Grand Rapids Nightlife

“Nightlife” means different things to different people, so Grand Rapids offers something for everyone to do as evening falls.

Cocktails and karaoke. Live music and comedy. Board games and trivia nights. Ballet, opera, symphony, and theater. Pro baseball, basketball, hockey, and volleyball matches. Sports bars, cigar bars, hookah bars, and so much more.

If you’re staying in downtown Grand Rapids, you’ll find dozens of nightlife options within a 10-minute walk or free DASH bus ride of your hotel. Begin the night with dinner at one of downtown’s 140+ restaurants, then move on to your diversion of choice. The compact Bridge Street and Ionia Avenue entertainment districts are lined with multiple nightlife venues, while The B.O.B. (Big Old Building) lets you visit a restaurant, brewery, beer garden, live-music hall, nightclub, and comedy club under one roof.

Downtown’s annual World of Winter (January-March) is America’s largest winter festival and includes large-scale outdoor art installations that are dazzlingly illuminated after dark. ArtPrize (fall), the world’s most attended art event, presents hundreds of outdoor artworks you can view long into the night. Much of downtown is an Outdoor Refreshment Area, meaning you can stroll around while enjoying an adult beverage, all year round.

Venture outside the city center and you’ll find even more nightlife, from concert venues and family fun spots to dance clubs and dive bars to bowling alleys and a fowling alley. Visit scores of craft breweries, cideries, distilleries, and meaderies, all over town. If you’re up for a short drive, hit the game tables at Gun Lake Casino, home to 2,500+ slot machines and 50 gaming tables.

Looking for a more secluded nightlife spot? Watch the sunset over downtown Grand Rapids from Belknap Park or take a moonlight stroll along a Lake Michigan beach, 30-45 minutes from Grand Rapids.

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