Introduction
What to do
Where to eat
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Renting a car

Grand Rapids travel guide

Grand Rapids Tourism | Grand Rapids Guide

You're Going to Love Grand Rapids

With a population of 188.040, Grand Rapids is a must-see destination in Michigan, United States. It is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. Grand Rapids deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.

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Where to Eat in Grand Rapids

Downtown is the neighborhood with the most restaurants in Grand Rapids. These include popular favorites such as Leo's (60 Ottawa Ave NW), Ruth's Chris Steak House - Grand Rapids (187 Monroe NW) and HopCat - Grand Rapids (25 Ionia Ave SW). If you’re looking for affordable options, Bowdies Chophouse - Grand Rapids (2237 Wealthy St) and MDRD (187 Monroe Ave NW) are great picks.

When to visit Grand Rapids

Grand Rapids in February
Estimated hotel price
$127
1 night at 3-star hotel
Grand Rapids in February
Estimated hotel price
$127
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Grand Rapids in July, when the average temperature is 73.4 °F, and the highest can go up to 82.4 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 17.6 °F, with an average temperature of 24.8 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in September, when precipitation is around 4.3″. In contrast, February is usually the driest month of the year in Grand Rapids, with an average rainfall of 1.8″.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to Grand Rapids

Plane

When flying to Grand Rapids, you’ll arrive at Gerald R. Ford Airport (GRR), which is located 15 km from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Grand Rapids include Frontier, United Airlines and Southwest. The shortest domestic flight to Grand Rapids departs from Jacksonville and takes around 2h 22m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Grand Rapids. The train journey from Grand Rapids to Chicago takes 4h 04m and costs around $74 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Cincinnati, expect to pay about $161 for a 21h 53m trip. The train station in Grand Rapids is called Grand Rapids, and is located 1.3 km from the city center.

Car

Another option to get to Grand Rapids is to pick up a car rental from Chicago, which is about 201 km from Grand Rapids. You’ll find branches of Routes Car & Truck Rentals and Turo, among others, in Chicago.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Grand Rapids, including FlixBus, Tornado Bus and Greyhound. From Detroit, the bus ride to Grand Rapids takes 330 km and will cost you around $67. From Chicago, the ticket costs about $150 for a journey of 422 km. Grand Rapids’s bus station is located 1.1 km from the city center.

Plane

When flying to Grand Rapids, you’ll arrive at Gerald R. Ford Airport (GRR), which is located 15 km from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Grand Rapids include Frontier, United Airlines and Southwest. The shortest domestic flight to Grand Rapids departs from Jacksonville and takes around 2h 22m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Grand Rapids. The train journey from Grand Rapids to Chicago takes 4h 04m and costs around $74 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Cincinnati, expect to pay about $161 for a 21h 53m trip. The train station in Grand Rapids is called Grand Rapids, and is located 1.3 km from the city center.

Car

Another option to get to Grand Rapids is to pick up a car rental from Chicago, which is about 201 km from Grand Rapids. You’ll find branches of Routes Car & Truck Rentals and Turo, among others, in Chicago.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Grand Rapids, including FlixBus, Tornado Bus and Greyhound. From Detroit, the bus ride to Grand Rapids takes 330 km and will cost you around $67. From Chicago, the ticket costs about $150 for a journey of 422 km. Grand Rapids’s bus station is located 1.1 km from the city center.

Airports near Grand Rapids

GRRGrand Rapids Gerald R. Ford Intl
LANLansing Capital City
SBNSouth Bend/Michiana

Airlines serving Grand Rapids

KLM
Good (1,410 reviews)
Lufthansa
Good (7,570 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,007 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,516 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,015 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,010 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,661 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,407 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,486 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,444 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,575 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,335 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (11,281 reviews)
Frontier
Okay (3,114 reviews)
LATAM Airlines
Good (1,875 reviews)
ANA
Excellent (1,003 reviews)
Japan Airlines
Excellent (1,610 reviews)
Korean Air
Excellent (1,163 reviews)
Aer Lingus
Good (1,370 reviews)
Aeromexico
Good (1,672 reviews)
Show more
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Where to stay in Grand Rapids

If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Holiday Inn Express & Suites Grand Rapids Airport - South By IHG and Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Grand Rapids. There are also lots of vacation rental options in Grand Rapids, with prices from $47 to $317 per night. Downtown is the neighborhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in Grand Rapids are about 124% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.

Where to stay in popular areas of Grand Rapids

Most booked hotels in Grand Rapids

See all
Drury Inn & Suites Grand Rapids
3 stars
Excellent (9.3, 1031 reviews)
$125+
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Canopy by Hilton Grand Rapids Downtown
4 stars
Excellent (9, 322 reviews)
$183+
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Home2 Suites by Hilton Grand Rapids Northeast
3 stars
Excellent (8.8, 102 reviews)
$103+
View
JW Marriott Grand Rapids
4 stars
Excellent (8.6, 318 reviews)
$317+
View
Amway Grand Plaza, Curio Collection by Hilton
4 stars
Excellent (8.3, 986 reviews)
$212+
View
Hyatt Place Grand Rapids-South
3 stars
Excellent (8.1, 533 reviews)
$108+
View

Renting a car in Grand Rapids

Renting a car in Grand Rapids costs $47 per day, on average, or $94 if you want to rent if for 2 days. Dollar, Avis and Hertz are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Grand Rapids is the Hertz branch at 5500 44th Street Se Unit 4, which is 10 km from the city center.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 28% cheaper than airport locations in Grand Rapids.

Expect to pay $3.41 per gallon in Grand Rapids (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $40.88 and $54.51. Full-size (Kia Optima or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in Grand Rapids, while also 33% cheaper than other types, on average.

Renting a car in Grand Rapids costs $47 per day, on average, or $94 if you want to rent if for 2 days. Dollar, Avis and Hertz are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Grand Rapids is the Hertz branch at 5500 44th Street Se Unit 4, which is 10 km from the city center.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 28% cheaper than airport locations in Grand Rapids.

Expect to pay $3.41 per gallon in Grand Rapids (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $40.88 and $54.51. Full-size (Kia Optima or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in Grand Rapids, while also 33% cheaper than other types, on average.

Best car rental deals in Grand Rapids

Compact

4 Adults, 2 Bags

$32/day

Compact

Intermediate

5 Adults, 3 Bags

$36/day

Intermediate
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