Grand Rapids Summer Activities
Treat yourself to a summer getaway in a city that combines big-city excitement with awesome outdoor recreation: Grand Rapids, Michigan, named one of America’s Top 20 Summer Travel Destinations by WalletHub. Spend your days on the trail, the water, the beach or the golf course, and your nights on the town at amazing farm-to-table restaurants, live music venues, craft beverage taprooms, dance clubs and more. Our summer days are long and our temperatures are moderated by the cooling breezes of Lake Michigan, so Grand Rapids is a perfect choice for a warm-weather escape!
Summer Festivals & Events
Nearly every weekend in summer is filled with cultural festivals. From the Asian-Pacific Festival (June 13-15) and Foodie Fest (July 4-6) to the Hispanic Festival (Aug. 1-3) and Return to the River (Aug. 23-24), these outdoor events bring people together for a grand old time. Outdoor summer concerts range from superstar touring acts at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park to multi-day music festivals to all sorts of free music events across the region. Indoor venues are welcoming such luminaries as Barry Manilow (June 4), Chris Stapleton (June 12-13), Jim Gaffigan (July 17), GHOST (July 28) and the smash-hit Broadway musical Hamilton (July 22-Aug. 3). Grand Rapids is also the perfect place to celebrate the summer holidays, including Juneteenth, the Fourth of July and Labor Day – we do them all up big!
Music Festivals in Grand Rapids
- photo by Nick Irwin for Experience GR.
- 9 min
Grand Rapids loves a good music festival, and we host a diverse range of single-day and multi-day outdoor…
Mark Your Calendars for these Grand Rapids Cultural Festivals & Celebrations
- photo by 616 Media Courtesy of GRAPF
- 11 min
You don’t have to travel the world to experience global cultures. West Michigan hosts a variety of…
20 Fun and FREE Things to do in Grand Rapids
- photo by Ideology for Experience GR
- 7 min
Whoever said nothing in life is free hasn't been to Kent County, Michigan. The greater Grand Rapids…
Free Music Events
- photo by Ideology for Experience GR
- 1 min
In the mood for a concert? You don’t need to buy a ticket to enjoy great live music in Grand…
Summer Things To Do
Grand Rapids attractions shine especially bright in summer. Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, the nation’s #1 sculpture park, dazzles with blossoming flowers and foliage, plus the new art exhibition, BUSTED: Contemporary Sculpture Busts. More than 2,000 animals come out to frolic at John Ball Zoo, which offers more animal-touching opportunities than any other zoo in Michigan. Downtown museums offer a cavalcade of fascinating exhibits just steps away from hotels and restaurants, including the world’s largest collection of Detroit Tigers autographed baseballs at the Grand Rapids Public Museum, a collection of David Hockney prints at the Grand Rapids Art Museum and Alma’s Way: Welcome to My Neighborhood, based on the PBS KIDS animated series, at the Grand Rapids Children’s Museum.
Watch a pro baseball game or NASCAR race, visit dozens of family farm markets for fresh produce and artisanal goods, and shop hundreds of stores for anything and everything you might need. Be sure to bring your appetite with you – there are more than 1,000 restaurants around town, offering an array of cuisine, price and amenity options (including outdoor dining!). Downtown GR is home to nearly 200 restaurants within a 10-minute walk (or free bus ride) of hotels, shops and entertainment venues. Be sure to download the Beer City Brewsader® app and sign up for the Flights of Flavor digital pass before you visit – you can earn free t-shirts, hats and other fun perks when you use them to check in to participating breweries, restaurants, bars, coffeehouses and sweets shops.
Family-Friendly Things to Do with Kids in Grand Rapids
- photo by Samantha Denman for Experience GR
- 7 min
Grand Rapids is where kids and families come to Play Their Way, in every season and all year…
Things to do with Teens in Grand Rapids
- photo by Haley Chicoine for Experience GR
- 6 min
Traveling to Grand Rapids with a teenager? The city and region offer plenty of possibilities to satisfy…
Grand Rapids Area Outdoor Dining Spaces
- photo by Alina Albin for Experience GR
- 29 min
Outdoor Dining in Any Season Grand Rapidians love the outdoors – so much so that local…
Things to Do Inside
- photo by Haley Chicoine for Experience GR
- 5 min
Whether it's a snow day, a rainy day or a day you just want to play inside, Grand Rapids offers a…
Outdoor Things To Do
Our long summer days come in handy for getting the most out of our Grand Outdoors. Golf 30+ courses within 30 minutes of the metro area. Hike, bike, paddle and canoe on hundreds of miles of trails and waterways. Enjoy a picnic in the park – Grand Rapids is home to 125+ parks offering such features as swimming pools, splash pads, playgrounds, lakes and boat launches. Millennium Park, five minutes from downtown, has a six-acre sandy beach and boat rental facility, and 20+ Lake Michigan beaches are as close as 30 minutes away. Pack plenty of sunscreen!
Grand Rapids’ Golf Scene Has Something for Everyone
- photo by Nick Irwin for Experience GR
- 10 min
With more than 650 public golf courses throughout the state, Michigan boasts some of the most…
Paddling Grand Rapids: So Much Water, So Many Choices
- photo by Bryan Esler for Experience GR
- 6 min
Grand Rapids has been named America’s Best River Town (Outside Magazine) and one of the…
Beaches that Make a Great Day Trip from Grand Rapids
- photo by Sarah Goodwin for Experience GR.
- 10 min
If you love the sand, sun and shore, West Michigan is the place for you. With 300 miles of gorgeous…
Biking Kent Trails Along Millennium Park
- photo by Experience Grand Rapids
- 6 min
Whether you’re in the mood for a quiet, scenic nature ride or you’re looking for an…
Beaches that Make a Great Day Trip from Grand Rapids
Off the Beaten Path: 10 Fall Hikes and Trails Around Grand Rapids
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