Countryside

Get in touch with true Americana - explore the small towns and agriculture of Michigan's West Coast!

1. Fulton Street Farmers Market displays the bounty of the countryside: fresh-picked fruits and vegetables, plus homemade arts and crafts. It's open Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from May ‘til Christmas. Unique galleries, shops and restaurants surround the market.

2. Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park includes a Michigan Farm Garden complete with replicas of an 1880s farmhouse, barn, vegetable gardens and flower beds.

3. Lowell is a city with an historic shopping center and abundant recreation opportunities. It's also the national headquarters of North Country Trails, a system that passes right through downtown Lowell.

4. Rockford is a quaint village featuring an award-wining shopping district plus miles of paved biking/hiking/skating trails, two rivers for canoeing and kayaking, and numerous golf courses. Dine at the upscale Red's on the River or add your name to the "hot dog hall of fame" at the Corner Bar.

5. Sparta is a classic American small town complete with a bustling Main Street. Homegrown shops and restaurants make everyone feel welcome, and family-friendly festivals take place all year-round.

6. Fruit Ridge is considered one of the world's prime fruit-growing regions. Approximately 8 miles wide by 20 miles long, it's dotted with farms and markets offering tours and fresh-picked (or pick-your-own) produce.

7. Coopersville Farm Museum celebrates farming and rural life with vintage tractors and ever-changing exhibits. While you're there, explore the city of Coopersville - you'll find festivals, antiques and historic train rides.

8. Back to Grand Rapids for a tour of Blandford Nature Center, a 143-acre nature preserve, or Millennium Park, a vast green space with miles of trails for hiking, biking and blading along the Grand River. Both less than five miles from downtown.

9. Top off your day at one of the many local restaurants that use local ingredients. Check out Marie Catrib's, the Green Well Gastro Pub or the Electric Cheetah.

Tell us what countryside attractions you'd add to this Coasting Route!