“Grand Rapids is often in the spotlight for its prominent food and beer scene, but it has also become an emerging outdoor recreation destination,” says Kate Lieto, Experience Grand Rapids Director of Marketing. “Tourists and locals alike enjoy that within 5-10 minutes you can go from walking in a bustling downtown to enjoying the sounds of nature. It truly sets the city apart.”
Marketing outdoor recreation was identified as a key opportunity for growing tourism to the Kent County area in the 2016 Grand Rapids Destination Asset Study (Conventions, Sports and Leisure International). Focusing on the area's outdoor recreation also aligns with the award winning Pure Michigan tourism campaign.
The Grand Outdoors video series launches with four videos, highlighting Grand Rapids’ fishing, paddling, biking and mountain biking industries:
- Alive with Water
- Gifts of the Grand
- Built for Bikes
- Vehicles of Change
The second installment of The Grand Outdoors videos will be released later this year and will feature other seasonal activities.
The community is invited to The Grand Outdoors Watch Party:
- Moosejaw on Thursday, April 11 from 5 to 8 p.m.
- Address: 410 Ionia Ave SW, Grand Rapids, Mich., 49503
- Open-house style
The Grand Outdoors features local outdoor advocates, enthusiasts and business owners who discuss the social and economic benefits of Grand Rapids’ outdoor opportunities throughout the series.
“[Grand Rapids has] become well known for beer and some innovative manufacturing,” said Melissa Werkman, an avid local mountain biker, as featured in The Grand Outdoors. “But we have a lot [of outdoor amenities] to offer. I want Grand Rapids to be known as a place where people can come and experience the outdoors in a variety of ways.”
A special preview of The Grand Outdoors will be featured during the ‘Mountainfilm On Tour’ film festival at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts on March 23.
To learn more about The Grand Outdoors, and to watch the video series, visit ExperienceGR.com/GrandOutdoors.
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