Grand Rapids

Late afternoon is when Grand Rapids hits its stride—when the breweries start filling up, the light hits the brick facades of the downtown galleries, and you realize there's a reason USA Today named this Beer City USA. With over 80 breweries within the city limits, the beer scene alone draws people from across the state, but it's really the density of what's crammed into a walkable downtown that defines the place: more than 200 restaurants, ArtPrize—the world's largest publicly attended art competition with 1,400 entries spread across 170 venues—and the Frederik Meijer Gardens, a 158-acre sculpture park that holds the most comprehensive outdoor art collection in the Midwest. You can spend an afternoon moving between galleries, taprooms, and food without ever needing a car.