Cultural Opportunities

Grand Rapids offers a wide range of cultural and entertainment activities including the Grand Rapids Symphony, Opera Grand Rapids, St. Cecelia Music Society, Grand Rapids Ballet, Grand Rapids Civic Theatre, Actor's Theater, Circle Theater, Broadway Theater Guild, Gerald R. Ford Museum, Van Andel Museum Center, Grand Rapids Art Museum, Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts, Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, Grand Centerand John Ball Park Zoo to name just a few.

•  Grand Rapids Community Calendar (Chamber of Commerce)
•  Welcome to Michigan

Ground Transportation

The Rapid, Grand Rapids' outstanding public transportation (bus) system, provides regular bus routes, downtown parking lot shuttles, and dial-a-ride service. Calvin students may pick up a Rapid Discount Card from the Service-Learning Center, which allows Calvin students to "Ride the Rapid" for only 50 cents per ride (normally a ride is $1.30). The discount card is free, though a replacement card will cost $20.

Three freight carriers and Amtrak provide rail service. (Parents: ride free on Amtrak when you accompany your high school student on a campus visit!).

Greyhound buses depart from the downtown Central Station terminal located at the corner of Grandville and Cherry Street. (616) 456-1709 or (800) 231-2222.

Carpooling

Students traveling to or from Calvin by automobile are advised to consider carpooling with other Calvin students making the same trip. The Ride Board is a bulletin board where students can post their need for a ride or the availability of a ride in their car or van. The Ride Board is located under the Community Tab in the student's KnightVision account.

Air Transportation

Gerald R. Ford International Airport, Michigan's 2nd largest airport, handles over 170 flights a day and provides service to over 5,000 passengers each day.

Ground Transportation to/from Airport

The college does not normally arrange ground transportation for students between the campus and the airport, although a shuttle service will be provided for first-year and transfer students traveling by air to Calvin for PASSPORT IV and/or QUEST at the beginning of the fall semester. It is our experience that once a student is on campus and part of the community, he or she becomes proficient at locating resources for such rides with friends and other students.

The Rapid, Grand Rapids' public transportation system, provides safe, efficient, and inexpensive bus transportation service between the airport and the campus. Bus #17 between the airport and Woodland Mall runs approximately once every hour; Bus #6 between Woodland Mall and Calvin runs approximately twice each hour. Be sure to check the bus schedules and coordinate bus departure times with airline flight times.

Bus Transportation from the Airport to Calvin:

•  Board the northbound Bus #17 (Woodland Mall/Airport) to Woodland Mall (a 15 minute ride). Remember to ask the bus driver for a free transfer pass upon boarding.
•  At Woodland Mall, transfer to northbound Bus #6 (Eastown/Woodland). Take bus to Calvin's Burton Street entrance (about a 5-7 minute ride).

Bus Transportation from Calvin to the Airport:

•  Board the eastbound Bus #6 (Eastown/Woodland) to Woodland Mall. Be sure to board the bus on the SOUTH side of Burton Street, across the street from Calvin by the Woodlawn CRC Ministry Center. Remember to ask the bus driver for a free transfer pass upon boarding; this is about a 5-7 minute ride.
•  At Woodland Mall, transfer to the southbound Bus #17 (Woodland Mall/Airport) to the airport (a 15 minute ride).

Students may also make arrangements for taxi service. Calder City Taxi (616) 454-8080; Port City Cab Company (616) 243-5314; Yellow Cab Company (616) 459-4646.

If overnight accommodations are not available at the Prince Conference Center, please refer to the Lodging Hospitality Guide listed on Visitor Resources. (Note: on-campus lodging in the Residence Hall is available for Calvin parents and families during Commencement in May. For additional information please visit the Commencement website).

Distinctive Communities

Dozens of interesting and distinctive smaller communities make up greater Grand Rapids, such as historic Heritage Hill near downtown; the unique mix of specialty shops and coffee houses in nearby Eastown; the charm of Gas Light Village, Wealthy Street or Fulton Heights business districts; or the picturesque lure of neighboring communities such as Ada and Rockford.

Shopping

The Grand Rapids community features dozens of excellent shopping centers and malls, providing a wide variety of vendors and services. Three major shopping malls--Breton Village, Centerpointe Mall, and Woodland Mall--are located very close (within 1.5 miles) to the Calvin campus. The largest shopping mall in the greater Grand Rapids area is RiverTown Crossings Mall, located near 44th Street and Wilson (12 miles SW of the campus in Grandville). Click on the link to each mall for a directory of stores and services:

• Grand Rapids Griffins - AHL Hockey
• Grand Rapids Rampage - AFL Football
• West Michigan Whitecaps - Minor League Baseball
  

Looking for Products or Services?

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you need assistance locating a service or business in the Grand Rapids area:

Calvin College does not publish a "preferred vendor" status for any local business. However, the Student Alumni Association, a Calvin student organization, publishes and distributes to students The Student Guide to Grand Rapids and Calvin College. ( pdf, 523 KB) This guide may serve as a helpful reference for parents and families as well. Please be advised that this guide is a student publication. Calvin College is not responsible for the content of this publication.

If you need assistance locating a business or service in the greater Grand Rapids area, please do not hesititate to contact us at 616-526-6094 or parents@calvin.edu for assistance. The Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce website also features a convenient search tool to help you identify businesses and services located within the Grand Rapids community.

Other Helpful Grand Rapids Resources

• Local Churches

• Restaurants & Dining

• Living Off Campus

• GRnow.com

• VisitGrand Rapids.org

• GrandRapidsLive.com

• The Grand Rapids Press

• www.michigan.org

How Can We Help?

If you need assistance locating a business or service in the greater Grand Rapids area, please do not hesitate to contact us at 616-526-6094 or parents@calvin.edu. We value and appreciate your comments and suggestions to improve this resource for Calvin parents and families.