts to safeguard the future for both people and animals.

Wander the zoo at your leisure or sign up in advance for a behind-the-scenes tour that gets you up close to such animals as coatis, red pandas, pygmy hippos, sloths, brown bears, penguins and more. You can also arrange for guided tours of different zoo areas, which are conducted during the zoo’s closed season (late November through mid-March).

The south end of John Ball Zoo is across the street from a trailhead for Kent Trails, a 15-mile paved trail that routes through Grand Rapids and four suburban communities. Accessible to people with disabilities, this section of the trail leads to Millennium Park, a 1,400-acre greenspace featuring six miles of frontage on the Grand River, a six-acre beach and large natural areas for wildlife to thrive. Follow as much of the trail as you like through open fields and forests dotted with lakes and wetlands.

Friday Afternoon: Lunch & Responsible Shopping

Head back downtown for a casual lunch at Two Beards Deli, one of our most recommended Restaurants with Great Vegan Options. The 90 or so sandwiches on the  menu include 19 vegan selections and seven vegetarian options.

Two Beards is just around the corner from Division Avenue, also known as the Avenue of the Arts, which is home to a large and growing concentration of secondhand and thrift stores. Shop The August Connection, Decaydence Vintage, Khloe Mae Bridal, OTONO, Rewind, Second Vibess and Zabház for gently used clothing, home décor and more.

You’ll save money compared to buying new and you’ll do the planet some good by diverting used items from landfills and conserving resources that would be expended in manufacturing new products.

Friday Evening: Dinner, Games & Whiskey

Enjoy dinner at downtown GR’s Stella’s Lounge  , another of our most recommended Restaurants with Great Vegan Options, amidst graffitied walls, ‘80s vintage arcade games, 250+ whiskey options and a pub-style menu. 

GQ Magazine named the half-pound stuffed Stella Burger as the “Best Burger in America,” but the restaurant complements its meat-based offerings with a selection of vegan items – including buffalo wings made out of potatoes or chickpeas, a sweet potato burrito and nachos topped with vegan chorizo sausage.

A lot of whiskey is naturally vegan, but you can always consult Barnivore, a comprehensive online resource for vegan alcohol, to be sure.

On the sustainability front,  Stella’s Lounge recycles or composts more than 90% of its waste and packages all to-go items in compostable materials.

Saturday Morning: Breakfast & Street Murals

Downtown GR’s Field & Fire Cafe  , located in a refurbished 1920 factory across from the Grand River, offers a number of vegan options to start your day. Opt for the hearty Vegan Skillet, made with walnut-tempeh chorizo, or the organic oatmeal topped with Michigan apples. Grab a vegan cookie or two for a mid-morning snack.

Field & Fire is in the North Monroe neighborhood of downtown GR, which features seven murals from our self-guided City Center Mural Tour. Follow the tour to see 20+ additional murals situated around our compact downtown. It’s a great way to stretch your legs and orient yourself with the layout of the city.

Several of the pieces on this tour were created for ArtPrize, the annual Grand Rapids competition that has become the world’s most visited art event, and many offer colorful glimpses into local history and culture.

Saturday Afternoon: Lunch and Farm Fun

Once you’ve worked up an appetite, walk or catch a ride to the Fulton Street Farmers’ Market  - Grand Rapids longest-running farmers market – to assemble a picnic feast. Grab some fruit and veggies from local farmers, then head over to nearby The Cheese Lady for some vegan cheese and crackers.

Enjoy your picnic lunch at Manhattan Park, three miles away in East Grand Rapids. The park includes a picnic shelter with grills and tables as well as a playground and ballfields. It’s a great place for people-watching and there are rustic nature trails to explore.

Six minutes away is Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park  , named America’s #1 Sculpture Park by USA Today. America’s 15^th most visited art museum sites 200+ captivating sculptures among dazzling outdoor gardens, including a Japanese garden, woodland shade garden and a Michigan Farm Garden featuring a replica 1880s farmhouse, bronze animal sculptures and heirloom vegetable gardens and flower beds. Plan on at least two hours wandering the grounds (or take a guided tram tour).

As an alternative or add-on experience, head to Robinette’s Apple Haus & Winery, a century-old family farm eight minutes from Meijer Gardens. During the growing season, you can wander orchards filled with apricot, cherry, peach, nectarine, pear and apple trees. The fall harvest brings apple picking, hayrides, corn mazes and wine tasting. You can enjoy vegan donuts from Robinette’s bakery all year round!

Saturday Evening: A Beer City Dinner

Grand Rapids has held the Beer City USA title since 2012 and we’ve earned four consecutive Best Beer City honors from USA Today (2021-2024). Treat yourself to a taste of the local beer scene for dinner tonight. Many of the beers at Atwater Brewery, Founders Brewing Company, The Mitten Brewing Company, New Holland Brewing - The Knickerbocker and Vivant Brewery + Spirits are vegan-friendly – ask your server or consult Barnivore for recommendations.

Almost all of our 40+ breweries offer excellent food to go along with their beers, and many of them serve vegan options - including The Mitten, New Holland, Vivant, City Built Brewing Co. and Harmony Brewing Company.

Be sure to download the Beer City Brewsader® App  and use it to check in to any breweries you visit. Check in to at least eight breweries and you’ll earn a FREE collectible t-shirt.

Sunday Morning: Breakfast & Wonderful Women

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast or brunch at downtown’s San Chez Bistro, which blends authentic European, Mediterranean and Latin cuisine in a fun, laid-back and artful atmosphere.

Ask for the vegan menu, which contains such delectables as a vegan breakfast sandwich, breakfast hash, avocado toast, and various sides and add-ons. Ask your server for vegan drink selections, including a horchata made with oat milk.

While you wait for your food, check out some of San Chez’s environmental practices.

San Chez is steps away from a number of electrical boxes painted with colorful portraits of influential women, part of the self-guided RAD Women Electrical Box Tour. There are 26 boxes on the tour, which should take 90 minutes to two hours to complete at a casual pace. Subjects include marine biologist/conservationist Rachel Carson and animal rights activist Temple Grandin.

Sunday Afternoon: Lunch & Art

The Grand Rapids Downtown Market  is home to 18 restaurants and artisan food vendors, and it regularly hosts food-oriented community events. A number of tenants offer vegan options, including Field & Fire Bakery , Rak Thai , Tacos El Cuñado , and Love’s Ice Cream & Chocolate . 

After enjoying your lunch and browsing food retailers at the Downtown Market, hop on the free downtown DASH bus  to the Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM)  – the first newly constructed green museum in the country and the world’s first LEED Gold-certified art museum. Boasting a permanent collection of more than 7,000 objects and hosting a wide range of the country’s best touring exhibitions, GRAM is a great place to spend a few hours before heading back home.

Grand Rapids has many fantastic vegan and sustainable options beyond these suggestions. Click the magnifying glass at the top right of this page and enter keywords like  “vegan” and “sustainability” for more ideas!