Grand Rapids, Michigan: The Midwest City You Need to Visit with Your Family
We have visited Michigan more than ten times as a family, yet somehow it took us this long to finally make it to Grand Rapids! After spending several days exploring the city we can definitely say it will not be our last trip. Grand Rapids surprised us with how much there is to do for families, from a massive urban park to one of the cutest zoos we have visited and a downtown bursting with public art and museums. Here are the best things to do for both families or travelers of all ages in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Where is Grand Rapids?
Grand Rapids sits in West Michigan along the banks of the Grand River, about a three and a half hour drive from Chicago and just over six hours from St. Louis. It makes a great home base for exploring the Lake Michigan shoreline, since towns like Grand Haven are only about a 35 minute drive away.
Best Things to Do Indoors in Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids Children’s Museum
This downtown museum is built entirely around hands on play for younger kids. Our kids loved the open ended exhibits designed to build creative thinking and problem solving skills through play. It is a great option if you have a rainy day in your itinerary or just need a couple hours of indoor energy burning. Be sure to check the Grand Rapids Children’s Museum website for current hours and admission, since they vary by day of the week.
Grand Rapids Public Museum
This is one of the oldest museums in Michigan and it did not disappoint. Our favorite parts were the Streets of Old Grand Rapids exhibit, a life sized recreation of an 1890s street scene that makes you feel like you stepped back in time, and the West Michigan Habitats exhibit that walks you through the natural environments found across the state. The kids could not get enough of the Backyard and games exhibits either.
No visit is complete without a ride on the 1928 Spillman Carousel, located in a pavilion that overlooks the Grand River. The intricately carved animals even have real horsehair tails! It is one of the last working carousels in Michigan and genuinely one of the most charming things we did in the city. Check the museum website before you go, since the carousel occasionally closes for mechanical maintenance given its age.
Urban Air Adventure Park
When our kids needed to burn some extra energy after dinner we headed to Urban Air. This indoor adventure park was impressively clean and packed with activities including a zip line, ninja style obstacle course, climbing walls, and bumper cars.
The light up slides and fun lighting throughout the space were a hit too. This is a great option for a few hours of indoor play, especially if the weather does not cooperate.
Best Things to Do Outdoors in Grand Rapids
Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park
If you only have time to visit one attraction in Grand Rapids, Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park should be it. This sprawling botanical garden and sculpture park has won many awards and it’s easy to see why. We could have spent an entire day exploring the gardens, trails, and art throughout the property. Even though a surprise rain storm cut our visit short, we loved viewing the elaborate gardens and unique sculptures. Through November you can also view stunning Chihuly glass displays both inside and outside.
Kids will love the Children’s Garden area with a treehouse, climbing structure, and a massive water feature with toy boats. It was hard to get our kids to leave this area to explore the rest of the garden! The Children’s Garden is also located near the garden entrance so you don’t have to walk far with little ones in tow.
If you need a bite to eat, the James and Shirley Balk Café on site has a seasonally inspired menu with a kids menu as well, We enjoyed a lunch there during out visit with views of the Chihuly glass sculptures overhead.
John Ball Zoo
We love visiting zoos when we travel, and the John Ball Zoo in Grand Rapids did not disappoint. This zoo is one of the most thoughtfully designed zoos we have visited with exhibits built so you can view the animals from multiple angles and vantage points. There is also an aquarium on site and plenty of shaded trails, which we appreciated on a warm day.
Beyond the animal exhibits, the zoo has a long list of extra adventures including camel rides, a ropes course, a zip line, and a funicular that carries you up and down the hill. We also got to see the zoo’s new otter exhibit and watching their antics was a highlight for the whole family.
Note that experiences like the camel rides, zip line, and ropes course are an additional cost beyond admission and are generally only available in the warmer months. Check the John Ball Zoo website for current hours, admission, and experience pricing.
Right outside the zoo entrance is John Ball Park, a green space with a playground that is perfect for letting the kids run around before or after your visit.
Blandford Nature Center
For a quieter and more natural escape from the city, Blandford Nature Center is a wonderful stop. This nature center includes miles of both paved and unpaved trails winding through woods, streams, and meadows, along with historic buildings and a working farm. The nature center also provides care for injured or rehabilitated animals that cannot be returned to the wild. We loved seeing the owls, bob cat, turtles, and other critters.
Kids will also enjoy the nature play area with natural elements for pretend play like making mud pies. Further down a trail is a natural fort building area with giant logs to hand craft kid-sized shelters. It is such a peaceful way to spend a couple of hours.
