Congratulations on your upcoming nuptials! Grand Rapids is a great place to host your wedding ceremony, with many and varied venues, expert planning help and lots of options for bridal showers, rehearsal dinners and the like.
Before you say your vows, of course, you’ll want to get your friends and loved ones together for a Bachelor Party. Make it memorable by including any combination of these activities:
Get a taste of the different delicious beers in Grand Rapids with a Grand Rapids beer tour.
Photo by Michael Croff for Experience GR.
Celebrate Grand Rapids’ Craft Beer Scene
With more than 40 craft breweries, Beer City, USA is the perfect place to celebrate your upcoming nuptials by sampling innovative, local craft beer.
A few things you don’t want to miss while sipping brews: a hot, thin slice of pizza at The Mitten Brewing Company; Cosmik fries at HopCat; local music at Founders Brewing Company; and the Bavarian soft pretzel at Atwater Brewery. These are just a few of our many great local breweries – check out the Beer City Ale Trail PDF File to see a full list and help you plan your route. (There are also plenty of cideries, distilleries, and meaderies on the map, too.)
Get around downtown easily and keep everyone safe by using the DASH Downtown Area Shuttle or West Michigan Rideshare. You can also leave the driving to someone else by renting a limousine or party bus from Dadd’s Magic Bus and Limo, Grand Rapids Party Bus, or Affordable Limousine. Or you can hire The Magic Shuttle Bus GR, Grand Rapids Beer Tours, Gail Andrus Travel Winery & Brewery Tours, Raise a Glass Beer Tours or Tours Around Michigan to take you and yours on a guided brewery tour.
Throw a Pedal Party
You may have seen them around, now it’s time to try one yourself! Grab your friends and start pedaling the Great Lakes Pub Cruiser, Grand Rapids' only Pedal Pub.
Up to 16 people can hop aboard with a tour guide, and Great Lakes Pub Cruiser offers several routes, all of which include awesome stops at downtown bars, breweries and restaurants. If you have a favorite place you want to stop that isn’t on one of their regular itineraries, they’ll work with you to tweak the route. Call ahead to see if they can work it in. You can even bring your own canned adult beverages aboard.
The company also offers a smaller version that seats 2-6 people called the Hops Cycle, and multiple bikes to accommodate larger groups up to 50. The bikes are smooth and easy to pedal, and you can connect to their Bluetooth to play your own tunes.
For an extra fun evening, grab dinner and stay at a downtown hotel afterwards (listings below).
The Clique has stood proudly on the west side in Grand Rapids for over 65 years.
Photo by Experience GR
West Side Bowling and Bars
Regardless of where you stand in the “West side is the best side” debate, the West Side is home to both Wenger's Bowl and Clique Lanes, as well as plenty of watering holes, which makes it the perfect destination for fans of throwing a strike.
Afterward you bowl, stop by some of the great, old-school West Side bars like the Holiday Bar, the Anchor Bar, O'Toole's Public House and the Blue Dog Tavern. Or enjoy a fantastic meal at Maru Sushi, New Holland Brewing - The Knickerbocker, Butcher’s Union “meat whiskey” restaurant, One Bourbon or The Sovengard, a Scandinavian-inspired destination with an outdoor biergarten. These and many other restaurants/bars are part of the Bridge Street Entertainment District, which is adjacent to downtown GR.
Go Sporty
He shoots, he scores! Sports fans, get ready: Grand Rapids serves up sporty fun year-round and there’s no shortage of options. Grab tickets for Grand Rapids Whitecaps, Grand Rapids Griffins hockey, Grand Rapids Gold basketball or Grand Rapids Rise women’s volleyball, depending on the time of year of your bachelor party.
If auto racing is your thing, cheer on the pro drivers at Berlin Raceway, in Marne, or Grattan Raceway, in Belding.
Football enthusiasts can catch an indoor game with the West Michigan Ironmen, in Muskegon, or you can watch collegiate athletes sling the pigskin at both Ferris State (Big Rapids) and Grand Valley State University (Allendale).
Golf & Pub-Crawl
Fans of hitting the links will find a plethora of public golf courses in the Grand Rapids area. Built on old gypsum mines, The Mines Golf Club is conveniently located about five minutes from downtown GR. Other nearby options include the Pines Golf Club, Indian Trails Golf Course, and the L.E. Kaufman Golf Course, all within a fifteen-minute drive or ride from downtown.
If disc golf is more your style, you’re in the right place – Grand Rapids was rated the 13th best disc golf city in the U.S. Here are nine great local courses to consider.
If the weather isn’t cooperating, you can take your buddies to X Golf on 28th Street or Golf 616 in Comstock Park –the state-of-the-art golf simulators offer a fun and realistic indoor experience playing a variety of courses. Or mix things up by playing putt-putt golf indoors at Great Lakes Glow Golf, which utilizes UltraViolet visual artistry to make your mini-golf adventure shine.
