Grand Rapids Summer Activities

Grand Rapids is an outdoor paradise in every season – but summer is especially near and dear to our hearts. Reason #1: perfect weather for golfing at 30+ local courses.

Speaking of golf, get your tickets now for the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give, a championship tournament featuring 144 of the world’s top female golfers. At Blythefield Country Club June 16-19.

Warmer water means this is also prime season for boating, paddling and tubing. Bring your own gear or rent everything you need.

Hundreds of miles of paved trails in and around Grand Rapids give bikers and hikers ample opportunity for scenic exercise. These trails are particularly accessible for people with disabilities – and these trails are dog-friendly.

For more dog-centered recreation, check out these local dog parks (and hotels, stores and beaches).

Feel like a picnic in the park? Order takeout from a local restaurant and take your pick of 130+ nearby greenspaces.

Feeling competitive? Test your skills in the Grand Rapids Triathlon (June 12), Millennium Triathlon (July 30), Grand Rapids Color Run (July 23) and Michigan Titanium (Aug. 14).

Feel the beat? Head to downtown’s Ah-Nab-Awen Park every Tuesday evening for outdoor Swing Dancing – no partner required!  

Downtown GR is just 30-45 minutes away from the beaches and beach towns of Lake Michigan. Spend a day on the coast and get back to GR for a night on the town!

Find your vibe – secluded or close to city amenities, bustling or laid back, dog-friendly or not – at 20+ Lake Michigan beaches. Or hit the six-acre sandy beach at Millennium Park beach five minutes from downtown GR.

Shop, dine and enjoy the sights in the beach towns of Holland, Grand Haven, Muskegon and Saugatuck/Douglas – each boasts its own unique personality and style.

Mark your calendar for some of the lakeshore’s biggest events

• Muskegon Lakeshore Art Festival (June 25-26)
• Ottawa County Fair (July 25-30)
• Saugatuck Venetian Festival (July 29-30)
• Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival (July 29-August 7)
• Holland Macatawa Water Festival (Aug. 13)
• Grand Haven Art on the Riverfront (Aug. 20)
• Muskegon Burning Foot Beer Festival (Aug. 27)

Washed Ashore at John Ball Zoo is a collection of 16 giant sea-life sculptures made entirely of marine debris collected from the beaches of Oregon. A powerful environmental statement.

Yinka Shonibare CBE: Planets in My Head showcases the work of this British-Nigerian artist best known for his playful combination of colorful Dutch wax-fabric patterns popular in West Africa with the fashion of upper-class Victorian culture. Many of these works have never been shown in the U.S. before.

The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum invites visitors to experience Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel, an exhibition reproducing every detail, brushstroke and color of the artist’s 34 frescoes. Get up close to these life-sized images for a never-before-seen perspective. May 20-Sept. 11.

In a New Light: American Impressionism 1870-1940 is a Grand Rapids Art Museum exhibition tracing the evolution of a truly American style of art through groundbreaking paintings, prints, and drawings from acclaimed artists. June 11-Aug. 27.

Beyond Van Gogh at DeVos Place breathes new life into more than 300 of the artist’s paintings. This is a rich and immersive experience that will leave you with a new appreciation of Van Gogh’s stunning artistry. June 14-July 9.

Two interactive exhibits at Grand Rapids Public Museum are full of wonder and discovery for kids from 1 to 92 – don’t miss Pterosaurs: Flight in the Age of Dinosaurs and Fashion + Nature.

Broadway Grand Rapids brings Mean Girls, the hilarious hit musical based on the beloved film, to DeVos Performance Hall June 21-26.

Circle Theatre presents The Play That Goes Wrong (June 2-18), The Music Man (July 14-30) and On Golden Pond (Aug. 11-27), all featuring talented local performers. Circle also hosts a Summer Concert Series of timeless tunes and pop-up concerts.

Grand Rapids Civic Theatre launches its 97^th season with School of Rock, a rollicking musical based on the big-screen movie. Aug. 5-28.

Fresh food just tastes better in fresh air – check out 60+ restaurants with great outdoor dining & drinking spaces.

Take advantage of the Downtown Refreshment Area to stroll the center city while enjoying delectable food and alcoholic beverages. There are plenty of places to sit and relax along your journey! Similar outdoor refreshment areas are available in Uptown GR, adjoining suburbs and lakeshore communities.

Visit the Grand Rapids Downtown Market to shop butcheries, bakeries, patisseries, fishmongers, coffee roasters, chocolatiers and other artisan vendors, all under one roof. Refuel yourself after shopping with a restaurant meal – the Market hosts American, Asian, Hispanic and Mediterranean eateries, and you can dine indoors or out.

Summer’s the perfect time to become a Beer City® Brewsader – download the app and visit eight breweries to earn a FREE t-shirt.

Did you know that USA Today dubbed Grand Rapids the “Craft Beverage Capital of the U.S.” in addition America’s Best Beer City? Yes, we’ve got great breweries – but you should also visit our amazing cideries, coffeehouses, distilleries, meaderies and wine bars.

Shop the Fulton Street Farmer’s Market five minutes from downtown GR and other farm markets to enjoy fresh-picked fruits, vegetables, flowers and more, all summer long.

Get a look at downtown’s newly refurbished Rosa Parks Circle during Relax at Rosa, featuring food trucks, yard games and live bands, noon-1:30 pm Thursdays from June 30-July 28.

