State Games of America

2017 State Games of America

August 3-6

Grand Rapids is proud to host the 2017 State Games of America. We encourage athletes, their families and event spectators to get here early and/or stay late. After all, you’ll be visiting a city that’s highly touted by tourists and travel professionals:

• Top U.S. Travel Destination in 2014
• #1 U.S. Place to Visit in 2015
• #20 on the New York Times list of 52 Places to Go Worldwide in 2016

Here are just a few reasons why Grand Rapids is the perfect place for a summer getaway.

Free Entertainment

Grand Rapids Art Museum offers free admission and live music on Aug. 3.
Movies in the Park (Aug. 4) unspool a popular film on a giant screen in a riverside park.
The Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival (July 28 – Aug. 6) features parades, fireworks, ship tours and more.
19 spectacular Lake Michigan beaches are 30 minutes or so away – and six of them offer free admission.
Self-guided walking tours of Downtown Art & Architecture and the Heritage Hill Historic Home district let you explore Grand Rapids at your own pace.

Food & Dining ›

Fantastic Food & Drink

Named Michigan’s Best Food City in 2016, Grand Rapids is renowned for its many excellent farm-to-fork restaurants.
Downtown offers 100+ restaurants and food trucks within a 10-minute walk.
The Downtown Market is a state-of-the-art food emporium featuring gourmet vendors, restaurants, cooking classes and more.
Grand Rapids is Beer City USA, home to 70+ amazing craft breweries.
Craft cideries and distilleries use local ingredients to put a fresh twist on adult beverages.
Food and drink is served into the wee hours at live-music venues, sports bars, comedy clubs and other nightlife options.

Outdoor Recreation ›

A Grand Outdoors

Bike, hike or blade 100s of miles of paved trails through all kinds of scenic terrain.
Get your heart and legs pumping on challenging mountain bike trails.
Golf at dozens of public courses as close as five minutes from downtown.
Canoe, kayak and fish the Grand River that runs through downtown.
Soar through the trees on a zipline at John Ball Zoo, Treetop Adventure Park or Cannonsburg Ski Area.
Climb towering sand dunes on the shores of Lake Michigan for a spectacular view.

Grand Rapids Maps ›

Easy to Get Here

The Gerald R. Ford International Airport, named the best airport in North America for its size, offers 120+ daily nonstop flights to 20+ popular destinations.
Virtually all hotels are within 20 minutes of the airport – take a taxi or rental car.
Grand Rapids sits at the junction of three major expressways, so it’s easy to drive to – and easy to drive in, with logical street layouts and minimal traffic.

Easy to Get Around

Transportation includes an award-winning bus system, free downtown shuttles, taxis, Uber, Lyft and RideShare.
The Welcome Center at Grand Rapids Art Museum is a great place to get directions and information.
Uniformed ambassadors roam downtown to assist visitors from early morning to late night.