#MiReason Blog
There are millions of reasons to love living in West Michigan. That’s why we want to share first-hand experiences of what it’s like to live, work, and play in West Michigan. Relocating or new in town? Discover why thousands of people have relocated to the region.
If you’re currently in West Michigan loving life and would like to write a guest blog post, contact Rachel Gray at grayr@hellowestmichigan.com.
Share your reason for loving West Michigan by using #MiReason on social media.
Peter W: Came for College, Stayed for the Lifestyle
Peter W: Came for College, Stayed for the Lifestyle Originally from northeast Virginia, Peter W was originally motivated to move to West Michigan for college; his school, Calvin University, has a great engineering program. Now, almost four years later, as [...]
Olivia’s Intern Connect Journey: From Intern to Committee Member
Olivia's Intern Connect Journey: From Intern to Committee Member When it comes to internships, I took the non-traditional path. During my days as an undergraduate at Grand Valley State University, I was involved in many aspects of campus life, including [...]
Tommy D: Making Global Impact at Home in West Michigan
After a decade of life in various places—schooling, football, the military, and work—Tommy has made his way back to his roots in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Tommy was born and raised in Grand Rapids, and after ten years away, the return [...]
Cafes and Coffee Shops in West Michigan
Cafes and Coffee Shops in West Michigan One of my favorite activities is finding a new coffee shop every week and savoring a delicious cup of joe. West Michigan has a wide variety of local roasters and coffee shops to [...]
St. Patrick’s Day Activities 2025
St. Patrick’s Day Activities 2025 You are in luck if you are celebrating Saint Patrick’s Day in West Michigan! As March 17 approaches, there are plenty of things to do to celebrate—just remember to wear green! If you and your [...]
Alexander L
Grad School to Dancing Lessons: Alexander’s relocation from Georgia to West Michigan What began as an academic pursuit led to a thriving career and a new life in West Michigan for Alexander. After living in Georgia his entire life, Alexander [...]
Tatiana P.
Tatiana P. Sometimes, life’s unexpected turns lead us to places we never imagined. For Tatiana, her journey from Social Worker and Educator to becoming a Project Accountant has been a testament to embracing change and finding fulfillment in new experiences. [...]
Outdoor Winter Activities in West Michigan
Outdoor Winter Activities in West Michigan The calendar flipped to 2025, and at the same time, it feels like the weather flipped as well. Winter is full-blown here. The temperature has dropped, each morning you may need to scrape the [...]
Meet the Slopes
Rachel Gray, our Executive Director, loves to ski. Read part five of this skiing series below. If you’ve been following along with my winter series, you know this whole skiing thing has been a desire of mine for a while. [...]
Discover Michigan Ski Month
Rachel Gray, our Executive Director, loves to ski. Read part four of this skiing series below. If you’ve been following along on my mission to become a downhill skier, you’ll know I took this selfie with shorts on. I’ve been [...]
Cultivating Ski Buddies
Rachel Gray, our Executive Director, loves to ski. Read part three of this skiing series below. In our Rapid Roots community onboarding program, I teach a session on how to find friends as an adult. One of the tenets of [...]
Heather S.
Michigan has a special place in Heather’s heart. It’s where she spent her college years, has family, and—of course—has beautiful Lake Michigan. After living in several places across the globe, Heather—a self-proclaimed “lifelong learner and connector”—recently boomeranged back to West [...]
