When it comes to easy and efficient air travel, the Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR) in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is in a bit of a sweet spot. It’s big enough to be serviced by six airlines and offer 30+ daily nonstop flights to major cities, but small enough to be easy to navigate and get…
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If your organization is meeting in Grand Rapids, which has been known as Beer City USA since 2012, it would be a shame not to visit one of its many breweries. Fortunately, eight of them make it easy to mix business with some pleasure by offering meeting space within a short walk of the city’s…
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Downtown Grand Rapids is walkable – one of the top 14 walkable destinations in the U.S., according to Trips to Discover. Attendees at meetings and events held at any of the city’s downtown venues have everything they could need within a few short blocks. Take a look: Hotels There are 13 hotels…
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Grand Rapids was first dubbed Beer City USA in 2012. Since then, its reputation, and the reason for it, has only grown. Experts and readers of USA Today voted Grand Rapids number one on a list of 10 cities with the best beer scenes in 2021, 2022 and 2023. The good news for meeting planners and…
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Offsite conferences already shake up the routine and lend themselves to new ideas and discussion. But sometimes it’s good to get attendees out of the convention center and hotel conference rooms, and into your host city for even more inspiration. We've already collected a list of walkable…
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When meeting planners reach a high level of knowledge, expertise and experience in the industry, they face the question: should I get certified? One of the best-known certifying bodies, the Events Industry Council, offers a Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) designation to distinguish experts in…
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Hybrid events—live, in-person gatherings that are streamed out to virtual audiences in some way—have been part of the meetings and events industry for years with varying degrees of success and comfort levels. But since the masses have recently experienced the world of working remotely through…
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Just half a mile north of the city’s main convention campus sits another spot that is great for hosting meetings and events. It’s ideal for those who want to be close to downtown and have downtown amenities, but without as much hustle and bustle as the city center. The north end of downtown Grand…
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Many destinations have “signature events.” If you go to Hawaii, chances are you’ll attend a luau. Headed to Orlando? An event at Disney is likely in your future. But what about Grand Rapids, Michigan? That’s the question Amy Young, president of Destination Consultants, asked herself. “I realized…
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One of the best things about meeting in a new host city is the opportunity to get out and explore local flavors. 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…
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