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 November
Estimated hotel price
$121
1 night at 3-star hotel
Grand Rapids in November
Estimated hotel price
$121
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 9 miles from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Grand Rapids include American Airlines, Delta and United Airlines. The shortest domestic flight to Grand Rapids departs from Orlando and takes around 2h 38m.

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 $29 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Milwaukee, expect to pay about $69 for a 7h 24m trip. The train station in Grand Rapids is called Grand Rapids, and is located 0.8 miles from the city center.

Car

Another option to get to Grand Rapids is to pick up a car rental from Chicago, which is about 125 miles 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 Tornado Bus, FlixBus and Greyhound. From Detroit, the bus ride to Grand Rapids takes 205 miles and will cost you around $80. From Chicago, the ticket costs about $150 for a journey of 262 miles. Grand Rapids’s bus station is located 0.7 miles from the city center.

Plane

When flying to Grand Rapids, you’ll arrive at Gerald R. Ford Airport (GRR), which is located 9 miles from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Grand Rapids include American Airlines, Delta and United Airlines. The shortest domestic flight to Grand Rapids departs from Orlando and takes around 2h 38m.

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 $29 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Milwaukee, expect to pay about $69 for a 7h 24m trip. The train station in Grand Rapids is called Grand Rapids, and is located 0.8 miles from the city center.

Car

Another option to get to Grand Rapids is to pick up a car rental from Chicago, which is about 125 miles 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 Tornado Bus, FlixBus and Greyhound. From Detroit, the bus ride to Grand Rapids takes 205 miles and will cost you around $80. From Chicago, the ticket costs about $150 for a journey of 262 miles. Grand Rapids’s bus station is located 0.7 miles 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 (1,424 reviews)
Lufthansa
Good (7,598 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,545 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,010 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,035 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,677 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,428 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,056 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,500 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,485 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,590 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,334 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (11,380 reviews)
LATAM Airlines
Good (1,889 reviews)
Frontier
Okay (3,098 reviews)
ANA
Excellent (1,014 reviews)
Japan Airlines
Excellent (1,631 reviews)
Korean Air
Excellent (1,174 reviews)
Aeromexico
Good (1,654 reviews)
Copa Airlines
Good (1,560 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 Holiday Inn Express & Suites Grand Rapids - Airport North By IHG. There are also lots of vacation rental options in Grand Rapids, with prices from $38 to $515 per night. Downtown is the neighborhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in Grand Rapids are about 78% 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, 1037 reviews)
$125+
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Canopy by Hilton Grand Rapids Downtown
4 stars
Excellent (9.1, 329 reviews)
$134+
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Home2 Suites by Hilton Grand Rapids Northeast
3 stars
Excellent (8.8, 107 reviews)
$103+
View
JW Marriott Grand Rapids
4 stars
Excellent (8.5, 319 reviews)
$275+
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Amway Grand Plaza, Curio Collection by Hilton
4 stars
Excellent (8.3, 994 reviews)
$193+
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Hyatt Place Grand Rapids-South
3 stars
Excellent (8, 536 reviews)
$99+
View

Renting a car in Grand Rapids

Renting a car in Grand Rapids costs $49 per day, on average, or $98 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 6 miles from the city center.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 21% 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 31% cheaper than other types, on average.

Renting a car in Grand Rapids costs $49 per day, on average, or $98 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 6 miles from the city center.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 21% 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 31% cheaper than other types, on average.

Best car rental deals in Grand Rapids

Compact

4 Adults, 2 Bags

$31/day

Compact

Intermediate

5 Adults, 3 Bags

$36/day

Intermediate
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