Millennium Park
Millennium Park might be our favorite discovery of the entire trip and one of the best outdoor adventures in Grand Rapids. This is one of the largest urban parks in the country, spanning 1,400 acres! We spent an entire afternoon here and still did not see everything.
We started by renting kayaks at the DeVos Family Boathouse, which also offers canoes, paddle boats, and stand up paddle boards. Life jackets and paddles are included and the rental fees are reasonable.
After kayaking we headed over to the six acre beach, which has soft sand and a designated swim area in the park’s 100 acre lake. Our kids had a blast splashing in the shallow water and looking for fish. The beach also has a concession stand and beach house with restrooms and showers.
Right next to the beach is a large splash pad that was also a huge hit with our kids and a fun way to cool off after time at the beach. The splash pad is mostly fenced in to keep kids contained. There are multiple playgrounds scattered throughout the park as well, so there is truly something here for every age.
Note that the beach and splash pad require a separate admission fee and are only open seasonally from Memorial Day through Labor Day, while the trails are open year round.
As evening approached we explored a few miles of the park’s nearly 18 mile trail network and caught a gorgeous sunset to finish off the day.
Grand Haven State Park
About 35 minutes from downtown Grand Rapids, Grand Haven offers some of the most beautiful Lake Michigan beach access around. The water here is incredibly clear and the sand is soft and clean. You will feel like you are at the ocean!
We spent our visit at Grand Haven State Park, which has stunning views of the historic Grand Haven pier and its two lighthouses connected by a lighted catwalk. This is also one of the best sunset spots we have found on Lake Michigan. The lighthouse and pier make for an incredible backdrop as the sun goes down over the water.
Best Grand Rapids Playgrounds
We also stopped at two excellent neighborhood playgrounds during our visit. John Ball Park, right at the entrance to the zoo, is a convenient stop before or after your zoo visit. Manhattan Park in East Grand Rapids is a 40 acre community park with a picnic areas, nature trails, and a newer and large playground with a splash pad.
Where to Eat in Grand Rapids
The Score Restaurant and Sports Bar
The Score Restaurant was hands down one of the most unique dining experiences of our trip. The Score has an outdoor seating area complete with real palm trees, a sand beach, and even a kids pirate ship play area right on the water. It feels like you stepped into a beach vacation in the middle of Michigan.
Rapid River Stillhouse
We had dinner at this three level restaurant close to downtown. The Rapid River Stillhouse includes Southern inspired comfort food, live music, and a rooftop deck with sweeping city views. It is a fun spot for an evening out as a family.
Morning Belle
We loved starting one of our mornings at Morning Belle, a local breakfast and lunch spot known for from scratch meals using Michigan ingredients. It was the perfect way to fuel up before a big day of exploring.
Westside Social
We grabbed lunch at this neighborhood tavern on the west side of the city and enjoyed the relaxed, comfort food focused menu. It is a great option if you want something a little more low key than downtown.
Tupelo Honey
Another day we stopped at Tupelo Honey for breakfast, a Southern inspired restaurant in the heart of downtown. The menu blends classic Southern comfort food with a modern twist.
Frederik Meijer Gardens Café
If you spend the day at Meijer Gardens like we did, the on site James and Shirley Balk Café is a convenient and tasty lunch option. Right now you can even view the Chihuly glass overhead in the cafe.
Where to Stay in Grand Rapids
We stayed at the JW Marriott in downtown Grand Rapids, located right along the east bank of the Grand River. The location is within walking distance of downtown restaurants, the riverwalk, and many of the attractions we wanted to explore.
Exploring Downtown Grand Rapids
One thing that surprised us about Grand Rapids was the incredible art scene throughout downtown. There are hundreds of murals and unique sculptures scattered across the city. The riverfront trail runs along both sides of the Grand River, and while the weather limited how much of it we could explore on this trip, we enjoyed walking across the blue pedestrian bridge that connects downtown to attractions like the Public Museum.
Why You Should Visit Grand Rapids
We cannot believe it took us this long to visit Grand Rapids! Michigan continues to be one of the most underrated states for family travel, and Grand Rapids might be one of its best kept secrets. Between the adorable zoo, the incredible parks, the delicious food and the amazing museums, there is so much packed into one city.
On our list for next time is the Grand Rapids Art Museum, more of the murals scattered throughout downtown, and additional outdoor trails and parks we did not have time for on this visit.
Have you been to Grand Rapids? Drop a comment below and let us know your favorite spot!
