Insider's Guide

Every night before retiring I look at the city under the lights...quiet in the east, busy in the west; the city never really sleeps.

The Perch at Leo’s, the ambiance of The 1913 Room, and the Cesar calamari at Bistro Bella Vita.

The view of the city from Cygnus 27, atop the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel, is fabulous—almost as great as the cuisine!

The Avenue for the Arts Market on Division Avenue is a fantastic place to check out local artists and craftsman, as well as, hear some great local bands. The markets begin in June and are the second Saturday of the month through September. The markets are free to attend!

The Amway Grand Plaza hotel is a great place to stay when visiting the city. As far as dining goes, Leo’s is my favorite place to eat downtown.

I have spent a day working downtown, gone to lunch, gone to dinner, gone to a concert and then gone out with my friends after the concert …and I never had to drive my car once, to get from place to place. How can it get any better than that?

We have earned a growing reputation as Sculpture City. Even before La Grande Vitesse (which means the "Great Swiftness" or the "Grand Rapids" in French) we had sculptures all over town, many of famous people. And while we have many modern or abstract pieces, like the di Suvero, I am very pleased that Senator Arthur Vandenberg is standing in front of the McKay Tower, at the intersection of Pearl, Monroe, and Monroe Center. 100 years ago, that was the center of downtown, and known as Grab Corners. Mr. Vandernberg is one of only five senators honored to have his portrait hung, along with Henry Clay and others, in the Senate Rotunda—in the WHOLE history of this country. I am glad that his home town did him this honor.

My favorite things about downtown?

• The requisite "Friday burger" for lunch at the Cottage Bar—particularly in the warmer months when it can be enjoyed on the patio under the Second Story logo...
• A warm summer night on the patio at Tre Cugini—checking out the activity at the park and sipping a limoncello after enjoying a vitello Milanese.

My favorite secrets:

• People watching from the terrace at Rosa Parks Circle, looking toward the little triangular plaza outside the McKay Tower and the statue of Senator Vandenberg.
• Walking through Veterans Park, in any direction with all of the surrounding architecture as a backdrop.
• And looking north along the Grand River from under the I-196 overpass, toward the fish ladder, dam and 6th Street Bridge, with the row of renovated factory buildings and Belknap Hill beyond. From that point, your eye level is just a bit higher than water level above the dam, so on a calm day the reflection of the scenery up river is awesome!

The variety of restaurants we now have downtown is great! Love to go to Leo's for a nice, quiet dinner with my wife. San Chez is great because they offer a menu you can't get anywhere else and it's all good! It's our favorite spot to catch-up with a group of friends.

I love Ionia Street! Beautiful turn of the century buildings masterfully restored to vibrant loft-office and residential space, fun bars and night clubs, great places to eat, convenient parking and all within walking distance of the arena...what more can you ask for in a downtown? You can actually feel the excitement.

A few of my favorites:

• Socializing with colleagues and friends at Bistro Bella Vita—enjoying the Italian/French Cuisine complimented by a one of their many martinis or a glass of wine.
• Taking a stroll down Monroe Center for the very purpose of quickly running into Little Bohemia to check out the latest and greatest gifts only to find myself leaving the store much later than anticipated with a bag full of the most unusual beads.
• A great cup of java and almond poppy seed muffin from Four Friend’s Coffee Shop.

A few things I like about Grand Rapids:

• The panorama of the city in the river valley as you are approaching Grand Rapids east bound on I-196 at the curve immediately past Lake Michigan Drive.
• The view of the ceramic tiles on the roof of Fountain Street Church from the administration floor of the Grand Rapids Public Library.
• The bollards, planters and new Monroe façade of the Pantlind section of the Amway Grand Plaza.
• A high top table at Bull’s Head Tavern with appetizers of sea scallops, bruschetta and calamari.

My wife and I like to ride our bikes downtown on Saturday or Sunday. We pull our son in a little trailer. We enjoy riding down the Monroe mall, stopping at Rosa Parks Circle, riding across the river, then in front of the Gerald Ford Museum, and letting our son stop to look at the fountain and the river.

Attending shows at DeVos Performance Hall (broadway, symphony, etc.) and its close proximity to lots of great downtown dining (i.e., Chop House, Tre Cucini, The Grill at 1913 and it’s beautiful window, etc.).

I enjoy sitting by the fireplace at Cottage Bar.

My favorite thing is to walk the river walk at lunch, especially when it’s nice outside.

I'm a big fan of Grand Woods Lounge. The atmosphere is perfect for a casual night out and there's no better place to meet up with friends on a chilly night than its outdoor fireplace. Woods offers a little bit of Aspen right here in GR.

Walking or jogging on the paved paths by the river downtown gives you a totally different perspective on the city.

The pizza at Big O's is outstanding. I really appreciate the fact that they are happy to make a vegetarian version of any of their specialty pizza's for me. 

When I worked for the Kansas City Blades hockey team and travelled to play here in Grand Rapids against the Griffins, I always considered the Amway Grand Plaza as one of the very best hotels that we stayed in. Now that I am a resident of Grand Rapids and an employee of the Griffins, my family and I love what downtown has to offer, from Van Andel Arena and all the great events in this wonderful facility, to the many excellent dining choices (Louis Benton is our favorite) and, to incorporate culture in our lives, the Gerald Ford Museum and refurbished Civic Theatre.

...traveling from the west on 196 coming into the city at night with all the buildings and bridges lit up over the river and the ability to see the entire core of the city...what a beautiful welcome home after a long road trip...