Grand Rapids Spots Former Residents Still Love

Grand Rapids is a fantastic city, but life sometimes takes you elsewhere. Former residents recently shared the local spots they never miss when returning to Beer City USA.

Grand Rapids is a Great Place to Live and Visit

I had been visiting the Grand Rapids area for more than 25 years before moving here. Most of my trips were for concerts, I also enjoyed fireworks, spent time at the beaches, and go deer hunting.

As a touring musician, I would mark cities and states on a map where I hoped to live someday. One of those places was South Bend, Indiana, where I lived for 18 years while continuing to visit Grand Rapids. The other was the Grand Rapids area, which I've proudly called home for the past nine years.

Read More: Top Taco and Margarita Spots in Grand Rapids

There's something special about Grand Rapids. From its vibrant downtown to the shores of Lake Michigan and the surrounding rural countryside, the area offers just about everything Michigan has to offer, all in one remarkable place.

Where Former Grand Rapids Residents Always Stop First

Recently, a discussion on the Grand Rapids subreddit asked former residents a simple question: When you come back home, which places do you always make time to visit? Here are some of the highlights from the conversation.

The person who started the thread kicked off the conversation by sharing three of their favorite places to visit whenever they return to the Grand Rapids area.

Yesterdog came up several times in the thread, and I agree it’s a must-stop if you’re looking for a hot dog in a one-of-a-kind setting.

Mr. Burger was very popular in the thread. I actually discovered it long before I moved to the area and made it a regular stop whenever I visited Grand Rapids.

This post received several positive responses. Next time I head to Grand Haven, I may have to stop at Turk's Tavern.

Little Bird, Grand Rapids Civic Theatre, and Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park came up several times in the thread, but that was the only post that mentioned Kool Toyota.

Fish Ladder Park has long been a popular stop and will likely remain so for years to come.

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There are many more places mentioned in the thread, but if something is missing, feel free to add your own favorite spot to visit in the Grand Rapids area.

👇BELOW: Grand Rapids A to Z: The Must Visit Spots Around The City👇