About two hours from Ann Arbor and 30 minutes from Lake Michigan, Grand Rapids is the second biggest city in Michigan.
In the summer, tourists are attracted to West Michigan for its abundance of sandy beaches and bustling beach towns. But, the draw to the west side of the state does not end here. Grand Rapids offers a range of entertainment options for families year round.
It’s a great place to explore for a quick trip. We gathered some highlights for a weekend getaway, but this trip could easily be extended or used as an add-on to a beach visit.
One of the most prominent landmarks in Grand Rapids is The Blue Bridge over the Grand River. Take a stroll down this footbridge and take in the views of the city. This is also a great opportunity for a family photo.
If you’ve purchased a Culture Pass GR, you can easily access multiple museums over the course of your trip. With this pass, you’ll receive admission into many cultural attractions around Grand Rapids as well as additional exclusive discounts. One of the
On one end of the bridge is the Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM). Three floors of history and a planetarium are housed in this unique building. Your family can go back in time and explore the streets of Grand Rapids during the 1890s in the GRPM’s three-fourths scale detailed re-creation.
The GRPM holds the Spillman Carousel built in 1928 (currently undergoing renovations). But, there is still plenty to see at the museum including exhibits about Ancient Egypt, Native American Culture, West Michigan Habitats and a special Virtual Reality experience.
Explore the wonders of space at The Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium within the GRPM. The planetarium holds daily shows such as the “One World, One Sky: Big Bird’s Adventure.”
The GRPM is open 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. on weekends.
Take a coffee break at Outside Coffee Company and relax in the fun seating options such as hammocks, heated domes and adirondack chairs around a fireplace. As long as the weather cooperates, this is a great chance to rest up before you take on the rest of the city.
Outside Coffee Company is located on Wealthy St. in the Uptown neighborhood of Grand Rapids. There are many quaint shops and restaurants on Wealthy St. to walk around and explore such as Pinkie’s Ice Cream, Art of the Table and Hancocks.
The Outside Coffee Company menu includes a variety of coffee drinks and seasonal items. They also have non caffeinated kid friendly options such as the steamer and a kids hot chocolate called the “baby bro.”
For lunch, a family full of picky eaters can find something to enjoy at the Grand Rapids Downtown Market. Over thirty different vendors reside in the market selling specialty groceries, meat and seafood to take home as well as options for lunch, dinner and drinks.
A diverse international cuisine is offered throughout the Market Hall. Authentic Mexican street food can be found at Tacos El Cuñado such as street tacos, burritos and guacamole. Fried chicken lovers can make their way to Juju Bird, where they also serve cake donuts. Rak Thai not only makes authentic noodle and rice dishes, but they are known for their many flavors of bubble tea. Their most recent addition to their menu is mochi donuts.
The Market Hall is open every day of the week and offers dine-in, carry-out and delivery. Find a spot to eat in the market’s various seating options. First come first serve is available on the second floor atrium and heated huts under the Market Shed. Some vendors such as Slows Bar-B-Q have their own dining space.
In between lunch and dinner, spend some time exploring all of the art Grand Rapids has to offer. There are over 100 murals throughout the city which can be found on buildings downtown and in surrounding neighborhoods. There are also numerous statues and sculptures around the city, notably La Grande Vitesse is an Alexander Calder that was installed in Calder Plaza in 1969. You might see imagery of this sculpture plastered around the city since it is incorporated in the Grand Rapids city logo.
Grand Rapids is nicknamed Beer City USA. For dinner, explore one of the kid friendly breweries in town such as Brewery Vivant, City Built Brewing and Harmony Brewing Company or head to Founders Brewery and Taproom in downtown, the most well known brewery in GR.
Cap the night off with a stay the kids will love at the Holiday Inn Grand Rapids- South with the Little Dip Splash Pad. This family friendly hotel has a 10,000 square foot expanded pool area with a hot tub, vortex pool, zero depth toddler play area, mini slides, and tipping buckets. When you wake up, the whole family can enjoy a complimentary hot breakfast. Or, if you want to go the luxury route, you won’t be disappointed with a stay at the classic Amway Grand Plaza or J.W. Marriott in downtown Grand Rapids. Other hotel packages, organized by Experience GR, with special offers can be found HERE.
Other family friendly highlights:
Grand Rapids offers a variety of entertainment options for families of different interests.
If you are a sports centered family, you might be able to catch a West Michigan Whitecaps game starting April 12. For spring 2022, they will be in town the week of April 12-17, 26-May 1, May 10-15 and May 24-29.
The John Ball Zoo will be opening for the season on March 25. Stroll the paths of the zoo and observe over 230 species. The zoo also has several food and drinks spots like the Monkey Island Cafe, Tiger Paw Pizza and Central Plaza Dippin Dots. This zoo is a manageable size, especially for younger kids. They even offer a ZooLIVE webcam, where you can watch the animals from home. Bonus: if you’re a member at the Detroit Zoo or Toledo Zoo, you could be eligible for 50% off admission. Call ahead for more information.
For younger kids, the Grand Rapids Children’s Museum has many hands-on experiences. Some of the exhibits include Little GR, The Live Hive and The Spin Zone.
Explore the many features of the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park. The sculpture park features over 50 sculptures within its 30 acres. Other gardens within the park include the Lena Meijer Children’s Garden, Butterflies Are Blooming and The Richard and Helen DeVos Japanese Garden.
Treerunner Grand Rapids Adventure Park Experience a unique aerial challenge and zip line park in the trees.
Each September, Grand Rapids hosts Art Prize, a large scale art competition, bringing artwork of all mediums, from all around the world.
Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, located at 303 Pearl Street NW, you can explore the lives of America’s 38th President, Gerald R. Ford and First Lady Betty Ford. The Ford Presidential Library is actually located in Ann Arbor at 1000 Beal Ave. The museum is also offering many online exhibits as well, which can be accessed HERE.
Grand Rapids African American Museum and Archives, The GRAAMA works to collect and retell the rich, colorful stories which make up the historic African American tapestry of living in Grand Rapids.
