50+ Fun Things to Do in Spring: GR's Splendid Spring Activity Guide

Hello Sunshine & Hello Things to do in Spring!

We know you’re ready to leave cabin fever behind and maybe even enjoy things like you did pre-quarantine.

But can you even remember what things we have going on around town?

Get ready for the memories to flood back with this list.

Find the area’s best spring break ideas, free spring activities, ideas for daily fun, biking and hiking trails, short-term travel and staycation ideas, consignment and garage sales, and more!

These spring-centric fun ideas are part of our massive list of the best things to do with kids in West Michigan.

And if you’re craving even more ideas, find something for every day in spring in the list of daily things to do in West Michigan.

This daily activities calendar is a lifeline for many young families around GR. With little kids, it’s often hard to plan ahead or even plan your day, but our daily activity lists are perfect for that parent who needs an idea right now.

Article contents

Must See Events
Outdoor Spring
Indoor Play Places
Spring Break
Easter
Travel
Local Fun
Shopping

Must-Do Spring Events

Tulip Time

See all the events and where to find the best photo ops at the biggest tulip festival in America.

Maple Syrup Festival

Sugar shacks celebrations are one of our favorite early spring events.

April Storywalk Book in Hastings

Pierce Cedar Creek Institute, 701 W Cloverdale Rd, Hastings, MI 49058
Join a young artist as explores the world around her to make her art with a splash of imagination and stroke of creativity. Details

Mother’s Day Brunch

Treat mom to a special brunch or activity. And while you’re at it, register to win $100 to Design 1 Salon Spa!

Outdoor Spring Activities

We don’t need to tell you that Michigan comes alive in spring, but this limited-run season needs to be enjoyed in every way possible before the humid summer days zap the energy of even the busiest kids.

Our readers know best, so when looking for some outdoor fun, start by choosing from this menu of outdoor activities for Grand Rapids families.

Hit the Trails

Head out on one of West Michigan’s many hiking trails.
It’s also a great time to visit a nature center and go for a hike, as the bugs of summer haven’t woken up yet, but lots of flowers are coming out of their winter slumber.
2.5-mile City Adventure Walk
Best Family Bike Ride Spots

Whitecaps Baseball

There are so many family-friendly things to do at a Whitecaps game!

Chase Art

Want an urban adventure? Go on the Grand Rapids Mural Crawl.

Frisbee / Disc Golf

Disc Golf

Geocaching

Download the free geocaching app to your phone, lace up your shoes, and head out on a Geocaching Scavenger Hunt or try your hand at Orienteering

Visit Animals

West Michigan has zoo and farm experiences galore!

Ziplining

Lots of outdoor play centers have ziplines.

Play Putt Putt

Everyone feels like a winner after playing mini golf around GR.

Discover a New Park or Playground

Try a new-to-you Grand Rapids area playground.
Or, one of our favorites: Pack a lunch and watch the planes land at Ford Airport Viewing Park.

Dog Park

Dine Alfresco

There’s nothing better than eating on a patio when the weather warms up. Use this guide to restaurants with patios, decks, and other outdoor options to find the next best place to enjoy a sandwich in the sun!

Indoor Spring Things to Do

We all know spring can be rainy, but no worries. The Indoor Play Guide is always a great resource when you want to escape the weather, as is this list of 22 things to do on a rainy day in West Michigan.

Looking for more indoor spring things to do? Read on:

Indoor Water Parks

Michigan has the corner on indoor water parks.

Local Indoor Pools

Indoor pools around GR are also great mini getaways.

Trampolines

Trampoline parks keep kids on the move for hours.

Indoor Activity Centers

Go-Karts, zip lines, laser tag, ninja warrior – and more. Try Craig’s Cruisers, Allegan Event, BattleGR or Amped Virtual Reality.

Paint Your Own Pottery

Get creative at The Mud Room.

See the Butterflies

Meijer Garden’s annual butterfly display is a must see for every kid at least once.

Children’s Museums

See what’s new at your favorite children’s museum in West Michigan.

Spring Break Specials

Lots of businesses offer extended hours and spring break specials each year. Find all things Spring Break things to do in Grand Rapids here.

Spring Break West Michigan — *Best Grand Rapids Spring Break Ideas*

Easter Fun

This is one of my favorite parts of spring.

Egg-citing Egg Hunts

Use this complete list of Easter egg hunts to find the biggest, best, or most convenient egg hunt for your family!

DIY an Easter Egg Hunt for Your Friends

If you’re feeling ambitious, use the instructions here to plan a super awesome egg hunt for all of your friends and family!

Easter Brunch, Maybe with the Easter Bunny

Take a Short Road Trip

Want to make a quick getaway?

There are so many great drivable spring break trips for families to visit, explore, and enjoy a change of scenery.

Traverse City

If you want to stay in our home state, you’ll find lots to do in Traverse City!

Milwaukee

Head west to Milwaukee for a midwest vacation in a new town. (If ferry service isn’t open, the drive is very doable!)

Indianapolis / Fort Wayne

Travel to our neighbor to the south – Indiana – and check out Fort Wayne or Indianapolis.

St. Louis

If you’re up for a bit more driving, St. Louis has a lot of family fun to offer, including an incredible city museum.

Canada

Go international and visit Canada! Both Niagara Falls and Toronto are well within a day’s drive, leaving plenty of time to explore over spring break.

Kentucky

Explore caves, ride horses and incredible state parks are a few of the things to do in Kentucky.

Grand Rapids

Yeah, that’s right – there are a lot of spring beak things to do right here in town!

road trip ideas and Drivable Vacation spots and ideas for Michiganders

Explore Local

But with so much to do, how do you know where to start? Try one (or several!) of these 25 Staycation Ideas.

Be a Tourist in GR

If you want to stay local and see all that our city has to offer, play tourist for a day and experience Grand Rapids with kids.

Explore Downtown

Downtown Grand Rapids on its own has enough to entertain.

Free Things to do Downtown

Discover GR’s hidden gems on this list of free things to do with kids downtown.

Spring Savings

Spring means shopping for deals, right?

Consignment Sales

Snag deals with the Spring Consignment Sale Guide, and then spend your savings on other family fun around town.

Garage Sales

Find the best neighborhood garage sales around West Michigan.

Shopping

All the best shopping in Grand Rapids is found here.