Follow the Grand River on this Fall Drive to Lake Michigan
This 1-Hr Fall Drive Fall Color Route is loaded with fall fun.
The fall color show in West Michigan is a gift to behold.
If you know where to go, the color show West Michigan puts on is nothing short of spectacular. To amp up the fun, we’ve paired experiences like pumpkin patches, donut stops, a winery, cider stops, and ravine hikes, to start.
This colorful route takes you from the west side of Grand Rapids all the way to Lake Michigan, featuring 12 exciting stops along the way. While the ambitious adventurers can tackle it in a single afternoon, we think it’s best enjoyed in segments—perfect if you like to linger over your cider.
Best of all, this route is only one hour of driving!
Grab your keys, maybe a friend or two, and let’s dive into the surprises along the Grand River in Ottawa County!
Route Map
This drive takes you along Leonard, a lovely tree-lined road that brings you to some hidden gem parks and stops.
Stops on this Fall Color Route
Pro Tip: Businesses on this route might not be open on Sunday. Open hours for each stop are listed.
Ready? Buckle up and check off all those fun things to do from your fall bucket list!
Stop 9
1) Grand Ravines North: Tree House & Covered Bridge
Grand Ravines Park
Address: 9920 42nd Ave, Georgetown Twp, MI 49428
Stay: 30-40 minutes
Open: March 1 – October 15: 7 AM – 10 PM // October 16 – February 28: 7 AM – 8 PM
Restrooms: Clean, modern restrooms are available at both entrances.
Must Do: The tree house at this park offers stunning tree top views and perfect fall color photo ops. Find it near the lodge building, just off of the parking lot.
Why go? Grand Ravines Park is a standout in the Ottawa County Park system, spanning 202 acres. This park is a must-see in the fall, with vibrant colors everywhere. Not only can you hike the deep ravines, the Grand River runs through it.
Suggested: It’s a short walk to the covered bridge. Follow the paved path and let it lead you through some ridiculously good-looking views. Start at the lodge at the North entrance and walk down the hill toward the river to find the bridge.
Extra time: Head over to the South Entrance of the park and hike out to the suspension bridge and go down into the ravines on the trails. (3991 Fillmore St, Jenison, MI 49428)
2) Grand Valley Campus Drive
If you stay on the main drive, you’ll make your way to the main entrance.
Duration: A quick 10-minute drive.
Why go? Many people don’t know that Grand Valley’s Allendale Campus Drive is tree-lined and lovely in the fall. Take this opportunity to mosey through campus on your way to the next stop.
Route through Campus: Google Maps
3) Little Community of Lamont
Address: Lamont, MI
Why go? Enjoy the beauty of a quaint historic community offering lovely fall colors. The winding road that runs through the little berg, Leonard St, is locally famous for just how pretty it is, especially in the fall.
Duration: Just passing through.
Fun Fact: Founded in 1833, Lamont is named after Lamont Chubb, a GR citizen who convinced the town to change its name from Steel’s Landing to Lamont. His tool of persuasion? He offered the town a road scraper in exchange for the name change.
4) Green Vale Farm Creamery
Address: 6553 Leonard St, Coopersville, MI 49404
Open Hours: Mon-Wed: 1 – 5 PM // Thu-Fri: 1 – 5:30 PM // Sat: 10 AM – 3 PM
Duration: Plan to stop for about 20-30 minutes
Why go? What strikes you first: the gorgeous green barns! Plan your visit right, and you’ll be able to go into the farm store, grab some farm-fresh cheese, talk to the farmers, and even see the animals.
What can you buy? At Green Vale Farm Creamery, here’s what you can snag:
- Handmade Cheese: Made fresh from the day’s milk!
- Cheese Curds: A delightful treat.
- Locally-Processed Meats: Quality cuts.
- Homemade Baked Goods: Think Dutch apple bread, cinnamon rolls, and seasonal pies. (Some are pre-order)
- Pumpkins: Available during the fall season.
Website: Green Vale Creamery
Insider Info: Check their Facebook page for special offerings like homemade apple pies.
5) Eastmanville Farm County Park
Address: 7851 Leonard St, Coopersville, MI 49404
Open Hours: March 1 – October 15: 7 AM – 10 PM // October 16 – February 28: 7 AM – 8 PM
Duration: If you want to hike to the cemetery, plan 30-60 minutes for this stop.
Why go? It’s like a trip back in time. You’ll find old barns, a historic cemetery, and sprawling fields with trails.
Once a Michigan “poor farm,” this place is now a beautiful 200-acre Ottawa County park.
There’s open fields, a beautiful rustic red barn, hiking trails, equestrian trails, rustic toilets, and picnic tables.
Side Trip: If you’re over here on a weekday or Saturday, detour north to Gavin Orchards and their farm market.
6) Chittenden Farms
Address: 15925 138th Ave, Spring Lake, MI 49456
Open Hours: They’re open from dawn till dusk and offer hayrides Saturday and Sunday 11 AM – 6 PM.
Duration: 15 minutes to get a pumpkin and snap photos, longer if you want a hayride.
Why go? Stumble across Chittenden Farms and you’ve found this hidden away spot for pumpkins and hayrides that couldn’t be more quaint.
Driving M-231
Route Description: Chittenden Farms to Bethke Farms via M-231: When you’re driving south from Chittenden Farms to Bethke Farms, you’ll be cruising down M-231, a recently constructed highway. As you drive, you’ll be flanked by a canvas of hardwood trees showing off their rich oranges, deep reds, and sunny fall yellows.
