Explore
Grand Rapids is filled with group-friendly services, perks, and attractions, such as Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park, named America’s No. 1 sculpture park. This 158-acre attraction features the most comprehensive outdoor sculpture collection in the Midwest, indoor and outdoor gardens, the largest tropical conservatory in the state, nature trails, a guided tram, and a 5-acre Children’s Garden. Guided tours are available for a cost.
Photo by Nick Irwin for Experience GR
If beautiful sculptures have your group thirsting for more art, be sure to visit during the fall for ArtPrize. The world’s most attended public art event, ArtPrize set new highs in 2024 with 950 artists from 42 states and 53 countries displaying their work in 170-plus venues across downtown Grand Rapids. And don’t miss the Grand Rapids Art Museum, also located downtown.
Photo courtesy of Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum
Learn
The Grand Rapids Art Museum is one among many museums worth a visit in Grand Rapids, including the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, Grand Rapids African American Museum & Archives, and Grand Rapids Public Museum, all within a 10-minute walk (or free bus ride) from each other. Group members can purchase Culture Pass GR for reduced admission to all four museums, plus many more attractions!
Billed as “America’s most entertaining presidential museum,” the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum is both a loving tribute to the U.S. president who grew up in Grand Rapids and a fascinating exploration of the turbulent period of American history experienced during his lifetime. Interactive exhibits give visitors a visceral sense of Ford’s journey from boyhood to life after the White House, emphasizing the responsibilities of democratic citizenship and service to country. An on-site learning center provides classroom space for school field trips and day visits from other groups.
Photo by Rachelle Welling for Experience GR
Celebrate
The Grand Rapids area is a festive place year-round, but especially during one of its exciting festivals. In nearby Holland, the world-famous Tulip Time festival draws hundreds of thousands of tulip lovers each spring. And the celebration is so much more than tulips—with national entertainment acts, events and activities for all ages, breathtaking sights just off the shores of Lake Michigan, and some of the largest parades in Michigan.
Photo by DGRI, captured by Shafi Subhan
Come holiday season, the Grand Rapids Downtown Market transforms into the European-style Christkindl Markt, with one-of-a-kind gifts, delicious food and drink, and festive family fun in an expansive outdoor space beautifully decorated for the holidays. And speaking of beverages, your group will find plenty to toast in what USA Today called the “Craft Beverage Capital of the U.S.”
Learn More
Experience Grand Rapids
experiencegr.com/groups
Lead image:
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park
Photo courtesy of Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park
