Grand Rapids Parks
Grand Rapids offers all the excitement of a big city, with endless opportunities to discover world-class art & culture, food, craft beverages and entertainment. But no matter where you go in the city, you’re just minutes away from a lush and inviting greenspace.
There are 75+ city parks, 46 county parks and six state parks to explore in and around Grand Rapids, each offering a different combination of activities and amenities.
Play baseball, basketball, disc golf, golf, soccer and volleyball. Go boating, birdwatching, biking, camping, fishing, hiking, horseback riding, hunting, skateboarding, skiing and swimming. Bask on a sugar-sand beach, climb a towering sand dune, let the kids loose on a playground and unleash your canine companion in a dog park. Or just relax and enjoy some truly awesome scenery.
Clean, safe, walkable downtown Grand Rapids has 15 parks interspersed among 200+ restaurants, shops, cultural sites and entertainment venues – including a skate park, dog park, fish-watching park, a park that’s also a sculpture and a park that commemorates the original Native American inhabitants of this area.
One of the nation’s largest urban parks, Millennium Park, is just five minutes from downtown. With 1,400 acres of rolling terrain and six miles of frontage on the Grand River, Millennium features nearly 18 miles of paved trails, natural areas for wildlife to thrive, a six-acre beach and splashpad, boat rental facilities, fishing lakes and other diverse opportunities for recreation and relaxation.
Six state parks along Lake Michigan, 30-45 minutes from downtown GR, offer vast expanses of pristine beach and crystal-clear water along with close proximity to charming lakeshore communities – ideal for a day trip from Grand Rapids.
Scroll down to search for parks by location, activities and amenities!
A Parent's Guide to GR-Area Playgrounds
- photo by Paul Jendrasiak for Experience GR
- 17 min
More than 50 of the 160+ public parks in and around Grand Rapids have playgrounds. You can find them…
Off the Beaten Path: 10 Fall Hikes and Trails Around Grand Rapids
- photo by Alina Albin for Experience GR.
- 6 min
Just because the air starts to turn cooler and the leaves start to turn doesn’t mean…
Ideas for Accessible Parks and Trails in Grand Rapids
- photo by Brian Craig for Experience Grand Rapids
- 5 min
In Grand Rapids, there are plenty of parks, lakes, and trails to explore for all people - including…
Nature Nearby: Parks, Trails, Woods, and Wildlife Within 10 Minutes Of Downtown Grand Rapids
- photo by Nick Irwin for Experience GR
- 4 min
Though Grand Rapids' downtown is often bustling, nature is never far away: green havens can be…
Perfect Picnic Places in Grand Rapids
- photo by Ideology for Experience GR
- 7 min
Summer in Grand Rapids is a great time of the year to grab some good food and head outdoors to enjoy…
Explore More in Grand Rapids
Explore More in Grand Rapids
Thank You for Practicing Good Trail Etiquette
Knowing how to share trails with other users and protect trail environments from damage helps ensure a safe, enjoyable and sustainable experience for all. Check the Michigan DNR Courtesy on the Trail guidelines before you venture out.