Summer in Grand Rapids

Grand Rapids is the perfect warm-weather playground for all ages and interests. Our compact size and long hours of sunlight make it easy to pack in all the fun you can handle – hit the golf course, the bike trail, the beach and the town in one glorious day. Even better: Extend your stay to sample more of our restaurants, craft beverage makers, art museums, music venues and family fun spots. This is going to be your coolest summer vacation ever!

Ideas for a Summer Visit

Make the most of our Grand Outdoors: Relax on the beach or on the water. Dine and dance in the open air. See a concert in a botanic garden or on a ski hill. Wander the grounds of a sculpture park or zoo. Sip a cold one in a beer garden or at a baseball game. Ride a go-kart or a zipline. Golf, fish, bike, hike … or just sit back and enjoy the awesome views from atop a Lake Michigan sand dune, just 30 minutes or so from downtown Grand Rapids. Look below for even more great ideas!

Summer Fun!

Visit the beaches and beach towns of Lake Michigan to experience the Pure Michigan Lake Effect – you can swim, scale a sand dune, stroll a pier, shop for one-of-a-kind goods and more, all as close as 30 minutes from Grand Rapids.

Prefer to stick close to town? Millennium Park, just five minutes from downtown, boasts a sandy swimming beach and a splashpad for kids.

Speaking of kids: AJ’s Family Fun Center, Craig’s Cruisers, Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, Grand Rapids Children’s Museum and John Ball Zoo are all great choices for active, inquisitive youngsters.

See Ai Weiwei at Meijer Gardens – the first upper Midwest show by this internationally renowned artist and activist runs through August 20.

Spend an afternoon at the ballpark or a night at the races – see the West Michigan Whitecaps play baseball or visit Berlin Raceway for smokin’ stock-car action.

Shop Tanger Outlets, an open-air mall, for brand-name merchandise at discount prices.

Browse Fulton Street Farmer’s Market and other Farm Markets for just-picked produce from local family farms.

Check the Grand Rapids Music Trail for outdoor summer concert venues – everyone from our favorite hometown bands to Sheryl Crow and The Beach Boys are playing here.

Summer’s the perfect time to explore downtown on foot – take a self-guided audio or app-based tour, explore art and history hotspots, or learn about city landmarks on a guided running tour.

Check our Tours & Experiences page for even more opportunities to immerse yourself in local culture, cuisine and lifestyles – including the brewery scene that has earned us the title “Beer City USA.”

Summertime Events