Itinerary Ideas for a Kid-Friendly Summer Weekend in GR

John Ball Zoo

Time: Recommended Early Morning
When: Open March through November

Start the morning off hanging out with lions, tigers, and bears at the John Ball Zoo in Grand Rapids. And those are just a few of the animals you can get a glimpse of. The zoo, which is over 125 years old, has a number of different habitats to explore including red pandas, penguins, ring-tailed lemurs, and parrots. There’s also a frog exhibit with more than 50 different frogs, a meerkat and porcupine habitat, and an aquarium. Did I mention penguins? You can spend time with them too!

Animals aren’t the only thing the zoo has to offer. There’s also a number of family-friendly experiences to check out including a zip line and sky trail ropes course. If heights aren’t your thing, there are also camel rides, a hobby farm where you can pet farm animals, and the opportunity to pan for your very own gems in the zoo’s brand new sluice.

According to John Ball’s website, the best time of day to arrive is early in the morning or right before close because that’s when the animal occupants of the zoo are most active. Their summer hours are 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. Admission is $19.00 for adults (ages 13 - 61) and $15 for seniors (62+) and kids (ages 3-12). Children 2 and under are free.

Tunnel Park

Time: Mid afternoon
When: March to October 15

Just 35 minutes west of Grand Rapids, is one of my favorite beaches to go to, Tunnel Park, in Holland. Tunnel Park is more than just a beach though. There’s a number of amenities to enjoy. If you’ve got small kids, stop off at the playground first (or volleyball courts for those of you with older kids). If you packed a picnic lunch, head to the picnic shelters to eat before going off to the beach part of the park. 

Now the interesting thing about Tunnel Park is that when you arrive, you don’t see the beach right away because it’s obscured by a large dune. To get to the beach you can either go through the tunnel that’s cut through the dune, OR climb up the dune itself. Whether you go over or through, the beautiful view of Lake Michigan is enough to make you pause for a bit to take in the sites.

Tunnel Park is open to the public March through October 15. There is a parking lot for Tunnel Park that’s staffed Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. When it’s staffed, it’s $5 for Ottawa County residents, or $8 for non-residents. 

GR8 Food Truck Fridays

Time: 5:00 pm - 9:00pm
When: Fridays through September 2

After a brief hiatus, Food Truck Fridays are back! The event, put on by GR8 Food Trucks, takes place at Riverside Park, just four miles north of Downtown Grand Rapids. Every Friday, through September 2, 10 to 16 trucks pull into Riverside Park, offering a variety of foods that range anywhere from pizza, to burritos, to hamburgers, BBQ, pretzels, ice cream, and yes, even crepes. With that many options available, you’re sure to find something for even the pickiest eater in your crew. 

Food Truck Fridays have a festival kind of feel to them with everyone bringing blankets, chairs, and lawn games with them. It’s a great opportunity to let your kids stretch their legs and play in the park while you sit back and relax under the shade of some trees. 

In addition to regular Food Truck Fridays, on Friday, July 29 and Friday, August 26, GR8 Food Trucks has teamed up with the City of Grand Rapids Parks and Recreation to offer free 20-minute kayak rides throughout the evening. The kayaks are provided by the city and are available first come, first serve. However, if you want to bring your own kayak or paddleboard, you’re more than welcome to! Anyone that uses the kayaks provided must be over the age of 10 and anyone under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

Coast Guard Festival

Time: Recommended Morning through Mid-Day
When: July 29 - August 7

A regular summer staple in West Michigan is the annual Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival, arguably the biggest event to hit the beach town. The festival unofficially got its start in 1932 as a picnic for those that worked at the coast guard station at Grand Haven. Since then, it’s morphed into a week-long event celebrating the men and women of the United States Coast Guard.

While the festival runs July 29 through August 7, we’d like to call attention to the events being held on Saturday, July 30 since they’re super family oriented. 

Starting right at 7:30 am is the Coast Guard City USA Run featuring a 5K, 10K, and 1 mile Family Fun Run/Walk (bring your stroller!). Registration is between $13 and $35. A little later on in the morning, at 10:30 am, you can venture into downtown Grand Haven to view the Kids Parade! I recommend getting to the route early to get the best seats. Then, around 1:30, there’s the Cardboard Boat Race where teams design, build, and then race boats made completely of cardboard. The event is free to watch and free to enter. In fact, kids as young as 10 can try their hand at creating a boat and racing it! You’ll just need to register beforehand and make sure to properly craft the boat based on the rules.

