Located just off of Highway 131, our Big Rapids hotel near Ferris State University offers convenient access to the best area attractions. Golfers lodging in Big Rapids will love St. Ives and Tullymore Golf Courses, and fishermen will be astounded by the number of great fishing holes on the Muskegon River. Ferris State's Katke Golf Course is situated just across the street from our Big Rapids hotel, and the college's main campus is less than two miles away from our hotel near Ferris State University.
The following attractions are convenient to our Country Inn & Suites Big Rapids hotel:
Ferris State University Our Big Rapids hotel near Ferris State University is the perfect place to stay while visiting this college with almost 10,000 students. (231) 591-2000 1201 S State St Big Rapids, MI 49307 1.5 miles from hotel
Mecosta County Historical Museum Located in the home of a former lumberman, this museum preserves information regarding the lumber and logging industries around Big Rapids. (231) 592-5091 129 N Stewart Ave Big Rapids, MI 49307 1.8 miles from hotel
Muskegon River Boating, canoeing, tubing, water skiing, fishing and kayaking are all possible on the Muskegon River, and the Muskegon is especially popular with fly fishermen being Michigan's second longest river offers a peaceful, scenic retreat for outdoors enthusiasts lodging in Big Rapids. 2.2 miles from hotel
Frederik Meijer White Pine Rails to Trails This 92-mile trail passes within three miles of our Big Rapids hotel and is a great place to enjoy hiking, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling and biking. A paved section of the trail runs 13 miles from Big Rapids to Reed City. (231) 775-7911 2.9 miles from hotel
Resorts of Tullymore & St. Ives Golfing novices and experts alike will enjoy the 36 holes of golf offered by these two beautiful courses. Schedule tee times in advance of your stay at our Big Rapids lodging to ensure a great golfing experience at these premier courses. (231) 972-4837 9900 Saint Ives Dr Stanwood, MI 49346 12 miles from hotel
Wheatland Music Organization The Wheatland Music Organization preserves traditional arts and hosts an annual music festival on their 160 acre centennial farm. (989) 967-8879 7251 50th Ave Remus, MI 49340 18 miles from hotel
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.
Did you know?
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.
St. Ives Golf Course
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