WELCOME

A Grand Ride by Joel Schoon-Tanis

The Art of Visiting Grand Rapids

“What is there to do in Grand Rapids?” is a question I often hear from first-time visitors. Now I have a new answer for them. I point them to A Grand Ride, a 2019 painting by West Michigan-based artist Joel Schoon-Tanis. We asked Joel to capture the essence of the Grand Rapids travel experience in a painting – and he delivered a vibrant, whimsical piece depicting 20 or so of the area’s most iconic destinations, activities and events. Think of A Grand Ride as a road map to a quintessential Grand Rapids getaway. Start your journey at ExperienceGR.com/A-Grand-Ride, where we identify the elements of the painting – then browse the rest of our website and this guide for more grand travel ideas that wouldn’t fit onto Joel’s canvas. A Grand Ride is also a nod to the prominence of our local arts scene – and the global arts competition we host every other year. Mark your calendar for ArtPrize® 2020, Sept. 16 - Oct. 4. If you last visited us for ArtPrize 2018, you’ll find a bevy of new hotels, restaurants, craft beverage makers and entertainment venues eager to show you a grand time!

Douglas Small, CTA

President and Chief Experience Officer, Experience Grand Rapids

P.S. Want to bring a piece of Grand Rapids home with you? You can purchase a print or ceramic coaster version of A Grand Ride at

ExperienceGR.com/A-Grand-Ride.