Ready to embark on the festive season and need some inspiration to get the whole family in the holiday spirit? We know you’re going to fall in LOVE with the holiday season in Grand Rapids and we’ve got a full itinerary for you to make the most of your time on a visit to Grand Rapids this holiday season. You don’t even have to make a wishlist for the perfect line-up of holiday cheer in Grand Rapids, we’ve got you covered with our partners, Experience Grand Rapids, with an overflowing list of holiday cheer.
We’re breaking our trip up into two days of relaxation and fun for you to enjoy! If you just want the bullet point itinerary look no further, if you want the details, read on!
The Holiday Season In Grand Rapids
Day One
- Check into Amway Grand Plaza, we recommend an early check-in to make the most of your time, or just drop your bags, and come back later!
- Holiday Shopping on Cherry Street and Electric Cheetah for lunch
- Stop in Le Bon Macaron for Coffee and Macarons
- Check out the holiday decor at the Amway Grand Plaza
- Head to the Amway’s hotel pool for the kids to take a dip
- Spend the evening at ENLIGHTEN at Meijer Gardens
- Book a late night reservation for House Rules Board Game Lounge
- Get tucked in at the Amway, connect to your streaming accounts, and pop on a holiday movie!
Day Two
- Head to the Christkindl Markt
- Stop in Big Mini Putt Club for a warm-up and fun
- Grab a coffee at Madcap
- Head over to Rosa Parks Circle for ice skating and the tree
- Stop in East Grand Rapids at Pink Lemonade for more holiday gifts
- Grab dinner at Terra
For those of us that need ALL the details, we’ve got you covered. Read on below for our tips and suggestions for The Holiday Season in Grand Rapids.
Where to Stay | Amway Grand Plaza
You know you’re heading to Grand Rapids but you’re not sure where to stay? We cannot get over how gorgeous the Amway Grand Plaza is decorated for the holidays and it’s a sight to see. With life-size Gingerbread Houses, made out of real ginger bread, gorgeous trees, and decorations, you’re going to want to add this to the itinerary. We were so excited to stay at the Amway Grand Plaza in downtown Grand Rapids for the most cheerful holiday experience.
This historic, luxury, hotel in downtown Grand Rapids sets the scene for a holiday stay fit for a movie. With amenities to make you feel fully taken care of like full-service concierge, dry cleaning services, valet, in-room dining selections, and more, you won’t have to lift a finger. We were so excited to see on this trip that we could order cookies to the room for a special treat while watching a holiday movie. The Amway Grand Plaza also offers services at Celeste Salon & Spa, options to swim or soak in the hot tub, full service gym, along with delicious dining options.
Our Suggestion | Arrive early and drop your bags at the concierge desk so you can enjoy the city!
Electric Cheetah for Lunch + Holiday Shopping on Wealthy and Cherry Street
Electric Cheetah is one of our all time favorite spots for lunch in Grand Rapids. With options that everyone loves, and appetizers that make you not even want to order a menu item (seriously order all the apps), plus a Kids Menu, it’s a, guaranteed to please spot.
We love to save our holiday shopping for small businesses and Grand Rapids has some of the absolute best. While in town we recommend checking out Hopscotch Children’s Store and Books & Mortar. We picked up some of the cutest selections to gift this holiday season.
Our Suggestion | Walk from Wealthy Street to Cherry Street if you’re looking to enjoy the city a little more and are the active type!
Le Bon Macaron
Being parents of young children we know that a sweet treat (for them) and a coffee (for us) go hand in hand. We stopped in Le Bon Macaron and it was the cutest spot, all done up for the holidays. We even picked up a few candles and a card for an upcoming birthday!
Our Suggestion | Stay for a minute and enjoy a French Press, you can also get a Kiddie Cappuccino.
Hotel Break at Amway Grand Rapids
We headed back to the hotel for a little bit and took the time to take in all the holiday decor and take a quick dip in the pool before heading out for the night!
