I find it fascinating that there is this adorable little museum in Grand Haven. The main reason we…read moredecided to make the trip from Cincinnati was to check out the Marushka display. Richard(Dick) Sweet was my uncle and we'd spend a number of days in Grand Haven at with our family when growing up and we always got to see the results of his work. I loved the one of the lighthouse as we'd spend time at the beach, that lighthouse seems like it was always in view. So back to the museum. We walked in and were warmly welcomed by the nice lady working here. The 1st floor had several interesting displays that I could stand and read the stories and background info. The museum is very, very clean, well organized and the lighting is spot on. The display in Marushka was amazing. I'd not seen a number of these prints in decades and brought back memories. The clothes... I remember them and bringing me back to how my gramma would wear the jackets. Standing there with my dad, aunt Susie(sibling) and aunt Mary(Uncles wife & how the name of Marushka came about(Mary in Polish?)) listening to was just incredible. Many thanks to those that spent the time and effort to put this display together and to the nice folks who loaned their pieces to the exhibit. I hope this happens again in another 50yrs. :) it seems the museum changes things up every so often so go check this absolute gem of a place out and see what you can learn about the local history.

It had been years since my last visit to the Tri Cities Historical Museum, and Nate had never…read morevisited, so we stopped in while in the area recently during our "Christmas break." It's free to visit, although they do have a suggested donation. The museum explores the area's history, starting with the native Odawa, Ojibwa, and Potawatomi tribes, moving into the fur trade, pioneers, and into Victorian times. The displays are well done with many artifacts. My favorite part was the Victorian house as you can see into a bedroom, kitchen, and dining room. The second floor hosts two permanent exhibits - one about the coast guard and one about the Bastian and Blessing Soda Fountain, with a replica soda fountain counter. The rotating exhibit we saw was about Ferrysburg, a small town in the area. I didn't find that one as intriguing but I'm sure people from the area might connect with it a bit more. The museum is small but really well done for one of this size. Plus you can't really beat free entry! There isn't a ton for younger kids although they do have a small play room with books and some toys on the second level. I'd stop in here anytime I'm in the area as it looks like they are planning some updates.

I had been looking for some things to do while visiting Grand Rapids that were within walking…read moredistance of my hotel. The Public Museum had come up in several searches, so I decided to stop in for a visit. This museum was the perfect way to spend a couple hours. The displays and different installations were just long enough to get a better understanding of the subject, but not so long and detailed that it was overwhelming. I particularly liked the baseball collection display. Upon buying my ticket, I was asked if I also wanted a ticket to the carousel or the planetarium. I decided to do both. The carousel was fun, but I think I could have probably skipped it. The planetarium was really cool. It was kind of a "choose your own adventure" as we hopped around via audience input. All in all, a fun way to spend a couple hours and very family friendly.

We had a wonderful visit, two adults. I'm sure our adult kids would have enjoyed it, too, but it…read morewas great for us older adults

Enjoyable visit. Went a few months after the tulip festival, and tickets were 13 dollars per…read moreperson. The windmill is surrounded by pretty gardens and a range of small houses/buildings/cottages with dioramas and shops. There is also a carousel (only for children), and an organ (with periodic demonstrations). The windmill was imported several decades ago from the Netherlands - the history was narrated to us by a staff member in a Dutch costume. She was exceptionally friendly and answered our questions with wit and humour. The mechanics of the windmill were fascinating, and one could go up five storeys (each floor had its own equipment and explanations), though not right up to the top. The windmill is surrounded by beautiful gardens with a variety of flowers. It was fun to stroll around the gardens and visit the gift shop. The blue and white jewellery at the gift shop was particularly stunning. There is also free cheese available- some of the varieties were quite unusual. Four stars because while the windmill itself was interesting and the gardens lovely, there is nothing much to really do. Overall a pleasant experience but not sure if I will visit again.

I loved our afternoon walking around this beautiful spacious park…read more Everything was well kept. It was so lovely seeing the features that were offered like the row house with the Dutch exhibit. The pond and walkways were so nice. You can walk all the way around the island if you like. The small bridge was a perfect spot for photos. Of course the main attraction is the windmill. The ladies working the bottom were so sweet and friendly. We walked up to the top. Each floor had something to offer. Once at the top, we went out on the balcony to enjoy a gorgeous view. Our last stop was the huge musical machine. It added such whimsy. We really enjoyed our visit.

ArtPrize is a yearly event that brings thousands of visitors to the downtown Grand Rapids area each…read morefall. The event has changed throughout the past 15 years it's been around, but it typically entails hundreds of art entries that are displayed downtown. Some are inside businesses, some are out on the street, and some are a bit hidden. There is a contest element to the event, with public vote winners as well as juried vote winners. I've always taken a very laid back approach to ArtPrize, preferring to just stumble upon installations as I make my normal way around the city. But there are venues that have large concentrations of art, including DeVos Place, the Grand Rapids Art Museum, and more. I think it would be impossible to see every single piece! ArtPrize maps are not really a "thing" - there was a web based map in 2024 but I found it super clunky and not at all user friendly. The event brings tons of people into the downtown area, making it really congested with traffic as well as a lot of foot traffic - I typically try to avoid driving downtown during this time. Overall it's an interesting event that has a lot of discourse around it (both positive and negative), but something to check out if you're interested in art.