After the golf champion (real, virtual, or mini) is determined, cool down inside with your favorite food & beverages at one of the many great downtown options. Or enjoy adult beverages while you golf at downtown GR’s Big Mini Putt Club, an indoor nine-hole mini golf course with full bar, set to open in Sept. 2024.
No matter the season, there is always opportunity for a great catch.
Photo by Shafi Subhan/Bryan Esler Photo for Experience GR
Go Fish
Take a guided fishing expedition on one of the area’s many rivers and lakes, from downtown GR’s Grand River to the big waters of Lake Michigan, just 30-45 minutes away. There’s great fishing to be had in every season, and the charter companies on this page will provide a great experience for anglers of all skill levels.
Get Dirty
If your idea of fun includes shooting your friends with paint or biking wooded trails, get ready to kick off your celebration with some outside action. Play paintball at TC Paintball for a few hours, then clean up and hit downtown GR for food and beverage fun.
If you’d rather muck it up on the trails, grab your mountain bikes and head to Luton Park, Cannonsburg SGA Trail, or Merrell Trail. After any of these great rides, head to nearby Rockford for a casual meal at Rockford Brewing Company, Rockford Corner Bar or The Toasted Pickle.
Get Your Game On
Grand Rapids offers all sorts of opportunities to bond with your buddies over a friendly competition:
At the Fowling Warehouse Grand Rapids, your teams will compete to knock down bowling pins by throwing a football at them. They have a full bar but don’t serve food, although you’re welcome to bring your own or have something tasty delivered.
If the idea of slinging an axe appeals, Wood-Splitters Axe Throwing, on Plainfield, and FlannelJax’s Grand Rapids on Lake Michigan Drive both offer axe-throwing fun for your group.
Try your hand at Woodrows DuckPin Bowling. Never heard of it? No worries! Duckpin bowling is like traditional bowling, but with a smaller ball and smaller pins, which are attached to strings, making it surprisingly tricky to score a strike. Unlike traditional bowling, you can wear your own shoes. Woodrows offers its own cocktails and drink menu, but doesn’t serve food – luckily, it’s located inside the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel along with eight dine & sip options, including 70s-inspired speakeasy bar IDC, upscale cocktail lounge the Lumber Baron Bar and two of the city’s best restaurants: Spanish-inspired eatery MDRD (offering 27th-floor views of the city) and Ruth’s Chris Steak House.
More possibilities: Compete against your buddies in a game of laser tag or archery tag at Battle GR Tactical Games & Sports, challenge them across virtual worlds at Amped Virtual Reality, or race them to the top at Higher Ground Rock Climbing Center and Terra Firma Bouldering Co.
Bring the video games to life at Amped Virtual Reality
Photo by Haley Chicoine for Experience GR.
Start Your Engines
Travel at speeds up to 35 MPH on the two-level indoor go-kart track at Grand Rapids Grand Prix. These are adult karts and all racers must be at least 15 years of with a driver’s license or permit. Food, beer and wine is available.
You’ll find more traditional go-karts (and a whole lot of other activities, from mini golf to laser tag) at AJ’s Family Fun Center and Craig’s Cruisers.
Blow Some Smoke
Relax, unwind and share stories in a sophisticated cigar lounge offering a range of premium cigars and knowledgeable staffers who can provide expert recommendations based on your personal preferences. Downtown GR’s BOLD Cigar Bar & Lounge fits the bill, and offers excellent cocktails, too. Tuttle’s Select Cigars & Lounges in Kentwood and Indian River Tobacco Traders in Wyoming also have club-like lounges that will make you feel right at home.
Sahara Hookah Lounge (downtown), Cleopatra Hookah Lounge (northwest GR) and Rababa Hookah Lounge (southeast GR) offer a different kind of smoke-and-socialize experience.
Hotels
There are nearly 100 hotels spread out across Grand Rapids and Kent County, so you can choose to stay close to the activity(ies) of your choice. Click Book Now below to search hotels by region, price point and amenity.
Stay downtown for the largest concentration of dining, culture, live music, dancing and nightlife options, all just steps from 14 excellent hotels. Use the downtown filter on the Hotels page to find the right fit for your group.
Restaurants and Bars
As one of America’s Top 20 Foodie Cities, Grand Rapids is chock-full of great restaurants and bars. If you call ahead, several of these places will offer drink/appetizer specials and work with you to make arrangements for your party. Downtown and Uptown offer the greatest variety of restaurant cuisines and budgets, but you’ll find great choices in every region.
Bachelorette Parties in Grand Rapids
Check out these ideas for your other half’s pre-wedding party. You might find some activities you’ll want to include in your bachelor party, too!