Hudsonville is in the Sweet Spot Right Between Downtown GR and Lake Michigan

Growing, accessible and family-oriented, the city of Hudsonville (located southwest of Grand Rapids) is not only an amazing place to live, but a wonderful destination spot for West Michigan families.

Just a quick 20-minute drive from Downtown Grand Rapids and only 30-minutes from the shores of Lake Michigan — the “Salad Bowl City” has a strong farming history, which has been the driving force behind some of the new and exciting additions the city has seen recently!

As Hudsonville residents for almost two years now, our family has enjoyed tasting, adventuring and discovering what our community has to offer… and there is still MORE we have yet to explore!

Whether it’s a family night at the new live music & street performers series, “Happenings on Harvey”; a girlfriend’s wine & bingo night at Hudsonville Winery; or a delicious date night dinner at the recently opened Licari’s Sicilian Pizza Kitchen — you’re going to want to checkout Hudsonville soon.

Hudsonville Restaurants

1 – Licari’s Sicilian Pizza Kitchen | 3627 Baldwin Street

Just opened in May, Hudsonville welcomed the second location of Licari’s. Featured on the Food Network in 2012, and with a menu featuring authentic Sicilian cuisine, this restaurant is a perfect spot for a family dinner or date night!

2 – Sonder Eatery | 3380 Chicago Drive

This farm-to-table restaurant is positioned inside of downtown Hudsonville’s “Terra Square”. Their intimate dining space and fresh menu offerings, from Community Plates to Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake, make Sonder Eatery a great addition to the growing Hudsonville food scene.

3 – Hudsonville Winery | 3768 Chicago Drive

Need a Mom’s Night Out? Head to Hudsonville Winery for free Bingo Night every Tuesday and you can enjoy a flight of Frozen Wines!

4 – Sprinkles Donut Shop | 6450 28th Ave

If you’re looking for a kid-friendly favorite, then you definitely need to include a stop at Sprinkles. This family owned bakery started selling donuts to the Hudsonville community in 2014 and has now expanded to include locations in Ada, Allendale & Rockford. My kids favorite? The Fried Cinnamon Donut frosted with half Peanut Butter frosting and half Chocolate.

5 – Ice Cream at What’s the Scoop | 3667 Baldwin St

Lastly, one of the best ways to get a taste of the city would be with the local ice cream of choice, Hudsonville Ice Cream. Treat yourself to one of many flavors like Toasted Coconut, Deer Traxx or Superman at What’s the Scoop after a day of fun around town!

Things to do in Hudsonville

1 – Terra Square | 3380 Chicago Drive

This beautiful community spot has a summer Farmer’s Market on Wednesday’s and Saturday’s from 8 AM – 1 PM (June – September). Fresh produce, coffee, baked goods & artisans can all be found at the Market. HINT: Checkout their Facebook page to catch any of their special events or series, like “Strides At The Square,” a work out for moms that you can do WITH your little one.

2 – Harvey Street | 5340 Plaza Avenue

Connected to Terra Square is the newly built Harvey Street. This “woonerf” (meaning a “shared” or “living” street) hosts a small splash pad, a gathering area with brightly-colored tables and chairs and a great pedestrian-friendly walkway hung with string lights.

Every Friday evening, now through August 31 (5 – 8 PM), you and your family can join “Happenings on Harvey” for live music, street performers, food vendors and more. More details can be found on their Facebook event page.

3 – Free Concerts at Veteran’s Park | 3275 Canal Park Blvd

Bring a lawn chair or blanket and head to Veteran’s Park on Thursday nights (7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.) in June for the Hudsonville Free Summer Concert Series. With local food trucks in attendance you can jam to some country, rock or blues bands while enjoying your dinner.

4 – Hudsonville Fairgrounds | 5235 Park Ave

Hudsonville has a 40-acre fairground (5235 Park Avenue), home to the popular Hudsonville Community Fair (August 20 -25). The fairgrounds also host several other family-friendly events throughout the year too!

Summer Seuss Day, put on by the Ella Foundation, happens at the fairgrounds on Saturday, June 16 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. With everything from a Whoville Crazy Hair Station to a 32-foot Ice Cream Topping Bar, this Seuss Day is the perfect way to support a great cause while making family memories!
The Grand Rapids Balloon Festival makes it’s 5th Annual return to the fairgrounds on July 20 & 21. With hot air balloon launches in the morning and evening (weather-dependent); food, craft & business vendors; helicopter rides; a Balloon Walk and a ton of other kid-friendly activities, you will want to make sure this mid-summer festival is at the top of your Summer Bucket List!

5 – Quieter Adventures Around Hudsonville

If you’re looking for something a little quieter to explore, Hudsonville provides that too!

76-acres of woodlands, prairies and wetlands await you at the Hudsonville Nature Center (2700 New Holland Street)– the perfect place for a picnic or a hike! If you’d like to make your time at the Nature Center more educational, you can take part in the FREE guided hikes with the City’s Naturalist in the spring, summer & fall!
Check out Hughes Park (40th Aveue & Van Buren Street) with it’s basketball courts, beach volleyball court, playground and Disc Golf course. Sunrise Park (2600 Springdale Street) has a rain garden, creekside walking trail and “tot lot” if your kids need a park-fix.
The Gary Byker Memorial Library (3338 Van Buren Street) has a calendar chock-full of activities to keep kids of any age busy! Little ones can move & groove every week at “Monday Move to the Music” (Monday’s from 10:15 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.), big kids can join the weekly Lego Club (Wednesday’s at 11:15 a.m.) and families can ALL participate in Summer Story Time (Wednesday’s from 10:30 a.m. – 11 a.m.).
In August & September, take in the views and snap some photos of your kids in a field of Dahlia’s at the lovely Hudsonville Dahlia Farm (1919 Barry Street). The farm is open for FREE to visitors.