Bring your appetite to Riverside Park for Food Truck Fridays, from 5pm-9pm every week through Sept. 2. It’s GR’s biggest and best food truck rally!

Enjoy a sweet summer treat at one of locals’ favorite ice cream parlors or frozen yogurt shops.

The Grand Rapids Food Fest at downtown’s Calder Plaza hosts a huge array of local food and beverage vendors along with live entertainment. July 1. 

The annual Meijer Gardens Summer Concert Series kicks off June 1 with Blind Boys of Alabama + Marc Cohn – the 1^st of 33 superstar concerts. Local and regional performers take the stage Tuesday evenings in July and August.

Outdoor concerts are a highlight of summer in Grand Rapids. Slather on your sunscreen, grab a lawn chair and check out these music events:

• Camp Greensky Bluegrass Music Festival in Caledonia, June 2-4
• Ada Music on the Lawn, Wednesdays June 1-Aug. 31
• Ada Beers at the Bridge Summer Concerts, June 17, July 15, Aug. 19
• Sparta Concerts in the Park, Wednesdays June 1-Aug. 27
• Frugthaven Farm Summer Music Series, Thursdays June 2-Aug.25
• Caledonia Concert Series, Select Days June 6-Aug. 16
• Listening Lawn at Studio Park, Downtown GR, Select Days thru Aug. 15
• Kentwood Summer Concert Series, Thursdays June 16-Aug. 11
• Lowell Showboat Sizzlin’ Summer Concerts, Select Days June 16-Aug. 25
• Sounds of Summer Cutlerville, Thursdays in July
• Watercolors Jazz Fest, Downtown GR, July 29-31
• Cowpie Music Festival in Caledonia, Aug. 4-6
• Breakaway Music Festival, Downtown GR, Aug. 19-20

Many of these concerts are FREE. Click here for even more FREE music events.

Van Andel Arena hosts some of music’s hottest tours this summer:

• Slipknot, June 2
• New Kids on the Block, June 16
• Chris Tomlin, June 17
• Maverick City Music, June 21
• Outlaw Music Festival with Willie Nelson, Jason Isbell + more, June 25
• The Lumineers, July 8
• The Doobie Brothers, July 10
• Maroon 5, Aug. 17
• Pitbull & Iggy Azalea, Aug. 30

DeVos Performance Hall welcomes Home Free (June 5), Leanne Morgan (June 10) Don McLean (June 17), the Glenn Miller Orchestra (Aug. 16) and Vince Gill (Aug. 19) to its concert stage.

If laughter is music to your ears, you have a decision to make: comedic all-stars Tim Allen and Kevin Hart both appear live in GR on July 16.

Celebrate the 4^th of July and Labor Day in Grand Rapids – check back closer to each date for more events and activities.

Festival of the Arts is a three-day celebration of visual and performing arts, held annually on the streets of downtown GR. Great food, too! June 3-5.

The Grand Rapids Asian-Pacific Festival shares the stories of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans through cultural demonstrations and performances, and delicious delicacies. June 10-11 in downtown GR.

The Together Again Pride Festival celebrates the local LGBTQ community with entertainment and fellowship in downtown’s Calder Plaza. June 18.

Eastown’s Bizarre Bazaar features artists, family-friendly activities, entertainment and a craft beer tent in GR’s hippest neighborhood. June 25.

The Hispanic Festival presents live entertainment, kid’s activities, dancing, food and beverages that showcase the various Hispanic cultures present in West Michigan. Aug. 5-7 at Calder Plaza.

The Dozynki Polish Festival is the annual celebration of Polish culture and heritage featuring authentic food, beer, music and more in downtown GR. Aug. 26-28.

The 28^th Street Metro Cruise includes 28 food trucks and concessionaires, 12 live bands and 13 miles of cool cars, plus lots more. Aug. 27.

Bring the family to a West Michigan Whitecaps baseball game or Berlin Raceway stock-car event ­– both venues offer all sorts of kid-friendly premiums and perks.

Get up close to life-size, life-like dinosaurs – including a two-story high, 60-ft. long Mamenchisaurus – alongside fanciful dragons on the Dino & Dragon Stroll through The DeltaPlex Arena. June 4-5.

It’s all fun and games at Craig’s Cruisers, AJ’s Family Fun Center, TreeRunner Adventure Park and Battle GR – so the challenge will be getting your kids to leave.

No family trip to GR is complete without a visit to John Ball Zoo, home to 2,000+ animals and thrilling adventure activities. Two new koalas join the zoo crew this summer!

Play in the splashpad or Ninja Warrior playground, rent a canoe or kayak, or have fun on the beach at Millennium Park, five minutes from downtown GR.

Wander eight miles of trails through woods, wetlands, meadows and farms at Blandford Nature Center. Say hello to the farm animals as you pass by!

Explore the new Rapid River Farm, one of 10+ interactive exhibits just for kids at the Grand Rapids Children’s Museum.

Browse the diverse and inclusive kid’s books at We Are LIT! Multicultural Bookshop inside the Grand Rapids African American Museum & Archives.

Take a day trip to Michigan’s Adventure Amusement & Water Park, home to 60+ rides, slides and attractions, including seven roller coasters. It’s about 50 minutes from downtown GR.

Rainy day? No worries – check out these ideas for things to do indoors.