Located equidistant from Detroit, Michigan and Chicago, Illinois, Grand Rapids is a favorite stop for many of the biggest headliners in entertainment as they make their way between the two larger cities. Upcoming shows this summer will spotlight Bruce Springsteen and Hillary Duff, with past performers include Sting, Josh Groban, John Mellencamp and Stevie Nicks to name a few.

The downtown core is a continuous beehive of activity, with chic restaurants and bistros in abundance. Included in the list of available places to eat is Michigan's only AAA 5-diamond restaurant, the 1913 Room located in the Amway Grand.

Sidewalks are "Disney World" clean and the people are genuinely warm and friendly. My stay came during a weekend long street festival at which families, teens, adults and seniors mixed in an alcohol free environment and yet still seemed to have fun. Middle America lives! And it does so proudly in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

The Amway Grand Plaza Hotel and Courtyard by Marriott offer first-class downtown accommodations, with additional luxury properties set to open over the next few years.

Restored Merry-Go-Round at the Van Andel Museum

Around the corner from the Amway Grand sits the Van Andel Museum of Grand Rapids. The public institution offers one of the finest interactive exhibits in the world. Here families are treated to a fantastic display of unusual American artifacts. There is even a full-scale replica of turn of the century Grand Rapids and a fully restored 1920's merry-go-round for visitors to enjoy.

The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum is located directly across the street. Taking visitors on a memorable ride through his early years and the Watergate scandal, it also recounts his term as President and the significant contributions Mr. and Mrs. Ford have made to our world. My favorite part of the exhibit was a rare display of 70's memorabilia including an 8-track tape of Neil Diamond's "Hot August Night".

Eclectic art galleries and luxury condominiums have taken root where abandoned factories once stood, and revitalization has grabbed hold of several national architectural treasures and restored them to their previous luster. Included in this list are the Voigt House Victoria Museum and the Frank Lloyd Wright Meyer May House.

A visit to Grand Rapids, Michigan is anything but dull, as days can be spent exploring the many activities available in this vibrant city on the Grand River. (CONTINUE...)