Grand Rapids Named Top U.S. Family Travel Spot by BBC

As someone who was born and raised here in Grand Rapids, you sometimes don't appreciate how cool something is until you're older. As a kid, it was just a no-brainer that we could go to the beach and swim if we wanted. It was normal to visit Van Andel Arena and watch a hockey game. A school trip to the Grand Rapids Public Museum and its planetarium was always a home run for both kids and adults.

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It wasn't until I moved away for a while that I realized how many things Grand Rapids has to offer that tend to be reserved for big cities like Chicago and New York. This isn't just a local bragging about their city; Grand Rapids has been placed in the top five for family travel destinations in America, beating out places like Yellowstone National Park and Orlando, FL.

BBC's Top Family Travel Destinations

Earlier this week, the BBC posted its list of the best places to travel for a family trip around the US, taking into account national parks, cities, and states that offer experiences for people of all ages. In total, the list included 9 places, with the state of West Virginia claiming the 9th place spot for outdoor lovers looking for a crowd-free trip.

READ MORE: The Best Arcade & Pinball Spots Around Michigan

From there, Orlando, FL is 8th, Asheville, NC is 7th, Maui, Hawaii is 6th, freakin' Yellowstone National Park and Big Sky, Montana is 5th. Then, impressively claiming 4th place ahead of Disney World, Hawaii, and Old Faithful is Grand Rapids, Michigan. 

Top Family-Friendly Attractions in Grand Rapids

So, what is it about Grand Rapids that is so cool that the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) wants to highlight it to their readers? Amelia Edelman, a journalist and family travel expert, highlighted many of the things I mentioned above, but also included Frederik Meijer Gardens, the nation's top sculpture park for three consecutive years, John Ball Zoo, and Millennium Park, which are noted for their outdoor fun.

However, we then consider what's available in Downtown Grand Rapids alone, and it's impressive. Edelman highlights all the museums around the city, including the Grand Rapids Children's Museum, the Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM), the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, and the Grand Rapids Public Museum, whose multi-million-dollar riverfront expansion is expected to wrap up this fall.

You can read the full list of places to visit here, with links to all the places described in the article. It's a good read and helps with planning for this summer.