USA
A ‘Grand’ Discovery amid the Great Lakes
Article and photography by Nicholas Kontis
Michigan’s second-largest city, Grand Rapids, delights beer and culture vultures
In my life as a globetrotter, I’ve missed large swaths of my own country, including much of the upper Midwest. Grand Rapids, Michigan, gave me the chance to discover something new—and it was a pure delight.
“You’re going to be surprised by Grand Rapids,” my friend Greg, a longtime resident, promised. “We’re a friendly city filled with art, design, live music, underrated dining, and—especially for you—one of the best craft beer scenes in the country. There are murals everywhere, and even grand Victorian homes like San Francisco.”
Straddling the Grand River roughly halfway between Detroit and Chicago, Grand Rapids is Michigan’s second-largest city, with just over 200,000 residents. Its unhurried pace, walkable neighborhoods, urban green spaces, and compact downtown reminded me of Sacramento, California’s state capital—comfortable, creative, and quietly confident.
Beer City USA
Once famous for furniture manufacturing, Grand Rapids has reinvented itself as “Beer City USA.” Nearly 50 breweries operate within a 15-mile radius, making it one of the most brewery-dense cities in the country. The Beer City Ale Trail doubles as both a walking tour and a craft-beer crawl, guiding visitors through taprooms and beer halls across the city.
Founders Brewing Company anchors the scene. Founded in 1997 by Mike Stevens and Dave Engbers, the brewery credits Michigan’s clean water for its bold, balanced ales. The downtown taproom occupies a repurposed trucking depot that now functions as a sprawling beer hall with a lively outdoor beer garden.
History and culture
Grand Rapids is also rich in cultural institutions. The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum honors the city’s most famous native son; President Ford and his wife, Betty, are buried on the museum grounds overlooking the river.
Equally impressive is the Grand Rapids Public Museum, which explores regional history, natural science, and cultural heritage. Highlights include “Streets of Old Grand Rapids,” a detailed recreation of the city in the 1890s, and the beautifully restored 1928 Spillman Carousel, complete with a Wurlitzer organ. The riverfront museum spans three floors and includes a planetarium and theater. Since 2015, it has also housed a public school that integrates hands-on learning with museum artifacts. “A good museum visit,” said president Dale Robertson, “is one where you leave asking the next best question.”
Sculpture and gardens
No visit is complete without time at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, one of the nation’s premier sculpture destinations and consistently ranked among the world’s top museums. The 158-acre campus includes Michigan’s largest tropical conservatory, an interactive children’s garden, and a carnivorous plant house.
The outdoor sculpture collection is extraordinary, featuring works by Edgar Degas, Auguste Rodin, and many modern and contemporary masters, spanning styles from the 1880s to today. The eight-acre Japanese Garden offers a serene counterpoint, with carefully pruned pines, massive boulders, ponds, and seasonal cherry blossoms. An outdoor amphitheater seats 1,900 guests and hosts summer concerts by artists such as Bonnie Raitt and Michael Franti.
A city of art
Art has been central to Grand Rapids’ identity since 1969, when Alexander Calder’s monumental La Grande Vitesse was installed downtown—the first public artwork in the U.S. funded by the National Endowment for the Arts. Today, “the Calder” anchors the annual Festival of the Arts each June.
The Grand Rapids Art Museum houses an excellent late–20th-century collection, with works by Andy Warhol, David Hockney, Richard Diebenkorn, and a sculpture by Maya Lin. Beyond museums, creativity spills onto the streets: more than 100 murals animate building facades, parking structures, utility boxes, and even bridge underpasses. Many were inspired by ArtPrize, the city’s internationally known public art competition.
Architecture and markets
Architecture lovers should not miss the Meyer May House, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1908. Considered the finest example of Prairie School architecture in Michigan, the house—interior, furnishings, and all—has been meticulously restored to Wright’s original vision.
For local flavor, the Ed Dunneback and Girls Farm Market offers a century-old agricultural tradition. Visitors can pick apples, sample seasonal produce, meet farm animals, and enjoy homemade doughnuts, pizza, or a drink at the on-site taproom. Downtown, the Grand Rapids Downtown Market delivers a lively, Pike Place–style experience with local vendors and prepared foods—an ideal final stop in a city that rewards curiosity at every turn.
