Location: Grand Rapids
Top Things to do in Grand Rapids
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The 10 Best Nature & Parks in Grand Rapids, Michigan (MI)
The comforts of a friendly, small-town atmosphere combined with the pleasures of big city life make Grand Rapids an ideal choice for a fun getaway with a host of indoor and outdoor activities. Once known as the furniture capital of the world, the city has a reinvigorated downtown area and a thriving arts and cultural community. Its most popular attraction is the museum dedicated to native son Gerald R. Ford, 38th U.S. President, where interactive exhibits take you to the White House and the 1976 Republican National Convention. Wander through the state's largest tropical conservatory at the Frederik Meijer Gardens, a magical wonderland of gardens, woodlands and over 100 bronze statues by famous artists, including the 24-foot bronze horse designed by Leonardo da Vinci. More outdoor fun is a half-hour away at the sandy beaches of Lake Michigan. Golf lovers have plenty of places to hit the greens since Grand Rapids has more privately owned, daily-fee, public courses than any other U.S. city. Wind up your busy weekend with a cold beer at the Hair of the Frog Brewery or the Grand Rapids Brewing Company.
Restaurants in Grand Rapids
1. Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 2,947 reviews
View modern sculpture in a stunning garden setting at this combination botanical garden and sculpture park, which features exotic plants, desert and Victorian gardens, wetlands, meadows, and sculptures by famous artists throughout.
Reviewed By Relax778849
Our son’s family lives in Grand Rapids, so we often visit Meier Gardens. It’s enjoyable whether we visit during Christmas to see decorated trees from other countries, summer to walk the garden paths and visit the children’s garden where the grandkids can run and climb, or during the butterfly exhibit in the spring. The special exhibits are interesting as well.
2. Calvin Ecosystem Preserve & Native Gardens
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 32 reviews
Virus update: You are welcome to walk the trails for exercise, fresh air & sunlight. Please KEEP YOUR DOG AT HOME so that our sensitive wildlife will feel protected in their home and stay visible for you to enjoy. The Bunker Interpretive Center is closed until further notice. The Ecosystem Preserve features 100+ acres of forest, wetlands, and native gardens. Over a mile of walking trails are open every day from dawn to dusk. The Bunker Interpretive Center is a LEED-certified education center open M-H 9am-5pm, and features interactive seasonal displays. A variety of educational programs for all ages are offered throughout the year.
3. Blandford Nature Center
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 75 reviews
Blandford Nature Center is a non-profit that features 143 acres of land and wildlife. There is a Wildlife Center and Interpretive Center that is open M-F 9 to 5 and Sat. Noon to 5, as well as 4 miles of trails that are open from dawn until dusk.
Reviewed By 245gpw - Saint Johns, United States
Like visiting a museum after hours, or getting backstage for theater, we had previously signed up online and now gathered at 6 p.m. as the darkness was deepening. A resident Great Horned Owl (deep-voiced male) was calling for a mate, so the leaders directed us silently and stealthily out to the starlit patio for a listen before the indoor part of the program began. We got to hear recordings of the three most frequent owls around (west) Michigan: the tiny Eastern Screech, the middle-weight Barred, and the big one, the Great Horned Owl (not counting the massive Snowy Owls that sometimes pass through). After some Q and A, half the group was led by S. for a close-up talk with the injured, sheltered owls of the Center. The other half was led by L. into the starry night woods on the wide trail to call for the owls. Later the group visited the outdoor residential spaces for the bobcat, for the albino mink, and for the (endangered) Barn Owl with its snakey neck movement and white face and front. So much owling tonight, so close-up! What a rare opportunity to learn this part of our world that mostly is unseen and unsearched.
4. Gerald R. Ford Airport Viewing Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 41 reviews
Reviewed By 8zzf3mh8reu7ddw - Grand Rapids, United States
I remember watching the air planes at the air port when I was a child. My goodness, now there is a picnic area, lots of great parking. The air planes still look too big and the engines are still too loud! But fun to watch.
5. Riverside Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 8 reviews
Reviewed By llbeany6
Beautiful paved path near the river for walking, running, biking, rollerblading, skateboarding. There are many benches scattered along the route if you fancy a rest. Plenty of ducks and geese to visit with as well. They have food trucks come in I believe on Fridays in the summer.
6. John Ball Zoo
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 744 reviews
John Ball Zoo inspires our community to be actively engaged in the conservation of wildlife and our natural environment. Over 2,000 animals including lions, tigers, bears (oh my) and chimpanzees! John Ball Zoo brings behind-the-scenes training and care to the public daily. Guests can enjoy both indoor and outdoor exhibits. Interactive experiences include a funicular (tram), zip line, high ropes course, and more! The Zoo closes in the winter so be sure to check out the website for open dates and times.
Reviewed By jkoslowski148 - Canton, United States
I don't want to get into the ethics of this zoo or any zoo. From a purely visitor standpoint, the workers here did an excellent job. Tickets are recommended (might have even been required) in advance and as the day went on, you could tell why. We got in at 10:00 and by the time we were ready to leave a little bit before 2:00, the lines were a lot longer than they had been when we arrived. Several people I talked to had told me that they had come here and never seen any animals. By the end, I wondered where they had been because every animals was on display, whether in the outdoor portion or visible through an indoor viewing areas. The Zoo is not terribly large from a square footage standpoint but where it really excels is making use of the upper space. The next closest zoo that I could to do that was San Diego. Some sections are on the smaller side, namely the aquarium, but some are really impressive with how close you can get to some of the animals. The brown bear was literally sitting against the glass. I was blown away at the size of them, especially their head. The mountain lions were also interesting as they were up, walking around, climbing, and generally acting as I thought they would in the wild. There was one particular employee, Evan, than I want to single out. We met him at the entrance of the reptile house as well as for the Budgie feeding. He was knowledgeable and very light while talking with us. I appreciate it when employees can joke about their situation (when I asked him about his title, he responded with "well, my non-covid job is...") but still make you feel like every question you ask is relevant and important to answer. He probably gets the same questions over and over again every single day but he made me feel like I asked a great question (specifically, I asked what the difference was between a Budgie and a Parakeet) and that to me is excellent in the field of tourism. Overall, this zoo may not be the biggest as far as walking around goes but there are a lot of animals here and they are almost all out to be seen. You'll make a lot of memories here and hopefully develop a greater appreciation for the earth and it's inhabitants while you're here.
7. Huff Park
8. Rosa Park Circle
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 9 reviews
Reviewed By Gmaof6boys - Boyne City, United States
Great outdoor entertainment in the middle of the city! Multigenerational winter fun. The ice was great and social distancing was evident.
9. Fred Meijer White Pine Trail State Park
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 8 reviews
10. Richmond Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 7 reviews
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