Country Inn & Suites By Carlson, Big Rapids, MI

15344 Waldron Way , Big Rapids MI 49307

Reservations: (888) 201-1746 US Toll Free

Telephone: (231) 527-9000 Fax: (231) 527-9030

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St. Ives Golf Course

Scenic Trailways

Enjoy the outdoors!

The Country Inn & Suites, Big Rapids is located in western Michigan in Mecosta County. Big Rapids offers a variety of places to explore during your stay, we hope you enjoy your time with us.

Enjoy the Outdoors:

Golf
- Enjoy one of the area's beautiful courses: St. Ives Club, Tullymore Golf Club, Pilgrim's Run, Ferris State Katke Golf Club, The Rose Golf Course, Meceola Country Club, and Falcon Head Golf Club
Horseback riding, hiking & tennis, nearby
Muskegon River offers: boating, canoeing, tubing, water skiing, fishing and kayaking, 2 mi.
White Pine Rails to Trails for hiking, biking and snowmobiling

Arts, Entertainment & Shopping:

Wheatland Music Organization
Soaring Eagle Casino
Mecosta County Historical Museum, 1.5 mi.
Eiffel Tower Replica, 7 mi.
Civil War Monument, 1.5 mi.
Local art galleries, 1.5 mi.
Cinema, 1.5mi.
Shopping includes:
- Local area specialty shops
- Mini-malls
- Michigan St. Downtown Dist

Set among rolling hills along the Muskegon River, Big Rapids takes its name from the waterway's strong local currents, readily known to regional lumbermen passing new-cut logs to downriver sawmills. Big Rapids, initially settled in the mid-19th century, was known as "Leonard" early on, but a subsequent plat gave the town its lasting name. Logging was prominent from inception, and the town's rural character was enlivened in the latter part of the century by an influx of German and Scandinavian settlers. It was also around this time that Woodbridge Ferris arrived in Big Rapids and established a small school that has since grown into Ferris State University, one of the area's largest employers and a 10,000-student-strong institute especially noted for its health sciences programs. (New York-born Ferris later served as Michigan's governor and as a US senator.) These days, the seat of Mecosta County (in the lower peninsula's west-central region) is a haven for nature lovers, and folks from all around enjoy Big Rapids' stretch of river and its abundant natural attractions. Hiking, biking, and cross-country skiing trails call out irresistibly, as do the town's many parks and golf courses. Boating and fishing also prove immensely popular, and canoeing and especially, tubing along the Muskegon are summertime musts. A charming downtown area proves appealing as well, thanks to a fun mix of shops and restaurants, and the Historical Museum lays out the town's past for interested visitors.

Today the Muskegon River flows freely. From 1880-2001 the river's flow was impeded by a dam built at Big Rapids. Through careful planning of economics, ecology, and physical and political issues, the dam was removed. Now river navigation by man is possible, the fishing habitat has improved, and many celebrations and festivals happen along the Muskegon River.

Nearby Attractions

Michigan Western Michigan Discover Mecosta County Mecosta Area Chamber of Commerce Convention & Visitors Bureau

Corporate Offices

Cadillac Area Homepage Ferris State University General Mills Spectrum Health - Reed City Campus Ice Mountain Yoplait

Current Weather for BIG RAPIDS

Friday
Showers late. Partly sunny. Mild.
68°F/ 33°F

3-day forecast

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