Mar 25, 2020
This month’s installment comes from Conference Host Committee Chairman Ed Cruzan. Thanks Ed!
Grand Rapids is a “happening” place because Conference 2020 is coming to Michigan in July! With that in mind, Kevin asked me to write about some things to do in and around the city. The website experience gr.com is very useful for exploring Grand Rapids online.
Downtown Grand Rapids is highly “walkable” and remarkably accessible. Both Greyhound and Amtrak stop in the heart of the city. The Gerald R. Ford International Airport is just 20 minutes from downtown.
Grand Rapids is served by Rapid buses (ridetherapid.org). The Downtown Area Shuttle, or DASH, is free to ride and provides convenient connections to all parts of the urban core. There is also a skywalk that pedestrians can use to reach numerous downtown destinations.
Grand Rapids Attractions
The Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park is a 158-acre botanical garden and outdoor sculpture area.
Experience masterpieces of art and nature that will delight your senses at one of the nation’s premier horticultural display gardens. (meijergardens.org)
The John Ball Zoo (jbzoo.org) is the fourth most-attended cultural facility in Michigan and houses over 2,000 animals.
The Grand Rapids Public Museum (grpm.org) is among the oldest history museums in the United States, founded in 1854.
The Grand Rapids Children’s Museum has two floors of hands-on interactive exhibits that encourage discovery and learning through play. (grcm.org)
The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum is also the burial site of Gerald Ford, the 38th President (1974-77) of the United States. (fordlibrarymuseum.gov)
The Grand Rapids Art Museum (artmuseumgr.org) has collections ranging from Renaissance to Modern Art, and special collections of 19th and 20th-century European and American artists.
In addition to these, there are the Meyer May House (meyermayhouse.steelcase.com), the Heritage Hill district (heritagehillweb.org), the Urban Institute for Contemporary Art (uica.org), the African-American Museum (graama.org), and beautiful churches including the Cathedral of Saint Andrew and Saint Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Church.
July will be an excellent time for strolling Grand Rapids over some marvelous outdoor venues, keeping a person active and entertained without spending money.
The Riverwalk along the Grand River (grandrapidsmi.gov/Directory) is one of my favorite activities. The walk can range from half-a-mile to five miles. In addition to the traditional riverside sites, you can see the Fish Ladder Sculpture, the Blue Bridge, and Ah-nab-awen Park.
The Blandford Nature Center is your premier nature getaway! (blandfordnaturecenter.org) Containing 143 acres of woods, streams and meadows, there are four miles of trails open dawn to dusk daily.
Calvin University Attractions
If you are coming just for Conference week, Calvin has a variety of sites that you can visit for free, all within walking distance.
Founded in 1876, Calvin University (calvin.edu) is a world-class Christian college. Calvin is ranked #1 in the Midwest among regional colleges by U.S. News & World Report.
The University Chapel offers a round stage at the center, unique and purposeful architecture, and an ornate pipe organ. The Hekman Library supports the curricular needs of the Calvin community in a hospitable environment. Peet’s Coffee is a specialty coffee company founded by Alfred Peet in 1966 in Berkeley, Calif.
The Spoelhof Fieldhouse Complex accounts for roughly 10% of the total square footage around the campus. Calvin’s Crossing: try to discover this one on your own. The Calvin Ecosystem Preserve & Native Gardens is a one-of-a-kind oasis. The preserve’s 100+ acres of native plants and natural habitats offer boundless opportunities to explore and connect with nature.
As you make your plans for Conference 2020 and the attractions Grand Rapids offers, always remember to “Keep Your Eyes Fixed on Jesus!” See you in July!
