Sports & Recreation

Michigan's West Coast is a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts and sports lovers!

1. The Grand River that rolls through downtown Grand Rapids attracts anglers every day of the year. Cast a line near the fish ladder and you might reel in salmon, steelhead, trout, walleye, carp and even sturgeon!

2. Bike Trails stretch over 100 miles throughout the area - including 30 miles along the Lake Michigan coast from Grand Haven to Holland. You'll ride through shoreline, sand dunes, quiet rural roads, woodlands and farms.

3. White Pine Trail connects Grand Rapids with Cadillac in the north central Lower Peninsula. It's the longest rail-to-trail Linear State Park in Michigan - ideal for running and biking.

4. Championship Golf Courses blanket the entire region. This area is well known for its abundance of accessible, affordable golf for all skill levels.

5. Double JJ Resort offers championship golf, cross-country skiing, fishing, tubing, horseback riding and an indoor waterpark. Great fun for the entire family.

6. Muskegon Winter Sports Complex features an Olympic-class luge track, skating rinks, lighted cross-country skiing and more.

7. Grand Haven State Park and Tunnel Park in Holland are great sites for swimming. Charter boat rentals are available in Grand Haven.

8. Butch's Beach Burritos on the harbor in Grand Haven is a convenient refueling stop.

9. Mt. Baldhead has 279 steps to get your legs and heart pumping. The reward at the top is a sweeping view of Saugatuck, the Kalamazoo River basin and Lake Michigan.

10. Oval Beach, at the base of Mt. Baldhead, is rated one of the 25 best shorelines in the world. The smooth, soft sand is great for a challenging run.

11. Back in downtown Grand Rapids, head to Rosa Parks Circle to skate under the stars in winter months. If you're here in June, take in the State Games of Michigan, an Olympic-style festival featuring 15 different events.

12. Less than five miles from downtown is Millennium Park. This vast greenspace features a 100-acre lake with sandy beach frontage plus miles of paved trails for biking, hiking and blading along the Grand River.

13. Fifth Third River Bank Run participants start in downtown Grand Rapids and run right through Millennium Park. The largest 25K road race in the U.S., the River Bank Run takes place at the beginning of May.

14. The Grand Woods Lounge is a rejuvenating stop after a day of play. The casual menu is augmented by a warm and cozy ambiance that brings the outdoors in.