It's been hot, hot, hot in Grand Rapids this week—and the summer heat is here to stay, baby! Summer in West Michigan is pretty special for a number of reasons. We've got beaches. We've got amazing restaurants and bars. We've got festivals. We've got free summer activities. Hot damn, what more could you ask for?!
There's so much going on that it may feel a tad overwhelming trying to figure out what to do, where to go, how to spend your weekends, etc. etc. But no worries! We're constantly on the lookout for that sorta content (and in some cases, creating that content ourselves!), so we thought we'd put some of our favorite resources in one, convenient spot for ya to refer to whenever you're in need. Check 'em out below!
Experience Grand Rapids
Wow, these folks sure do know Grand Rapids! Experience Grand Rapids is the Destination Marketing Organization for the Greater Grand Rapids area, and is an excellent resource to find Grand Rapids/West Michigan happenings, events, news, and much more! Follow Experience GR on Facebook for daily updates, and check out some of our favorite content pieces they've created that'll especially come in handy this summer.
- The Grand Rapids Summer Festival Hot List
- Free, Family Fun for Summer in Grand Rapids
- West Michigan Farmers Markets
- Grand Rapids' Must-Try Burger Spots (Some with veggie and vegan options, too!)
- Grand Rapids' Must-Try Food Trucks
- West Michigan Mountain Biking Guide
- Locals' Guide to Ice Cream Shops in Grand Rapids (Including vegan options!)
The GR Guide
Sara Visser, aka The GR Girl/creator of The GR Guide, is a Grand Rapids native constantly exploring the city and sharing all Grand Rapids has to offer. The GR Guide's weekly “411 in the 616” posts will give you the 411 of what's going on each week in Grand Rapids in addition to frequent posts about Grand Rapids ranging in topics like fitness, fashion, food and beverage, travel, and more! Follow The GR Guide on Facebook and check out some of our favorite summer-themed posts from Sara below!
- The Grand Rapids Hot List
- 5 Ways to Stay in Shape This Summer at MVP Sports Clubs
- Summer Beauty Trends with Coiffeteria Salon
- The 5 Best Pizzas in Grand Rapids
- The 5 Best Brunch Spots in Grand Rapids
- The Top 5 Cookies in Grand Rapids
- Top 5 Murals in Grand Rapids
GRNow
GRNow is another excellent resource for visitors and citizens of Grand Rapids. With their “GR Daily Top 5” posts featuring 5 events happening every single day in Grand Rapids and their awesome guides available on their website, you'll never run out of things to do this summer! Be sure to follow GRNow on Facebook and keep these guides in your back pocket throughout the rest of the summer season:
And lastly, The Image Shoppe!
There's no doubt that we love Grand Rapids here at TIS, so we do our best to share with y'all some useful content about what's the happs in GR and West Michigan when we're not talking about all things branding, marketing and tech. Here're some of our favorite guides and posts we've created over the last couple years! Oh—and if you haven't already, we'd love if you liked The Image Shoppe on Facebook. ; )
- Lake Michigan Beach Guide (Free PDF download, too!)
- Guide to Grand Rapids' Uptown Neighborhood (Free PDF download for this piece, as well!)
- Community Spotlight: New City Urban Farm (Check out their new café this summer!)
Well, there ya have it! Now go forth and enjoy Summer 2017 to the fullest.
: )