I’ve actually never been to Gaia but I know where it is. I’ll have to go and try it.
It’s grown since '96! A lot has happened just in the past 5 years. I grew up in the suburbs but now we have a house near East GR.
Grand Rapids may not be Chicago or New York but it’s not such a bad place. I’ve lived in all three so I should know.
Check out the BOB (Big Old Building). It’s a former warehouse converted to bars and restaurants. I like the Monkey Bar. Tapas and good martinis. Like Italian? Try Tuscan Express on 28th. Looking for a place with a view? Roses in East Grand Rapids. Sit on the deck overlooking Reeds lake and have a wood-fired pizza. Steak? Gibsons. Seafood? Charlie’s Crab. Beer? Taps (50 different drafts). Live music? The Intersection.
Aside from dining and drinking, there’s the Grand Rapids Art Museum. Small collection but decent. They also have coctails and jazz on Friday evenings. If you like baseball, catch a Whitecaps game. Box seats are only $9.00 and they have fireworks after games on the weekend. There’s also the Chaffee planetarium and the Van Andel Museum Center. Rosa Parks Circle features free outdoor blues concerts every Wednesday night througout the summer.
I think that should keep you busy for a week.
Hey Velma,
I’m just off Wealthy on Briarwood in EGR. We’re practically neighbors.
No way! I tried to e-mail you but you have it blocked. If you want you can e-mail me (in my profile).
You came up with some more good ideas, I forgot about the Rosa Parks concerts. Have you been to the intersection since it moved? That’s a fun place too.
Saugatuck is a nice little town just south of the Holland area. Nice views, a couple of good restaurants, shops, etc. A nice area to walk around in the early evening. Probably about 45 minutes from Grand Rapids I think.
Mrs. H8_2_W8 are considering taking H8_2_W8_Jr and H8_2_W8_Jr_II there again this summer for a few days for a quick getaway.
http://www.saugatuck.com/tour/water3.htm# (click on Wicks Park for virtual tour of the waterside city park)
Dear H8,
I always enjoyed visiting Saugatuck whilst I lived in Bland Rapids – but many of the non-PC CRs out there would give me a “funny” look. Felt like I had to be in the closet about a day trip or a nice getaway with my girlfriend. Is the temperature still the same?
Velma?
I agree with hockeynut–the Grand Rapids Art Museum ain’t bad.
I second the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit recommendation. My FIL is a Dead Sea Scrolls nut and wasn’t going to go because he’d seen this exhibit in Europe or the Holy Land or wherever the hell it’s been. But he went along with a church group and said he was truly impressed. I know U-M has lent some of their papyrus holdings to the exhibit.
Saugatuck is a great arts community and also a bit of a haven for vacationing gay Chicagoans.
That’s the best part about going there!
Yeah, there are still people around who are uptight about it, but anyone who’s ever been there knows there’s nothing to fuss about. It’s a very laid-back beach town kind of place (the anti-Holland, I guess).
I disagree (okay, well maybe about yelling it in a bar, but I was joking). In the time I lived there I was asked more than once, in a bar, about my views on the subject and thoroughly lambasted for those views. Shocking, really, considering the places I hung out.
Anyway, evil hanz is coming on a business trip which means he’ll probably be there Sunday night or Monday morning to Thursday or Friday. I serioulsy doubt he’s going to have the time or inclination to make side trips to Grand Haven or Saugatuck, especially seeing as he’s never been to GR.
Besides the Scrolls (which are going to be gone tomorrow), a couple museums and Meijer Gardens, there’s not much to do besides restaurants, bars and movies for an out-of-town businessman. He’s not coming for vacation, he’s coming with suits.
Oh, and slortar, my maiden name starts with a Van so don’t be dissing the MI Dutch. I’m a former Methodist though so feel free to go to town on their Reformed ways. 
Well, that is shocking. Abortion has never even come up at all when I’ve been out. When did you live here, 1950? It is a conservative area (I know that’s an understatement in some suburbs- I roll my eyes as much as anyone) but I’ve never had a problem downtown.
Other than museums, theatres, movies, art, the gardens, restaurants, bars, concerts…well there isn’t much else to do on a weeknight, I guess. Good lord, what do you want from us?
