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Looking for Expats in Grand Rapids?

  • Connect with fellow expats in Grand Rapids

  • Join exciting events and groups for expats

  • Get information in our expat guides

  • Exchange tips about expat life in the USA

  • Brian Norris

    When first moving to Washington, D.C., I didn't know many people outside of the office. InterNations has changed that with some exciting events.

Living in Grand Rapids

Expats living in Grand Rapids might hear the Michigan city referred to as the "River City" after the river on which it is situated. Also variously known as "The Furniture City" and "Beer City USA", expatriates living in Grand Rapids will have plenty of culture to get to grips with and much to see. The city has produced a number of celebrity figures, including US President Ford, the legendary soul singer Al Green and Anthony Kiedis, lead singer of the internationally acclaimed Red Hot Chili Peppers. There is also a great cultural scene for expats in Grand Rapids to discover, with a number of busy concert venues, the Grand Rapids Symphony, the Grand Rapids Ballet Company and a host of other performance arts venues and institutions. The Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park is also worth a visit, as are the city's various museums. The city broke a world record in 2011, after it was described in a Newsweek article as 'dying'. Expats moving to Grand Rapids might like to check out the widely available 'lip dub' video with which they responded.

Join Our Exciting Events in Grand Rapids

Attend our monthly events and activities for Grand Rapids expatriates to get to know like-minded expatriates in real life.

Mar 29, 2024, 3:00 AM
7 attendees
Join us for a fun night of music and the best people in Chicago. Because everybody needs more music in their lives.
Mar 29, 2024, 9:00 PM
10 attendees
Lets meet at (...) Protected content (...) and have lunch or coffee with Ocean View
Mar 30, 2024, 12:00 AM
1 attendee
Come enjoy golf with a downtown sunset and live music, or come and unwind from the week. Weekend prime rate is $45 for 9 hole (par-3). You must book Tee-off time, weeks in advance through the East R
Mar 30, 2024, 1:30 AM
110 attendees
We invite you to celebrate the beginning of Spring at this bright & spacious indoor/outdoor brand new upscale venue in the Montrose area. An event we have booked exclusively for our InterNations memb

Want to see all the upcoming events in Grand Rapids?

Connect with Like-Minded Expatriates in Grand Rapids

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    From China, living in Detroit
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    From Japan, living in Washington, D.C.
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Meet other expats like you in Grand Rapids

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Moving to Grand Rapids

As a major cultural and economic hub city, expatriates moving to Grand Rapids have a number of options for travelling there. There are a number of interstate and other major highways serving the city, as well as coach services to major cities including Detroit, Chicago and others. The city is served by a train, provided by Amtrack, which also connects it to Chicago. Expats moving to Grand Rapids can also fly to the Gerald R. Ford International Airport, which is served by around 150 daily flights, or travel to Chicago's international O'Hare Airport, which is very well connected to numerous international destinations. InterNations has a comprehensive collection of articles which expats moving to Grand Rapids may find useful on general expatriation topics like international finance or insurance in our Expat Magazine, as well as a good selection of content written by InterNations members.

Working in Grand Rapids

Expatriates working in Grand Rapids will quickly find out why it is often referred to as the 'Furniture City'. The local furniture industry has a long history and even today, five of the leading US furniture companies are headquartered there. While the city is home to numerous manufacturing industries, the largest single employer by a wide margin is now Spectrum Health, which employs around 18,000 people and is headquartered in the city. Expats working in Grand Rapids can enjoy this buzzing business environment's humid continental climate, too, with warm summers and cold, often snowy winters. It's also easy to get in touch with other expats in Grand Rapids through the forums, discussion groups and private messages on the InterNations website. These are a popular way for expats across the world to organize meet-ups, get local tips or find global minds and other InterNations members in their host cities.

  • Brian Norris

    When first moving to Washington, D.C., I didn't know many people outside of the office. InterNations has changed that with some exciting events.

  • Caroline Stiles

    In such an international city such as Washington, D.C. InterNations holds great events for everyone to network and enjoy themselves.

Our Global Partners