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Spend a weekend in Grand Rapids and you'll see that western Michigan is more than just cornfields and churches.

Tuesday Jul 08, 2008.     By Stacy Warden

Travel + Tourism Feed

There are plenty of things to love about Grand Rapids, most of which are well-worth the three-hour drive it takes to get there from the city. Among my favorites are the historic charm of the Heritage Hill neighborhood, the unfettered art scene and the city's countless culinary gems. It was Grand Rapids that sparked my move to Illinois after graduation. Chicago appeared to offer all the things I loved about GR, just on a larger scale.

It didn't take long after settling in to realize that Chicago was indeed all this, and much, much more. But lately I've been craving a break from the fast-paced, non-stop vibe of it all. A break that led me right back to Grand Rapids, where I knew I could at least find two things that often seem unattainable in my Uptown neighborhood: a quiet walk and a parking spot. Prudent planner that I am, I set an itinerary for myself a week in advance. This list included the Andy Warhol exhibit at the new art museum, a stroll through my old neighborhood and comfort food at the local restaurants.

My first stop, immediately upon entering the city, was Gaia, a tucked-away vegetarian cafe in the Cherry Hill district. I'm normally not big on meat-free establishments (I find that many of these places rely too heavily on faux-meat products like tofu dogs and garden burgers which, frankly, make me want to vomit), but Gaia makes everything from scratch and does a damn good job, too. After inhaling some cornbread French toast with strawberries, hand-made whipped cream and maple syrup, I quenched my caffeine lust with what just might be the best cup of coffee in the Midwest: Gaia's Swiss chocolate almond blend. And as if my main course wasn't already rampant with sugar, I scooped up one of the restaurant's signature cookies on my way out. These vegan rounds, large enough to eclipse the moon, are crammed with carob, coconut, walnuts and dates; if ever there were a way to sway a staunch carnivore, the Gaia cookie is it.

After indulging in so much sweet stuff, a long walk seemed fitting. I left the car out front at the meter-less (ah, what a beautiful thing) curb and ventured over to Heritage Hill. There are a ton of hilly neighborhoods in GR, but this one packs in the most history with its Victorian homes and Georgian mansion-lined streets. And yes, they are indeed situated on a hill. Most of these places were built in the 1800s and are renovated regularly. You can check out the Grand Rapids Tours website, where you'll find a quick driving tour of these homes, but it'll be worth the four-mile walk it'll take to see everything.

By this time my appetite was back in full-swing and the sunny weather had me craving a cold one, so I hopped back into my (ticket-free) Saturn and drove out to the Grand Rapids Brewing Co. on 28th Street. In all honesty, the food isn't worth mentioning, but the restaurant has some of the cheapest beer flights I've ever encountered; 6 tastes for $7. These "tastes" are served in small juice glasses and filled to the very brim; such generous pours made up for the sour artichoke dip and overcooked yellowfin. All that beer had me drowsy and ready to rest-up for tomorrow's visit to the new Grand Rapids Art Museum.

I arrived promptly at 10 a.m. when GRAM opened its doors, and got a dollar discount for flashing my old Grand Valley student ID, bringing my total to $9. That $9 gave me free reign over three floors of the place. The first level features the famed panel paintings from Italy's Saint Eustace church; the second, the works of Andy Warhol; the third, the museum's permanent collection. I was most taken with the Warhol pieces, but I'd go back in a hot-second to revisit the main exhibit.

My two day trip went by far too quickly and I didn't get a chance to visit all the places on my itinerary. But here are a few more recommendations: sip wine at Bar Divani, share tapas at San Chez and tour the Amway Grand. However you decide to spend your time in Grand Rapids, leaving the city without a Gaia cookie would certainly be tragic.