Grand Rapids, Michigan

Grand Rapids very quickly became Michigan’s second-largest city, behind Detroit. There’s a lot to love here, but perhaps the best thing is that it’s a fast-paced, modern city. First, Grand Rapids is committed to sustainability. The city uses hybrid electric buses; the Rapid Central Station has a green roof, it’s home to the world’s first LEED-certified microbrewery, art museum, and more, and is committed to eliminating net carbon emissions by 2050.

Second, the city is an impressive agriculture hub, featured every day at the Grand Rapids Downtown Market. The agribusiness industry has been growing steadily for the past decade, and GR is a great place to find local, seasonal produce. Lastly, the city is a bustling hub of activity and culture for western Michigan. In addition to being the location of the yearly ArtPrize competition, there are countless museums, theaters, and gardens in the city. Finally, and maybe most importantly to some, it is nicknamed Beer City USA because it has over 80 breweries, many of which offer world-class brews.

If you’ve never lived in the Midwest, you’re going to have a hard time adjusting to the weather in Grand Rapids. For what they lack in numerical heat, the summer makes up for in humidity. Whatever you do, do not start arguing with a local Michigander about the summers. They do not care if you’re from Florida, they will win the humidity argument. In the opposite season, the winters can be brutal. Lake Effect snow is no joke, and the high precipitation the city sees turns into mountains of groan-inducing snow from November to sometimes March. If you’re not a fan of or are not used to the snow, it will be a hard adjustment.

Grand Rapids is a fun, lively town with a lot of that Midwest charm you hear so much about. It also comes with a modern convenience that is largely unmatched across the region. All four seasons mean there are a ton of activities year-round, from skiing and snowboarding in the winter to biking and boating in the summer. Grand Rapids is known for many things, but the two biggest are going to be the art culture and the beer scene. The city is home to ArtPrize, the world’s largest annual art competition, where the winners are chosen by the public. The fair has been going since 2009 and brings over half a million people to the city every fall. The winner receives a cash prize of $250,000 as well as the chance to have their pieces featured around the city. Besides the art scene, breweries are another thing Grand Rapids does well. The city has been voted Beer City USA multiple times and is home to many famous breweries like Founders, Grand Rapids Brewing Co., and more.

We highly recommend visiting Grand Rapids and staying in the community in a VRBO rather than a hotel to get a feel for what it's like to live among the locals. You can receive discounted fares on travel via our partnership with Expedia as well.

Grand Rapids used to be known for the large number of furniture companies that called the city home, even going so far as to be called “Furniture City” in its heyday. The economy has shifted away from furniture and towards medical and retail. The city’s largest employer is Spectrum Health, and there is a very impressive stretch of medical buildings called the “Grand Rapids Medical Mile.”

It’s home to world-class medical facilities that focus on health sciences, some of which are associated with state universities. Major headquarters in the city include Bissell, Meijer (your new favorite grocery store), and GE Aviation. In recent years, the expanding agribusiness industry has been garnering attention as it’s been growing over the past 10 years, and the city now accounts for ⅓ of Michigan’s total agricultural sales. The lower unemployment rates, coupled with a lower cost of living, make Grand Rapids a great place to work and live.