One of the many advantages of Grand Rapids’ downtown convention neighborhood is that it’s so compact – and every square inch of it is packed with fun things to see and do. Get some shopping in during a meeting break. Grab a quick lunch before you head back to the convention floor. Spend the evening…
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One of the joys of meeting in a new city is the opportunity to explore local shops and discover items you won’t find at home. With more than 70 retail destinations in our compact downtown, Grand Rapids makes it easy to slip away on a lunch break or after the meeting day to browse for everything from…
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A lunch break is a great opportunity to explore the culinary scene in downtown Grand Rapids – especially because so many lunch options are located 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…
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Off-site meetings can be game-changers, and, if you get creative with the location, they can be combined with a lot of effective team building – or just plain fun. Ever tried your hand at target ax throwing with your coworkers? Or ridden a funicular to get to your meeting site? How about…
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As a meeting planner, it’s a wonderful thing when your convention center has everything you need for your event – true one-stop shopping. But sometimes it’s nice to take a meeting off-campus and enjoy the host city. The new environment might spark new ideas. "Every time I host an event or meeting…
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A hotel with a strong concierge service is a bonus when planning events, meetings, or conferences, providing an added layer of service for attendees who are new to the destination city. But the concierge stays in the hotel. What if you have a question or need assistance when you’re out and about…
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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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