If you’re unable to make it over to Grand Haven for the Coast Guard Festival on July 30, that’s ok. The festival runs July 29 through August 7 and there’s a ton of super family friendly activities scattered throughout like a pancake breakfast, boat tours, carnival days, cornhole tournament, and more. A complete list of events can be found the Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival webpage.

Local Splash Pads

Time: Recommended Late Afternoon
When: Typically Memorial Day through Labor Day

What’s some summer time fun without splashing around in a local splashpad? It’s a great way to beat the heat, and kids of all ages can splash and play the day away there. West Michigan is home to an abundance of water-filled playgrounds, some of them with free admission, and others with small entrance fees, for example Millennium Park. As a mom of three little ones, and with gas prices sky high, here are some of my favorite free ones!

• Campau Park - Grand Rapids
• Cherry Park - Grand Rapids
• Joe Taylor Park - Grand Rapids
• Aberdeen Park - Grand Rapids
• Heartside Park - Grand Rapids
• Veteran’s Memorial Park - Kentwood
• Lamar Park - Wyoming
• Rosewood Park - Jenison
• City of Zeeland Splash Pad Park - Zeeland
• Grand Haven Splash Pad - Grand Haven

Sunset Cinema

Time: 6 pm for first film, 8:30 pm for second film
When: Select Saturdays through August

Celebration Cinema’s Studio Park is once again hosting Sunset Cinema, an outdoor movie viewing experience that takes place in the facility’s beautiful piazza. The event was conceived back in 2020 to offer a safe way to watch movies during the height of the pandemic, and it was such a popular idea that Studio Park continues to bring it back!

The outdoor piazza's lawn is turned into a seating area to watch movies projected on a giant screen on the side of the theater. Seating is first come, first serve, so arrive early and be sure to bring your own chair since there are no chairs provided. You’re allowed to bring in your own food, but concessions inside the theater will be open too.

Sunset Cinema is a double feature event with the first film of the night starting at 6 pm and the second at 8:30 pm. Movies include The Meg, A Quiet Place, Legally Blonde, Mean Girls, and more. The best part about Sunset Cinema? The event is free! So not only is this a family friendly event, it’s a budget friendly one too!

Boulder Ridge Wild Animal Park

Time: Noon to 6 pm
When: April through October

My children love animals so a stop at the Boulder Ridge Wild Animal Park in Alto is a must. The park is about 20 minutes southeast of Downtown Grand Rapids, and it offers a slightly different variety of creatures than the John Ball Zoo which means you can check out even more species of animals. The Boulder Ridge Wild Animal Park also has a walkthrough safari, petting zoo, parakeet aviary, and reptile house.

On select Sundays of the month, Boulder Ridge hosts special events included in the price of admission. For instance, August 7, there’s Reptile Days. If you’ve got a budding herpetologist in your family, or you just love scaly creatures, Reptile Days is filled with educational and hands-on fun with frogs, lizards, and snakes.

Boulder Ridge is open April through October, seven days a week. Seniors 62 and over are $16 and 12 and over are $18. Kids ages three to 11 are $14, while kids two and under are free.

Festival Hispano

Time: Recommended Mid-Morning 
When: August 5-7

Festival Hispano, or the Hispanic Festival, is a wonderful opportunity to step into the rich culture of the local Latinx community. The event, which is put on by the Hispanic Center of West Michigan, is a three day long festival aimed at celebrating the community’s heritage through authentic food, dance, and more. 

For those of you with young ones in your group, there’s a children’s area filled with arts and crafts. There’s also the opportunity to watch the futsal tournament. Futsal is a football-based game played on a hard court and is a fun experience to take in with the family. And, young people in your group or not, there’s always the beer tent to enjoy.

Festival Hispano takes place at Calder Plaza in the heart of Downtown Grand Rapids and is free to get in. The festival also features local food vendors and local artisans.

25 Years of Play Birthday Party for the Grand Rapids Children’s Museum

Time: 11:00 am - 3:00 pm
When: July 31

On July 31, the Grand Rapids Children’s Museum is offering free admission for the day as a way to celebrate their 25th birthday! The Grand Rapids Children’s Museum is a staple of the downtown community and has entertained thousands of children (and a generation or two!) since it first opened its doors in 1997. GRCM has two floors of hands-on interactive activities geared for children two to ten years old.

In addition to free admission to the museum, the birthday party will also include performers, special programs, a dance party, and treats! 

Need even more activity and event options? Be sure to check out the Event Section on Experience Grand Rapids' website The latest and greatest things to do in Grand Rapids are always listed there.