Maybe our new motto should be: “Come to Grand Rapids. It’s not as bad as they say, and we promise not to attack you in bars over your abortion views.”
Just don’t be dissin’ the Dutch.
Nah, I moved out of there when I was 22 (a decade ago). However, my parents and sister still live there (I was there last week!) and my mom runs into the same thing quite frequently at work or social gatherings.
With her, it always comes up in the guise of some current event or something. “Hey, what did you think about that…?” She’s developed a stock answer to redirect the conversation but it still bugs the crap out of her.
And I wasn’t dissin’ the Dutch. I AM Dutch. I just don’t like Grand Rapids.
I’m entitled to diss the Dutch. My great-aunt’s name was Maude Van Antwerp. She has a hall named after her at NMU. The blood hasn’t been diluted all that much.
Aw go ahead and smack the hell out of the dutch. I lived in GR or Holland for 13 years. If you’ve ever wanted to know what it feels like to be on the recieving end of racism, go visit Holland. A common expression down there is, “If you ain’t Dutch, you ain’t much.” This is usually said with a smile to allow for the possibility that it’s a joke, but it isn’t. Better yet, do go to Holland to see a popular restaurant called Russ’. A college buddy of mine used to call it the culinary arm of the Christian Reformed Church. Russ’ is about the level of a Denny’s or a Howard Johnson’s and is divided into two sections. One looks like a normal restaurant, the other has a telephone built in to each booth. You pick up the phone and call your order straight to the kitchen. Why? Because you don’t have to tip. I shit you not.
BTW, how come nobody mentioned the Meijer May house in GR? It’s a beautifully restored Frank Lloyd Wright house that you can tour. Very much worth a look.
Go see the Da Vinci horse. www.meijergardens.org/horse
Wow! I didn’t know so many people from Grand Rapids frequented this board. The school I attend and my workplace are both in the city, but I live in a small town a little ways away. The only thing I can offer in the way of entertainment is that a paintball feild is located nearby. For food GR does have a Krispy Creme franchise in town. Also Pietreos (sp) makes good food.
Ok, so GR leans to the right. Blah blah blah.
It’s still got plenty of college kids who like to drink, and plenty of interesting sites, many of which have already been mentioned.
I’d second the BOB as a decent place to hang out. The Grandvilla Dungeon in Grandville (not far from GR) on Chicago Drive has some great Mexican food and margaritas. If you have a little extra time to drive, and the weather’s nice, it might be worth it to head out to Lake Michigan.
And if you want fast food, I’d recommend Mr. Burger-- either the chili dog with everything or an olive burger. Whenever I go to GR to visit relatives, first thing when I get into town, I always stop off to get two of each.
If you’re still in town on Tuesday of next week, the West Michigan White Caps will be in town playing Cedar Rapids for a four game series. The White Caps are the Tigers’ Class A affiliate, and unlike their Major League counterparts, these guys are actually good (third place, a game and a half out of first). The most expenisve ticket is like $9, and the experience is quite entertaining, even if you’re not crazy about baseball. (More info here: http://www.whitecaps-baseball.com/index.html)
Basically, don’t let the Dutch scare you (hey, there’s nothing wrong with blonde haired, blue eyed babes); don’t let the Christian Reformers scare you (should you not visit Rome because it’s full of Catholics?). Just don’t go near 28th Street during rush hour.
Happy
I second Happy.
Or northbound 131 during the same, especially on a Friday night.
Another vote for the Meijer Gardens. When I was there for a week on business, I found a lot of fun things to do. I stayed at a Marriott right downtown, and there were lots of nice restaurants and bars within blocks. There was also a big museum near the hotel (Not the Gerald Ford one, the Van Andel) and it was a nice way to kill a morning.
http://www.grmuseum.org/vamc/museum.htm
Of course, I was working a lot so I didn’t have tons of free time, but I found the city nice and I kept busy. I noticed at the time there was an arena football team that played at a nearby stadium, but I don’t know if it’s still there.
Have fun!
Or if you have enough free time, put your ass in that rental car and drive to Ann Arbor and we’ll go out to dinner.