Grand Rapids
Lower Peninsula - Michigan
Downtown
Description: After Detroit, Grand Rapids is the second largest city in Michigan with a population of 1.16 million. The city is located on the Grand River, about 162mi northwest of Detroit and 25mi east of Lake Michigan. The area that later became Grand Rapids was first settled around 1820 by Christian missionaries and fur traders, who lived peacefully with the Odawa tribe who settled here. Grand Rapids officially became a city on May 1, 1850, when the community of 2686 residents voted to adopt a city charter. In the second half of the 19th century, the city became a major center of the lumber industry and a leader in furniture manufacturing in the United States. Grand Rapids is also known as “Beer City USA” due to its numerous breweries, many of which enjoy an excellent national and international reputation. The city was also the home of the 38th President Gerald R. Ford.
Our rating: We liked Grand Rapids very much. We experienced the city as relaxed and felt very at ease.
ArtPrize 2024
Description: ArtPrize is an art competition in Grand Rapids. Anyone over 18 can exhibit their art. Generally, there are over 160 venues in downtown Grand Rapids, including museums, galleries, bars, restaurants, hotels, public parks, bridges, laundromats, auto repair shops and more. ArtPrize was founded in 2009 by Rick DeVos as an unconventional art competition. Its aims are as follows: Any artist in the world can participate; anyone who owns property in Grand Rapids can turn it into a venue; and any visitor can vote for their favorite work of art. The organizers would not provide selection committees or curators. And the biggest cash prize in the art world would be awarded solely by popular vote. In 2009, for the first ArtPrize, the winners were chosen exclusively by the public. In 2010, categories were then added that were judged by art experts. In 2014, the format of the award ceremony was restructured so that there are now two parallel paths, namely the public vote and the award ceremony by a jury. Visitors must be present in person to be able to vote.
Our rating: Anyone interested in art has the opportunity to discover the city every year at the end of September and admire art from all over the world. For us, it was a great opportunity to explore the city. An absolute recommendation. In 2025, the ArtPrize will take place from September 18 to October 4.
Meyer May House
Description: The Meyer May House was built in 1908-1909 for the local manufacturer Meyer S. May and his wife Sophie Amberg. Frank Lloyd Wright designed the house in the so-called prairie style. It was his first major commission in Michigan. May was the son of Abraham May, the founder of the clothing store A. May and Sons. In 1906, Meyer became president of the store, which was the first in the nation to present clothing on hangers. Meyer May lived here until his death in 1936 and the house was used as a private residence until 1985. In 1986, Steelcase Inc. purchased the house and began a complete restoration, which took two years.
Entrance fees and opening hours
- Free of charge
- Sunday 12-15 h, Tuesday and Thursday 10-13 h.
Everything you need to know about a visit to the Mayer May House can be found on the official webpage.
For the GPS: 450 Madison Avenue SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503
Our rating: The Meyer May House was the first building designed by Frank Lloyd Wright that we visited. The guided tour of the house was very informative and gave us a very good insight into the life of the family and the attention to detail with which Frank Lloyd Wright designed his houses. The movie about the renovation of the house was also very interesting. This was carried out with incredible attention to detail. We can highly recommend a visit here.
Fallasburg Covered Bridge
Description: The bridge is located about 20mi east of Grand Rapids. The first of several wooden bridges over the Flat River was built around 1840. However, they all fell victim to the floods and massive ice jams in spring within a short time. The bridge builder Jared N. Breeze from Ada was commissioned to build a new structure in 1871. Regular restorations and repairs preserved the bridge's substance. It is still open to traffic today.
For the GPS: 13944 Covered Bridge Road NE
Lowell, MI 49331
Our rating: A very pretty covered bridge that is beautifully integrated into the landscape. We think it's worth a short visit.
Ada Covered Bridge
Description: The bridge is located about 10mi east of Grand Rapids. The Ada Covered Bridge was apparently built by William Holmes around 1867. A timber bearing his name was uncovered during repair work. The bridge has been threatened by flooding several times. It is said that during floods, farmers drove wagons loaded with stones onto the bridge to keep it on its foundations. The bridge was closed to vehicular traffic in 1930 and restored by the Kent County Road Commission in 1941.
For the GPS: 7490 Thornapple River Dr SE, Ada, MI 49301
Our rating: A very pretty covered bridge that is beautifully integrated into the landscape. We think it's worth a short visit.
