I'm going to be in Grand Rapids the first weekend in May. Any hotel recommendations?

I also need ideas on where to shoot. I'm going to be shooting one day with one friend who already has a spot, but the other day will be with a newish shooter. Pistol only.

Thanks!

ETA: any ideas for a good brunch place down by the airport for Saturday?

ETA 5/3 pm

Barracks 616 was a very good place to shoot, although I don't like the minimum pistol distance being 7 yards. I generally work at self-defense distances of 4-5 yards. But it was clean with a good air handling system. Price was about the same as the indoor range I belong to in the Chicago area.

Anna's House for breakfast yesterday was very, very good. Huge portions.

And since I was in Michigan, I had to stop at Meijer to stock up on Faygo Rock & Rye. At $0.44 each, I cleaned out what was on the shelf.

There are a few indoor ranges ,

Silver Bullet  -- www.silverbulletfirearms.com
Barracks 616  -- http://barracks616.com/

A little bit south : http://centershotgunrange.com/

I normally visit SilverBullet during the week. Weekdends, they can get a long wait time to get a lane.

As for hotel recommendations, which part of Grand Rapids are you going to be in ?

I'll be going to church downtown on Sunday morning,  but I'll also be visiting friends who live a bit north of GR,  so I guess on the north side or a bit outside of town is fine.  I don't mind driving a bit. I don't need super cheap either. I'm willing to pay up to $150/night (I'm too old for horrid hotel rooms).

Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile

Any outdoor ranges?

Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile

No outdoor ranges that are open to the public.  They all pretty much require membership. There are probably some state land spots, however, I am not familiar with them.

I know of one spot that is owned by the DNR and functions as a shooting range without any staff. It is not in Grand Rapids though, so you would need a car and some time to travel up there. Its on 20 Mile Road, between Red Pine Dr and Sparta Ave. Google maps claims it is only a half hour drive.

I stop by there on my way through to Grand Rapids. It gets wild there on the weekends with some unsafe gun handling. I've shot there twice when it wasn't busy , but I stop and chat a lot and wait for brass to hit the ground.

20 mile road,West of Red Pine,East of Barber Creek
Write about outdoor shooting. The 20 mile info is at the bottom

http://cedarspringspost.com/2011/05/05/assault-weapons-fire-shatters-peaceful-neighborhood/


another article mentioning Red Pine at the bottom


http://rockfordsquire.com/2011/05/19/dnr-closes-land-to-target-shooting/

I agree with the gun handling problem. I live relatively close to there, so if I see a lot of people I just go home and try again another day.

I'm 12 miles North from Red Pine, my backyard pistol range is 33 yards from my window

Used to live a couple miles from this state land area.  If you can't shoot anywhere else this will do.  Bring cardboard boxes or something to hold paper targets if that is what you are going to be shooting at.  Be sure to take them with you.

Hotel vacancy might be more difficult than normal due to Fifth Third Riverbank Run and Tulip festival.

Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile

I actually have a hotel reservation at Econolodge down by the airport. $80 for Saturday night. It got very good reviews.

Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile

Welcome to GR marie!

Have fun! and if you like beer it's the big thing in town.

There is Barricks 616 right across from your hotel, they have a nice indoor range.

I shoot at my grand parents property about 30 mins from The airport. You are welcome to join if you would like a quiet place to teach a new shooter.

Thank you! I just might take you up on that.

Welcome home Marie!

The JW Mariott and Amway are downtown and are the nicest hotels in the area. Both of these will likely bust your $150 unless you can get a special rate somehow.  I've never stayed at the JW but I've spent plenty of time in the property and it is quite nice.  Ditto to the Amway where I've stayed twice.



The City Flats is a also downtown and is pretty much a boutique hotel.  The rooms are small and it is a very modern hotel.  I enjoyed staying there, but it may be too quirky for some.  



Plenty of good restaurants within walking distance of all three of the above.



There is a Holiday Inn downtown that I have never been inside, but all of the business people I know who have stayed there have been very happy and the resturant actually gets good write ups from local critics.  You should be able to grab a bed for less than $150.



The airport Hilton was recently remodeled and re-branded as a DoubleTree.  I have not been inside nor have I known anybody who has stayed there since the remodel.  They are running a marketing campaign about how great the remodel is and how everybody should stay there.  So I dunno.   This would be driving distance from downtown.



Mrs Fiver's employer has a lot of people coming in on business trips.  In loose order of preference, they use the Amway, the JW, the Holiday Inn, and then the Crowne Plaza.  Folks who are going to be staying for more than a week often choose the Candlewood.

One friend and I are going shooting at Barracks 616 on the Saturday afternoon I'm in town. I love that you can make reservations up to a month in advance, so I called yesterday. The other friends I'm going shooting with that Sunday have somewhere to shoot out in the middle of nowhere that I didn't know about.

I'm very much looking forward to visiting. I grew up in Michigan and never set foot on the west side of the state except for Traverse City.

Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile

Bump - see ETA in OP

Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile

You are not going to find much near the Airport a Wendys right across from the airport. If you go north 2 miles to 28th street, and you will find all the standard chain restaurants and fast food outlets.

We're going to Anna's House. That was highly recommended by a couple of folks in town.

Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile

Bump

Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile

Glad you had a good time. I've never been to Anna's House. Might have to check it out someday.

glad you had a good time!