Ada/Cannon/Plainfield Rockford, MI

The original residents of Kent county were the Hopewell Indians who hunted the rich wildlife and fished the many rivers. Their burial mounds still remain on the west bank of The Grand River. After the war of 1812 when the French began to dominate the territory, the river brought early trappers and fur traders to the region. The county was named for James Kent, a New York lawyer who represented the Michigan Territory’s boundary dispute with Ohio over the Toledo Strip.

Kent County was created in 1831 and Grand Rapids was incorporated as the first village in 1838. By 1900, with the advent of several sawmills, the area became a major center for agriculture, logging and furniture manufacturing. Today the economy is diverse with government, health care, automotive, manufacturing and tourism as the core industries.

The area is a destination for outdoor activities and hosts many annual events.

There are many excellent restaurants throughout the area while most of the significant nightlife is centered in and around Grand Rapids; although live music can be found in the county at the Intersection concert hall and Mulligan’s Pub.

The Trailhead Cafe, owned by the always present Smith family, serves fresh breakfasts and lunches (they are not open for dinner). It is a new restaurant with a gourmet menu, using only the finest locally grown produce from the Ingraberg Farm and baked goods from the Grand Rapid’s Nantucket Bakery. The Trailhead Cafe specializes in hand tossed salads, homemade soups and chili, hand rolled wraps, signature sandwiches and paninis and gourmet burgers. Chef Dan is a graduate of the Secchia Culinary Institute and brings years of experience to the establishment. Try the gluten free grilled vegetable sandwich, pecan crusted chicken and dried cherry salad or Mrs Smith’s coffee cake, made from an old family recipe.

The Grill One Eleven, with it’s nicely decorated and comfortable room, has a varied menu including appetizers such as calamari or stuffed mushrooms, and entrees such as fish and chips, Carolina smoked brisket or a black and blue salad. For dessert, try the carrot cake with mango tea. There is limited outdoor seating off the second story dining room and live music on Saturday nights.

The Forest Hills Inn has a simple menu—some sandwiches, soup and salads and a few pizzas—but it a good place to bring a family. The interior is modern and there are numerous televisions to view various games in the attached sports bar. Lunches include a cowboy burger with pulled pork and barbecue sauce with jack cheese, fried onions and jalapeno peppers or a turkey burger. For dinner, try the chicken pot pie or grilled whitefish.

There is no public transportation in the outer rural region of Kent County. The Interurban Transit System, known as “The Rapid,” serves mostly downtown Grand Rapids, with a few bus lines running into the adjacent neighborhoods; although the light rail silver line connects Grand Rapids to Kentwood and Wyoming.

The Gerald R. Ford International Airport, located southwest of Grand Rapids, is a terminal for all major airlines. Amtrak offers passenger rail service from its downtown Grand Rapids terminal to Chicago via the Pere Marquette line, with the Greyhound station located nearby.

While Grand Rapids has been named a top “Bicycle-Friendly Community,” the outer county is limited to a handful of bike trails, including the 15 mile Kent Trail and the Buck Creek Trail connects the neighborhoods of Grandville, then running along the Grand River to Grand Rapids.

The area is served by Interstate 196 (Gerald R. Ford Freeway) and Interstate 96 with US 131 running north-south through the center of the county.

While taxi and Uber service is plentiful in downtown Grand Rapids, they must be called for pick-up in the outer county.

While the outer county is mostly rural with farmland and open spaces, the region does have several city, county and state parks.

The new 1,500 acre Millennium park was once heavily-used land, now reclaimed for public recreation. Made up of rolling terrain, wet lands and lakes, the park is rich in woods, wildlife, fish and waterfowl. There is swimming and kayaking and over 20 miles of trails for hiking and jogging. Admission is free to the park, although there is a fee ($4 adults, $3 for seniors and children under 16) for the beach and splash pad area.

The 132 acres Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park is a combination botanical garden and sculpture park, featuring plants, a Victorian garden, wetlands, meadows and sculptures by famous artists. Named one of the top “30 Must-See Museums” in the world, the park is ideal for young and older children, especially during the annual butterfly exhibit, held in March and April.

There are several trails throughout the county, including the North Country Trail, Thornapple Trail and the Kent Trails connecting John Ball Park to Douglas Walker Park. The Cannon Township Trail runs through the eastern part of the county from Cannon Township to Warren Townsend Park near Cannonsburg.

The unique, 20 acre Shaggy Pines Dog Park has a pine forest, rolling hills and open spaces for our canine friends. Besides ponds, benches, many water stations and self-serve dog wash tubs, the park also has a doggy store and coffee bar with lounge area for the masters. Admission is by membership requiring a one time fee of $39, then a monthly fee of $46. There are additional pricing plans available.

Annual events include “Big Brew on the Calder,” hosted by Siciliano’s Market with over 50 teams of home brewers who brew their best beers. There is live music and admission is free. Also free is the Arts in Ada Festival, held in May under the trees for a day of art, food, music, children’s activities and dance. Reeds Lake Art Festive in June, sponsored by Grand Valley Artists, is the site of art booths selling jewelry, pottery and paintings. Admission is free.

The cost of living in the outer Kent County is 1.3 percent lower than the Michigan average and 11.4 percent below the national average. An apartment rental averages $710, 0.8 percent less than the Michigan average and 15.7 percent less than the national average. The price of gas is 0.8 percent higher than the national average, coffee is 22.7 percent less and pizza is 8.9 percent higher than the national average. A bottle of beer is $3.75 to $4 with one of Michigan’s famous craft brews costing you $4.75 to $6.

Outer Kent residents find varied shopping choices, with both mainstream stores located in malls, like RiverTown Crossings in Grandville, and smaller boutiques found throughout the county.

Village Kids Consignment Boutique, a high-end children's consignment and boutique shop, specializes in name brands such as Matilda Jane, Hanna Andersson, the Gap and Ralph Lauren. Nearly every piece is in excellent or like new condition, and sizing ranges from newborn to young teen.

A.K. Rikk's, a contemporary fashion boutique, carries men's and women's clothing, as well as home furnishings and accessories. The new facility has New York vibe. Designer brands, from Ferragamo to Nudie to Herman Miller furniture are available. The store has a coffee bar, a men's salon with scotch bar, a tailor shop and a private shopping suite.

For grocery basics and household supplies, shoppers visit Ric's Food Center and Meijer. Forest Hills Foods, newly acquired by Spartan, features quality meats, fresh seasonal produce, a large organic section, and a salad and hot bar. It also has a large wine and beer selection, post office and Starbucks.

Since 1952, Harvest Health Foods has brought the area wholesome, nutritious foods. The store has a large selection of natural and organic produce, bulk items, herbs and spices, and gluten-free, diary-free and nut-free products. Harvest Health Foods also features a body care and supplements section.

Downtown Grand Rapids holds several farmers markets, including the 25,000-square-foot, year-round Downtown Market Grand Rapids, with a brewery, retail shops and greenhouse. In the county, the Grandville Farmers Market gathers every Tuesday from June to mid-October at the parking lot next to the library. Moelker Orchards and Farm Market, in operation since 1907, and Robinette's Apple Haus and Winery also provide fresh farm produce.