Resolutions to Keep During Your Next Trip to Grand Rapids

Want a New Year’s resolution you can stick to? Resolve to have more fun in 2025. Make time for play, try something you’ve always wanted to do, indulge in a treat now and then, and visit someplace new – or revisit a favorite destination.

We asked our staff and social media followers where they go to have to fun in Grand Rapids and came up with 25 suggestions to give you a head start on planning an enjoyable 2025. From some of the area’s top tourist attractions to a number of off-the-beaten-path pleasures, they’re practically guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

Resolve to visit as many of them as you can to have a truly happy new year!

2RST

“Live Like a Tourist: Where Life Becomes an Endless Adventure” is the motto at 2RST, which stocks a wide variety of adventurous clothing, footwear, backpacks, skateboards, coffee and more.

3^rd Thursdays

A monthly showcase of downtown art galleries, retailers, boutiques, restaurants, and cultural institutions, Avenue for the Arts’ 3^rd Thursdays are a fun way to explore the creative side of Grand Rapids.

K9 Kuisine

K9 Kuisine wants to make 2025 better for you and your pet by supplying all-natural dog food made with locally sourced ingredients. (Grand Rapids loves dogs – check out these dog-friendly spots you can enjoy with your furry friend.)

Archival Brewing

Archival Brewing recreates historic and forgotten styles of beer, cider and mead to deliver a fascinating (and delicious!) glimpse into the past. It’s one of 40+ breweries on our Beer City Ale Trail.

The Aroma Labs

Experts at The Aroma Labs will guide you through the process of creating your own custom which you can incorporate into perfumes, shower frostings, body lotions, body oils, and travel sprays or rollerballs.

Blandford Nature Center

Hike miles of trails through woods and meadows, meet wildlife ambassadors, take nature-inspired classes, explore 1800s-era buildings and more at this 264-acre natural oasis 10 minutes from downtown Grand Rapids.

Broadway Grand Rapids

See the nation’s hottest touring stage musicals right here in GR, including Moulin Rouge! The Musical (Jan. 21Feb. 5), Clue (March 4-9), A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical (April 1-6), Pretty Woman (April 29-May 4) and Hamilton (July 22-Aug. 3).

Butcher Block Social

Opened in summer 2023, this barbecue-and-bourbon restaurant has taken the southern suburb of Caledonia by storm. In 2024, it gained even more fans for hosting live music performances on Fridays and Saturdays.

Dreamgoats

Here’s a sure-fire stress reliver: hike (and cuddle) with a herd of Nubian goats at Dreamgoats, which also offers a selection of goat milk bar and laundry soaps.

Ed Dunneback & Girls Farm

A farm, restaurant, gift shop, brewery, distillery, cidery and family fun spot all rolled into one, Ed Dunneback & Girls Farm is a sterling example of the area’s thriving agritourism industry. 

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park

Named America’s #1 sculpture park and #2 botanical gardens, this captivating blend of art and nature includes 200+ sculptures, rotating art exhibitions, a Japanese Garden, Children’s Garden, Farm Garden and much more.

Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum

It’s called America’s most entertaining presidential museum for a reason – many reasons, actually, including a multimedia recreation of the 1944 typhoon that almost swept a young Jerry Ford off the deck of a U.S. aircraft carrier.

Grand Rapids Art Museum

Home to a permanent collection of more than 6,000 works of art and host to an ever-changing slate of exhibitions featuring local, national and international artists, the Grand Rapids Art Museum  is a vital part of the city’s international recognized art scene. The facility itself was hailed as one of the world’s best new buildings of 2017.

Grand Rapids Downtown Market

The city’s local foods emporium houses 20+ artisan food vendors and restaurants under one greenhouse covered roof. The outdoor Christkindl Markt, a traditional European-style Christmas village, is a seasonal delight.

Grand Rapids Public Museum

Featuring three floors of history, science and culture exhibits, the Grand Rapids Public Museum fascinates visitors of all ages. It’s also home to the Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium.

Great Lakes Glow Golf

Play 18 holes of miniature golf under black light at Great Lakes Glow Golf, which also features mini bowling, an arcade and snack bar.

John Ball Zoo

Home to more than 2,000 animals and a variety of rides, adventures and animal encounters, John Ball Zoo has been inspiring joy and wonder since 1891.

LaughFest

Founded in 2011, America’s first-ever community-wide festival of laughter returns in 2025 with five days of famous comedians, fun-filled community events and more. March 5-9.

Michigan International Auto Show

This annual winter exhibition (Jan. 1-Feb. 2, 2025) showcases the newest and hottest cars out there, and offers sneak peeks of soon-to-be-released models. It’s one of many DeVos Place lifestyle shows throughout the year.

Millennium Park

One of the nation’s largest urban greenspaces, Millennium Park encompasses 18 miles of hiking and biking trails, six miles of Grand River frontage, a six-acre beach and splashpad, boat rental facilities and other diverse opportunities for recreation and relaxation. Just five minutes from downtown GR!

Meyer May House

Built in 1908-09, this Frank Lloyd Wright-designed home in GR’s Heritage Hill neighborhood is a prime example of Prairie School architecture. The meticulously restored house is open for free guided tours Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. 

Playing Fields

Grand Rapids empowers kids to their Play Their Way with a host of family-friendly attractions and activities. It’s also a place where adults can get in touch with their inner child and Play Like Kids. Let the fun begin!

Sustainable Shopping

Shop the city’s secondhand shops and thrift stores for gently used and upcycled clothing, furniture and accessories. Great deals and great for the environment!

Three Blue Brushes

Learn to paint, decorate cookies, crochet, arrange flowers, make earrings and so much more at Three Blue Brushes, which offers classes and workshop led by expert instructors.