ArtPrize--or BoobyPrize??? Navigating around ArtPrize is an…read moreAbsolute nightmare. We wanted to take Our bikes around downtown and were told- no bikes allowed- seriously? We rode bikes all Over DC and Loved it! The QR system was an epic fail. The "interactive link" only linked me To the personal information of the creator Of said failed map. We wandered looking around for the art. No physical maps were available -- the concierge at the Amway Hotel didn't even have a map- nor did the assistant at the Devoss center. I never saw an Art Prize volunteer the entire day. If you're having out-of-area visitors it would be nice to offer some guidance: such as Where to park, information that you can only use city bikes. It would have been nice to click on the QR codes and have more information about the piece or the artist available. Scanning the QR did not work for voting, even after I registered. It kept saying it needed to change my locations setting.( which was set correctly ) And for an art exhibit, the signage stunk!!! Do you want people to actually read what you wrote? Then how about printing in a decent size font and posting the information higher than 2 feet off the ground! Ugh. Fun Day? More like frustrating.

Very friendly polite staff highly recommended always have some sort of activity to display or…read moreinteract with

Looking for a place to line dance? This is it! Helen is a great instructer and plenty of open dance…read moretime. Family friendly for a Friday night

I went there for the first time this Halloween. We did two activities- haunted corn maze and the…read morewicked trail. The zombie paintball was closed. They offer activities all October on the weekends at various times. But night time I can imagine is the most fun. The ticket line was short but the line for the event was pretty long. It did move quick as we got there a bit earlier in the evening. Once you are through that line, you get on tractors that take you to the first spot. And then there's more waiting. Even though it was cold the staff did a great job, they were all in a great mood and festive. The corn maze was fun but not as scary as I expected and not too hard to navigate. I enjoyed the twisted path more, it was more scarier. The path is very well put together with each piece creating an awesome ambiance. Overall it was a great experience and worth doing again. It's very well put together with a great staff.

We were so happy to come across this place while in Grand Rapids! Although we waited in life for…read moreover two hours, the haunted maze in the woods was excellent! There are a number of mini haunted houses along the route that you enter while walking on the trail. Definitely bring your boots because it gets very muddy. Please note: Their actors DO TOUCH YOU, which was unexpected. They will grab your legs, shoulders, etc. Besides that, we had a great time and have to say that this place beats Erebus any day. P.S. There is food (cash only) in the main barn- so grab a hot chocolate before waiting in the long line.

File this under "places I never knew existed even though I live super close"! The Kent/MSU…read moreExtension Grand Ideas Garden is tucked away behind the Kent County Jail off Ball Street. I learned about this place recently from a booth that the Kent County MSU Extension had at the Fulton Street Farmers Market. The garden is open year round and is free to everyone, so Nate and I went to check it out recently. We weren't sure what to expect, but we were happily surprised by this immaculately kept, neat garden with paved pathways, a small waterfall and pond, plenty of benches for enjoying the sights, tables for picnicking, and lots of great signage with information on different plants, including a whole pollinator garden section. There was a private group using the tables at the main entrance and several volunteers working in the garden when we visited, so we didn't stay super long, but we definitely mentioned that it would be a great place to come read or enjoy lunch. The garden serves as a place to enjoy beautiful flowers and plants and to get ideas for your own garden! It's not on the same scale as Meijer Gardens, but it's totally free and a beautiful spot that I'm excited to visit more often. This would be a great place for photos - senior pictures, engagement/wedding photos, and family photos. There is no charge to take photos here!

Hello Lovelies! Long time no review. Today I'm going to review a place that helps our environmental…read morecommunity as well as a place filled with beauty. This garden located at 775 Ball Ave NE is something that was made with love, time, patience, dedication, and teamwork. It's a place where a lot of people go to take photos for weddings or senior pictures, or to decompress during their lunch break, or even just to spend time with a loved one while seeing beautiful plants and flowers that one would see in a fairy tale book. I know I'm probably late to game on this one. But many of the flowers now are blooming so well and getting the support this garden needs to continue to share with everyone is very important. So come on down and have a short walk or a moment to just sit in a fairy garden in GR. As well as getting the chance to part of GR's history of the garden's growth with the community.

Grand Rapids is home to the largest winter festival in the United States - World of Winter! The…read morefestival features lots of free events and activations and amazing outdoor art installations that get people out and about in the city during the coldest winter months. World of Winter takes place January 12 through March 10, 2024. I'll be the first to admit that I'm not a big fan of winter, but I've really enjoyed all the events I've participated in through the past couple of years of World of Winter. Popular events include the silent disco, ice sculptures downtown and walking tours, human hungry hungry hippos, and a drag show at Calder Plaza. This year we got to check out the ice arcade, with foosball, connect four, cornhole, and more - all made from solid blocks of ice! The art installations are usually interactive and especially stunning at night with colorful lights and other features. For 2024 the giant inflated frogs at Ah Nab Awen Park are super popular and make for great photos. It's disappointing to see that some of the art installations have been damaged by people standing on them (when signs clearly posted tell you to not do this) and throwing huge ice chunks on them :( I hope that World of Winter can continue for years to come and we can avoid this type of vandalism.

I attended the World of Winter Silent Disco (for my 2nd year) and it did not disappoint. I parked…read moreat the Amy Grand and walked over. It was a cold Michigan winter but the vibe was warm and welcoming. Lots of smiles, colors, lights, and people. More than expected especially due to the cold. The sponsors had extra headphones so the line to wait for headphones went quick and the process of turning them on and tuning in was seamless. The DJs were spinning beats making the crowds excited and the dance party never ending. Loved the food trucks surrounding the areas, the festival dancers interacting with the crowds, the aesthetically pleasing platform of artistic display, and the fire pits. Lots of security presence so I felt extra safe and we danced into the night. 11pm comes quick. Wish this would be every Saturday night downtown. Looking forward to next year!