[Beauty0215]

My husband and I are relocating to Grand Rapids from Atlanta. My husband is taking a job there and will begin working in mid November. I will stay behind to sell our home. We plan to rent until we find the right house/home for us. Our family consists of the two of us, a pre-teen daughter, and 2 toddler sons.

The first thing I would like some feedback about is the best/safest areas to live for families. Areas with the top school systems. We'd like somewhere not too far from Grand Rapids where the homes are within a reasonable price range.

Also, my husband and I currently live in a city less than 20 minutes away from downtown Atlanta. We would love to live in an area that is very family-friendly, very safe, and very peaceful. For entertainment, we love to travel into town for symphany concerts, plays, operas, to visit the arts museum, or just walk around through the city and take in its 'hustle and bustle'. But when we're done, we love the fact that we can return back to our peaceful home. We once moved to Nashville, where we thought the city would be similar to Atlanta. Boy were we wrong! It was soooo dead downtown, it was ridiculous. We eventually found ourselves moving right back here. Is Grand Rapids a 'hustle and bustle' kind of city?

I've read that commute times are pretty good in Grand Rapids. Is that true?

I would really appreciate some feedback. Thanks a lot!

[belleislerunner]

You'll find Grand Rapids to be much more enjoyable than Atlanta. Grand Rapids has the beach only 45 minutes away, sunsets galore, plenty of outdoor options on the water. Downtown GR is a pretty lively place - bustling with cafes/shops/arts/entertainment. From my experiences with Atlanta - I found it very spread out - and pretty dead after 5pm - so I'm surprised to hear you like it more than Nashville, but it's probably home to you, which is understandable. I mean other than the Woodruffs Art Center, Fox Theatre or High Art Museum - I can't picture a reason a local would hang out there - I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with Grand Rapids. East Grand Rapids, Ada and Rockford are going to be your Sandy Springs, East Cobb and Alpharetta equivalents.

[caspper69]

Remember that Grand Rapids is a MUCH smaller city than either Atlanta or Nashville.

That being said, it does have a pretty lively downtown. For the type of 'burb you're looking for, I would focus on the Forest Park school district.

Real estate in MI hasn't quite recovered to the extent of other areas, so you can likely find something in that district at a price point you like.

The other thing to keep in mind if Grand Rapids feels a bit too "small" for your tastes, that there is both Megabus (dirt cheap) and Amtrak service directly to downtown Chicago that takes around 3 hours to Union Station. So if you need your fill of a giant city with all that entails, you can get there quickly and cheaply if you plan in advance.

[Beauty0215]

What is the weather like there?!

[Tyryztoll]

Uhhh.....hate to be the downer here, but if you found Nashville boring to the point you had to move back to a megopolis like Atlanta, then I doubt Grand Rapids is going to do much for you. GR is a good bit smaller than Nashville, a fraction the size of Atlanta (I lived there for 20 years), and while it is an up & coming town, I would definitely NOT classify it as a "hustle & bustle" type city in the mold of the other two. It has enough entertainment to keep one busy, to be sure, but if you're expecting anything near what you're used to in Atlanta you're in for the dissapointment of your life. The good news is that you'll be within a couple hours drive of both Detroit and Chicago, where you can obviously get that top notch entertainment fix you crave.....especially in Chicago, one of the great cities in all the world.

As to the person who said you'd find GR much more enjoyable than Atlanta........I think that may be a stretch of epic proportions based upon what you detailed in your OP. Have you ever lived in the midwest? Are you prepared to endure the winters here? It's a 40 minute drive to Lake Michigan, and aside from that, GR is not a particularly scenic area, especially in comparison to Tennessee or north Georgia. Again....Nashville is renowned as one of the best entertainment towns in the country, and if you found that place boring, then I don't possibly see how Grand Rapids, Michigan is going to make you happy. Nice town, but not on the level of Nashville or Atlanta......and this is coming from someone who has lived in both regions.

[DONNIEANDDONNA417]

well coming from someone who just moved from atlanta to flint. Its like night and day. But we moved because we wanted to get away from the hustle and bustle. The schools are much better and the weather is great. Yeah it gets hot here but it gets cool at night...which I love. So far the winter has been mild. But from what Im told thats not normal

[michigan83]

As to the person who said you'd find GR much more enjoyable than Atlanta........I think that may be a stretch of epic proportions based upon what you detailed in your OP. Have you ever lived in the midwest? Are you prepared to endure the winters here? It's a 40 minute drive to Lake Michigan, and aside from that, GR is not a particularly scenic area, especially in comparison to Tennessee or north Georgia. Again....Nashville is renowned as one of the best entertainment towns in the country, and if you found that place boring, then I don't possibly see how Grand Rapids, Michigan is going to make you happy. Nice town, but not on the level of Nashville or Atlanta......and this is coming from someone who has lived in both regions.

I don't know... the natural scenery in and around Grand Rapids varies quite a bit. Within the city limits is obviously nothing special for natural scenery, as it's an urban area. And suburbs to the south and west are nothing to write home about, as it is mostly flat farmland that was converted to development. But if you get into East GR, Ada, Lowell, Forest Hills, Alto, Rockford, etc... there is some very nice scenery. Rolling hills, forest, lakes, orchards, rivers. Those places are not lacking in natural scenery. The natural lakes, greenery, etc are better than what you find in Nashville or Atlanta, in my humble opinion.

[Beauty0215]

Truly how are the winters? When it snows heavily, do the transit buses still run?

[michmoldman]

Originally Posted by Beauty0215

Truly how are the winters? When it snows heavily, do the transit buses still run?

Grand Rapids can get very little snow, just like most of the lower half of southern MI, or lots depending on if the lake effect snow bands hit them just right. If they do not set up over Grand Rapids at times throughout the winter, then the winters are not too bad....relatively speaking. Now I have lived here in Mid Michigan (about an hour or so East of GR) all my life, so 60-70" of snow is nothing to me. I call that an ok to bad winter. Now if they do not get lake effect, but the storm tracks throughout winter hit just right, they can also get a lot of snow. Lately neither has happened a whole lot, but that can change at any time. As far as cold weather...again, to me the 20's and 30's are a relatively warm winter...which is what GR will get most of the time for highs. Now if your going to live in a state that has winter...you want it to snow so you can enjoy all that Winter has to offer. Lately...Winter has sucked...lol

[Beauty0215]

Originally Posted by michmoldman

Grand Rapids can get very little snow, just like most of the lower half of southern MI, or lots depending on if the lake effect snow bands hit them just right. If they do not set up over Grand Rapids at times throughout the winter, then the winters are not too bad....relatively speaking. Now I have lived here in Mid Michigan (about an hour or so East of GR) all my life, so 60-70" of snow is nothing to me. I call that an ok to bad winter. Now if they do not get lake effect, but the storm tracks throughout winter hit just right, they can also get a lot of snow. Lately neither has happened a whole lot, but that can change at any time. As far as cold weather...again, to me the 20's and 30's are a relatively warm winter...which is what GR will get most of the time for highs. Now if your going to live in a state that has winter...you want it to snow so you can enjoy all that Winter has to offer. Lately...Winter has sucked...lol

Yeah, we do want to enjoy our winter... Lol