Playgrounds

From the big city to the big lake, Michigan's West Coast is one huge playground!

1. West Michigan Whitecaps Baseball is a family-friendly Class "A" affiliate of the Detroit Tigers located just 10 minutes from downtown Grand Rapids.

2. IMAX® Theatre at Celebration! Village envelops viewers with large-format movies and sound. It's surrounded by regular-format movie screens, restaurants and shopping.

3. Grand Rapids Children's Museum celebrates childhood and the joy of learning by providing an interactive, hands-on environment. A wondrous experience for kids aged 2-10.

4. John Ball Zoo is home to more than 1,100 animals from Africa, Asia, South America, and the United States. Make sure you check out the chimpanzee exhibit - it's one of the largest in the country.

5. Michigan's Adventure includes both an amusement park and a water park - with one of America's Top 10 wooden roller coasters.

6. The Grand Haven Boardwalk is a 2-1/2 mile span lined with shops, restaurants, marinas, charter fishing boats and the beach - culminating in an 1839 lighthouse. Bring your camera to capture a dazzling sunset!

11. Saugatuck Dune Rides offers 35-minute scenic explorations of the towering sand dunes of Lake Michigan - conducted by dune-buggy drivers who are as educational as they are entertaining.

12. Indulge your sweet tooth at Crane's Pie Pantry Restaurant, featuring a huge menu of homemade Michigan fruit pies and desserts as well as handcrafted soups, sandwiches, Michigan fruit breads and more.

13. Dutch Village pays tribute to the region's rich Dutch heritage by recreating a 1900s Dutch community - complete with a working "zweefmolen" chair swing.

14. Grand Haven State Park includes an expansive beach for swimming, sunbathing, castle building and kite flying.

15. Mackinaw Kite Company, one of the world's oldest kite stores, lets you indulge in one of our favorite beach activities - kite flying. Lots of toys, games, puzzles yo-yos, too.

16. The Musical Fountain is Grand Haven's nightly celebration of good times in a great place. The synchronized display of water and lights can be seen from the harbor every summer evening at dusk.

12. Back in Grand Rapids, check the Van Andel Arena schedule to see what's on tap for the evening: famous-name concerts, hockey games, family shows, monster truck exhibitions and more.

13. Before the show, enjoy some genuine Mexican cuisine at Little Mexico Café. It's newly rebuilt after a massive fire - and it's even more delicious!