by Jeff Voth

I must admit the invitation came as a bit of a surprise and I was less than hopeful of having a memorable time on the five day trip that lay ahead. The thought of heading to Grand Rapids, Michigan located along the banks of the Grand River was not at the top of my list of must see destination hot spots.

The city is most famous as the furniture capital of America and the corporate headquarters of Alticor (formerly the Amway Corporation). All of which begged the question: How much fun could cleaning supplies and furniture really be?

Never shy to admit my mistakes, I couldn't have been more wrong.

Grand Rapids, Michigan:

Aerial shot of Downtown Grand Rapids

Culture comes from many different things including climate and geography, but mostly it is defined by the people who live and breathe the city they call home. Grand Rapids is no exception, as both longstanding citizens and new arrivals add to the flavor of this unique community.

With a population base of 200,000 in Grand Rapids and 600,000 in surrounding Kent County, this area is in the midst of a rejuvenation process that every midsize city would be wise to emulate.

Private investment is at an all-time high, with the founding families providing a wealth of resources to various new projects including the DeVos Place Convention Center, Van Andel Arena and the ever expanding Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, one of only two places in the world to feature "The American Horse" sculpture by Leonardo Da Vinci.

Calvin College in Grand Rapids is the lone Midwest stop on the "Petra: Lost City of Stone" tour in North America. A fascinating exhibit of over 200 artifacts collected through the years, it represents the first major cultural collaboration between Jordan and the United States.

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