Grand River Bridge:
The highlight of M-231! The M-231 bridge over the Grand River is impressive. Spanning nearly ¾ mile, it’s the seventh-largest bridge in Michigan. It rises 35 feet above the river, giving you an extended look at the Grand River and the fall colors along its banks.
7) Bethke Farms
Address: 12124 136th Ave, Grand Haven, MI 49417
Open hours: September 21 – October 30, 2024: Mon-Thurs: 4 PM – 7 PM // Fri-Sun: 10 AM – 7 PM
Duration: 15 minutes to get a pumpkin and snap photos, longer if you want a hayride.
Why go? Families from all over West Michigan make it a point to visit the sprawling pumpkin fields at Bethke Farms in Grand Haven.
What you’ll find here: a welcoming place with an easy, fun corn maze, a giant pumpkin patch, and a just-right hayride.
There is no admission to enter the farm. Hayrides are $5, the corn maze is $5, and pumpkins – 50 cents a pound.
8) Fox and Hen Winery
Address: 13373 104th Ave, Grand Haven, MI 49417
Open Hours: Fri and Sat: 1 PM – 8 PM
Duration: Chill for an hour or so.
Why go? Newer winery alert! Visit this recently-opened winery in the Grand Haven area and you can be among the first to experience their wonderful atmosphere and delicious wine.
What you’ll find during your experience: wine, cider, charcuterie, chocolate, and soft drinks.
While this is a wine-tasting room geared towards adults, they do have a few things to keep the kids busy.
We did the wine flight with the chocolate flight pairing and it was excellent.
Website: Fox and Hen Winery
9) Farmhaus Cider
Address: 5025 Stanton St, Hudsonville, MI 49426
Open Hours: Wednesday (September 11- October 30): 4 -10 PM // Thursday (April – December): 4 – 10 PM
Year Round: Friday: 4 – 10 PM // Saturday: 1 – 10 PM // Sunday: 1 – 8 PM
Duration: A magical 1-2 hours.
Why go? An enchanting spot hidden in the woods. Sip cider under the stars, with cozy bonfires and magical twinkle lights. Food trucks on occasion. Well-behaved kids welcomed.
Website: Farmhaus Cider
10) Post Family Farm
Address: 5081 Bauer Rd, Hudsonville, MI 49426
Open Hours: Mon-Thur: 12 – 7 PM // Fri: 12 – 6 PM //Sat: 10 – 6 PM
Donuts: Mon-Thurs: 7:30 AM – 7 PM, Fri-Sat: 7:30 AM – 6 PM
Duration: Spend a good 2 hours here, easy if you’re playing.
Why go? Post Family Farm is an all-in-one spot: delish donuts, fun hayrides, a corn maze adventure, and more. It’s farm fun cranked up to 11.
A fun little farm offering donuts, hayrides, a petting farm and a pumpkin patch. Stop in and get freshly made pumpkin donuts and farm-fresh cider. Take the hayride out to the pumpkin patch to pick out the perfect pumpkins. Or get lost in the corn maze.
With so much to do, this is another spot you can easily spend a few hours at.
You Should Know: They host school field trips and can get pretty busy during the weekdays.
Bonus Stops on the Lakeshore
Another fabulous place to see the colors is along Lakeshore Dr between Grand Haven and Holland. From north to south, here area few stops that add to that drive:
Rosy Mound Natural Area
13925 Lakeshore Ave, Grand Haven, MI 49417
Rosy Mound Natural Area offers beautiful wooded trails leading to a sandy beach along Lake Michigan. The paths are a mixture of gravel and a wooden boardwalk.
The trail to the beach is surrounded by trees just waiting to burst into color this fall. Don’t wait on this stop and the trails.
Mt. Pisgah Scenic Overlook
2238 3rd Ave, Holland, MI 49424
Mt. Pisgah is a noteworthy location along the lake shore cities and a local icon in Holland, MI.
Climb the hundreds of steps of Mount Pisgah to stunning panoramic views of Lake Macatawa and Lake Michigan. It’s fun to go up. And, if you like to hike, there are more trails at the top.
If you time it right, you can get here in the evening and catch the sunset at Mt. Pisgah. With the elevation, the Big Lake, and Lake Mac while surrounded by foliage of differing hues and colors. Perfection **Chef’s kiss**.
Note for Mt Pisgah parking: parking is not directly at the entrance. There is a parking lot about 1,000 feet west of the entrance on the south side of the road. You’ll find it at the Black Lake Boardwalk East Park
Unfortunately, there are no public restrooms available at Mt. Pisgah.
For a donut stop in Holland visit Bowerman’s Blueberry Farm. They have locations on James Street and a cafe downtown, Bowerman’s on 8th. While they are locally famous for their homemade blueberry donuts, they also offer apple and pumpkin donuts in the fall season.
What Did We Miss?
This route took you to a covered bridge, suspension bridge, hiking trails, hard cider and food trucks, farm donuts and your regular apple cider, a winery, fall pumpkin corrals, scenic drives, Lake Michigan beaches, scenic Lake Michigan overlooks, and more donuts and apple cider.
Freshly-baked donuts that have autumn written all over them, a winery pouring perfect fall flavors, twinkle lights, bonfires, hard cider and hayrides, and that charming covered bridge and tree house you’ve probably heard of, but never visited.
We just couldn’t find a way to work the new Farmhaus Farms (the old Moelker Orchards) into the route and keep it at an hour, but you should definitely stop there for apples and donuts if you can!
Let us know in the comments if you have other places we should add or if you’ve tried any of the places along the route. Happy fall!
