Dream Grand and Go to
Grand Rapids, Michigan

Conventions, meetings and conferences are serious business – but all work and no play can make for very dull days. Fortunately, Grand Rapids makes it easy for convention attendees to have a great time outside meeting hours. With more than 300 restaurants, shops, cultural attractions and entertainment venues within a 10-minute walk of 13 hotels and our DeVos Place Convention Center, you can fill every minute of your downtime with fun and excitement. Here are some tips for making the most of your stay in downtown Grand Rapids.

Top Activities for Convention Attendees

Downtown Restaurants & Group-Friendly Dining

With 170+ restaurants just a short walk away, you can satisfy a craving for any dish, ambiance and budget. Search downtown restaurants by cuisine category and amenities, and click Show Map to locate the closest ones. Browse downtown restaurants that are open Sundays and/or Mondays. Be sure to sign up for GR Attendee Exclusives before your visit to access restaurant deals and discounts available only to you. If you’re out on the town with a larger group, consider these restaurants:

Real Seafood Company

141 Lyon St NW

Allora

201 Monroe Ave. NW

The Kitchen by Wolfgang Puck

187 Monroe Ave. NW

Bistro Bella Vita

44 Cesar Chavez Avenue SW

The Atrium at Uccello's

122 Monroe Center St. NW

Tupelo Honey Southern Kitchen & Bar

140 Ottawa Ave. NW

The B.O.B.

20 Monroe Ave. NW

Leo's

60 Ottawa Ave. NW

San Chez Bistro

38 Fulton St W

Peppino's Downtown Grille & Pizzeria Sports Lounge

130 Ionia Ave. SW

Max's South Seas Hideaway

58 Ionia Ave. SW

The Chop House

190 Monroe Ave. NW

10172025_Cinco_De_Mayo_Restaurant_Week_005

July 4 Weekend Restaurants

Grand Rapids has an abundance of dining options within a casual stroll of our convention center and downtown hotels. To assist with your planning, we've partnered with our local restaurants to help communicated what places will be open during our busy Fourth of July holiday weekend. Reservations are…

Secchia Institute for Culinary Education

Planner's Toolbox a month ago

Grand Rapids dinner options a half mile from the convention center

13 minute read

One of the best things about meeting in Grand Rapids is the abundance of dining options within a casual stroll of our convention center. We’ve compiled a list of eateries located a half mile or less from the intersection of Monroe Avenue and Lyon Street, at the south end of DeVos Place…

National Waffle Day and Flights of Flavor photoshoot at Social Misfits, 2023

Food 6 months ago

Sunday and Monday Dining in Downtown Grand Rapids

63 min

Finding places to dine out on Sundays and Mondays can be a challenge these days – but not in Grand Rapids. We’ve assembled this list of great dining destinations in the downtown area that are open for…

Unique Food Experiences

Named one of America’s Top Foodie Cities, Grand Rapids delivers a variety of one-of-a-kind experiences built around food. Get the digital Flights of Flavor® pass to find the area’s best food and/or drink pairings, and collect points toward free merchandise. Visit the Grand Rapids Downtown Market, one of Tasting Table’s 13 Must-Visit U.S. Food Halls. Dine outdoors in our glorious summers and all year-round. Take a guided Taste of GR walking tour of downtown eateries. Shop downtown’s Las Canchas Famers Market on summer Wednesdays for fresh-picked produce from local family farms.

Award-Winning Beer & Craft Beverages

USA Today has saluted Grand Rapids as America’s Best Beer City and the Craft Beverage Capitol of the U.S. You can visit 12 coffeehouses, eight craft breweries, two distilleries and two wine bars right downtown – and 80+ more a short drive away. Walk around the Downtown Refreshment Area with an alcoholic (or otherwise) beverage from 60+ hotels, restaurants, bars and attractions. Download the Beer City Brewsader® app to get a free t-shirt when you check in to eight of our 40+ breweries.

Learn More

Grand Rapids Attendee Exclusives

Be sure to sign up for GR Attendee Exclusives before you visit. You’ll enjoy special attendee-only discounts at local restaurants and attractions, just by showing your smartphone!

Learn More

Things to Do for Attendees

Visit museums dedicated to art, science & history, childhood play, the local African American experience and local legend Gerald R. Ford, the 38^th president of the U.S. (Get Attraction Pass GR to save big on museum and other attraction admissions.) Shop 100+ boutiques, secondhand stores, bookshops and specialty stores. Explore downtown landmarks on a fun scavenger hunt. Greet the morning with a riverfront walk or watch the sunset over picnic in a park. You can do all this and more just steps from your downtown hotel. Explore the topics and attractions below – you’ll find plenty of reasons to extend your Grand Rapids stay beyond your convention dates!

Downtown Scavenger Hunt

Explore iconic downtown Grand Rapids landmarks—all within a 10‑minute walk—with the Grand Rapids Scavenger Hunt pass. Check in at each stop, answer fun trivia, uncover hidden stories, and complete the Hunt for a chance to win quarterly prizes like hotel stays, gift cards, and attraction passes.

Grand Rapids Public Museum

272 Pearl St. NW

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park

1000 East Beltline Ave. NE

Meyer May House

450 Madison Ave. SE

Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum

303 Pearl St. NW

The Aroma Labs

76 Monroe Center St. NW

The Ruse Escape Rooms

25 Division Ave. S

Grand Rapids Art Museum

101 Monroe Center NW

Founders Brewing Company Facility Tour

235 Cesar E. Chavez Ave. SW

Tours Around Michigan

Various Grand Rapids locations

Woodrows DuckPin Bowling

200 Lyon St NW

Grand Rapids Children's Museum

11 Sheldon Ave. NE

Bring the Family

Hailed as one of the best places in America to raise a family, Grand Rapids is also a great place to bring your family along for your convention. While you’re busy on the convention floor, they can visit the Grand Rapids Children’s Museum and Grand Rapids Public Museum, both downtown, and John Ball Zoo, a five-minute drive or bus ride away. After hours, you’ll find all sorts of activities and events to enjoy as a family.

Check out these events happening in Grand Rapids!

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Getting to and Around Grand Rapids

The Gerald R. Ford International Airport, 16 minutes from downtown GR, has been named the best in North America for its size. It makes getting here easy – and our walkable downtown, free downtown bus, award-winning Rapid bus system, ebike and scooter rentals, and simple-to-navigate streets make getting around a breeze.