Dynamic Variation:

Itinerary Ideas for a Kid-Friendly Summer Weekend in GR

West Michiganders anticipate summer with joy for good reason: the weather is gorgeous, the sparkling lakeshore beckons, and every weekend holds the promise of something new and exciting to do around Grand Rapids. Whether you live in West Michigan or are visiting, you can take advantage of the…

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Revisiting ArtPrize With These 5 Works of Art

When ArtPrize launched in 2009, I was skeptical. I’d never heard of anything like it (because there isn’t anything quite like it) and couldn’t conceive of the entire concept. Nonetheless, I picked up a map, planned a route, and headed downtown to check it out. Amazed isn’t an exaggeration of how I…

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A Local's Guide to GR-Area Playgrounds

The Makowski family loves flights. Not of the airplane variety, however. I’m talking about “flights” typically associated with beer, pizza, ice cream, dips, donuts, or really anything you can turn into a sampling of variations of things you love. For our family, that now includes playgrounds thanks…

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You Can Take Your Kids on a Field Trip to the John Ball Zoo

Grand Rapids area attractions like Grand Rapids Public Museum and Grand Rapids Art Museum acknowledged the changes to at-home learning and have created field trip experiences for individual families, as an alternative to a traditional whole-class field trip. To change up their usual virtual school…

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Local World of Winter Artist: Chris Dudley

The World of Winter (WOW) Festival has returned to downtown Grand Rapids, bringing art, color, and—frankly—fun in the height of winter. Downtown Grand Rapids, Inc. is the organization behind the festival, and I’ve noticed DGRI’s focus on highlighting local artists, especially women and BIPOC…

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Resolutions to Keep During Your Next Trip to Grand Rapids

New Year Resolutions are a great way to take a fresh look at what you want to accomplish. For me, this year will be about making the time to take advantage of the fun activities available right here in the Grand Rapids area! As my kids get older I realize how soon they will be out of the house. It’s…

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Two-Day, Kid-Friendly GR Itinerary

The Grand Rapids area has been my home for nearly 15 years now – and I’m always thrilled to show it off to my friends and family back on the east side of the state. One of my best friends, Danielle visited me this June with her family. With her husband out of town on business, it seemed like the…

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Visit the John Ball Zoo's Red Pandas & More

For more than 125 years, John Ball Zoo has given Grand Rapids locals and visitors of all ages the experience to learn more about animals from around the world. The zoo is home to nearly 2,000 animals representing more than 230 species. As an accredited organization with the Association of Zoos and…

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