ince I have lived in Grand Rapids all of my life, I think I have a pretty good sense of what to visit and see in the city. Here is a list of 10 places to go to in Grand Rapids through out the years, ranging from restaurants and museums to yearly festivals.
1. Jersey Junction
The number 1 ice cream parlor in East Grand Rapids, that sells 28 flavors of ice cream made in Michigan. Best place to get ice cream in the summer.
2. Fredrick Meijer Gardens
The 158 acre botanical garden and sculpture park east of the East Beltline houses a bronze horse sculpture from France. It contains three sculpture galleries, 8 gardens and an amphitheater.
3. Yesterdog
The best hot dog place in Grand Rapids, located in Eastown. Many different versions of hot dogs are served at this restaurant.
4. Rosa Parks Circle
Many events happen here throughout the summer. It is large gathering plaza in downtown Grand Rapids. Swing dancing shown below, is a popular summer activity.
5. ArtPrize
An annual art competition that takes place in the fall. Local downtown business host art pieces that people can look at and vote for to win cash prizes.
6. The Gerald R. Ford Museum
This museum houses the history of the 38th president of the United States, who was grew up in Grand Rapids.
7. Van Andel Arena
This arena hosts concerts throughout the summer. It contains 10,834 seats and is multipurpose arena used for many events.
8. Festival of the Arts
An annual festival that takes place in downtown Grand Rapids from June 3-5. Multiple streets are closed to host food booths and different cultural events take place on Calder Plaza.
9. Van Andel Museum
This museum is located in Downtown Grand Rapids and contains three floors of exhibits, a carousel and a planetarium. 
10. West Michigan Whitecaps
A local minor league baseball team that plays games against other state's teams in the summer. Always a fun experience.
In my experience, these are the best places I recommend to visit during the summer. Be sure to check out a few of the above places while in Grand Rapids and have a great summer!