ENLIGHTEN at Meijer Gardens
We know Meijer Gardens are STUNNING during the day but at night they get a little bit more magical with ENLIGHTEN. From now until January 4th you can enjoy ENLIGHTEN on select evenings for an interactive one mile walk-through that combines art, light, and nature. Timed tickets are available online but they recommend arriving at their earliest time 5:30.
Our Suggestions | We spent about an hour and a half total at Meijer Gardens. You can grab snacks and drinks like cocoa, and other festive beverages, so come a little bit hungry! You can bring a wagon/stroller so we loaded up the kids with blankets, and put their snow pants on so they would be warm!
House Rules Board Game Lounge
We opted for a late dinner tonight because we knew we’d be having snacks at ENLIGHTEN. If you feel like your kiddos can’t make it to a late dinner make a reservation for before ENLIGHTEN. House Rules Board Game Lounge is a spot your kids are going to LOVE. From the minute they walk in and see the giant fridges with drink selections, to choosing a game off the board game wall (there are hundreds to choose from), to playing together as a family, the kids are going to love it! They do serve food and adult beverages as well.
Our Suggestions | Order food before choosing a game so that you don’t get caught up finding a time to take a break and make sure you have a reservation.
Day Two Details of the Holiday Season in Grand Rapids
After everyone was well rested at the Amway Grand Plaza we were so excited to start our day two itinerary!
Christkindl Markt
The Christkindl Markt in Grand Rapids is officially open for the holiday season and we were in awe. This absolutely beautiful Markt is ready for you with over 60+ vendors, holiday foods and beverages, and all around holiday cheer. You can also gather your friends and enjoy curling experiences for a fun time at the Markt, we played with the kids for several rounds and everyone had a blast.
We decided to head to the market right when it opened to hopefully beat some of the crowds. With little kids we know it can be hard to navigate in big crowded spaces so we were glad to see it wasn’t too busy. You can find the perfect gift for yourself, or anyone on your list, grab a hot cocoa or glühwein and enjoy browsing. If you want to make your experience just a little bit more magical you can rent an enclosed, heated Alpenglobe!
Our Suggestions | Don’t forget to visit the Downtown Market, you’ll love browsing inside as well. Parking is available in a lot across from the Downtown Market.
Big Mini Putt Club
Right downtown Grand Rapids you’ll find Big Mini Putt Club. When this popped up on our suggestions we knew we had to try it out! Big Mini Putt Club is an indoor spot filled with fun. With 9 holes of mini golf, free games like Nintendo 64, Darts, Giant Jenga and card-operated amusement games like Air Hockey, Skee-Ball, and Arcade Basketball, it’s the perfect spot for entertainment on a cold afternoon.
Our Suggestions | Come on in and play and order tacos from Luna (one of our favorite restaurants in GR) at the window located by the Putt Putt holes!
Madcap Coffee
If you’re like us and in need of an afternoon coffee, you can stop in at Madcap before heading to the tree and ice skating.
Our Suggestion | Grab one of the holiday inspired lattes!
Rosa Parks Circle Ice Skating and Tree
Rosa Parks Circle Ice Skating is starting on December 5th and it’s the perfect holiday pastime. Adults are $6.00 and youth $3.00. Admission includes skate rental.
Grand Rapids Santa Parade and Tree Lighting is December 7th at 5 pm. This free event will light up the streets with fun for the whole family!
Our Suggestion | Arrive a little early to find parking or go down on a day after the tree is lit up to fully enjoy.
Pink Lemonade in East Grand Rapids
We know we’ve already talked about holiday shopping but shopping local never gets old and we know you’re going to LOVE Pink Lemonade. The cutest shop with gifts that are going to make every kiddo and Mama on your list swoon. Don’t skip this spot, it’s the perfect stop-in before dinner!
Our Suggestion | Save shopping for your Mom Friends for this spot.
Dinner at Terra
Dinner at Terra Grand Rapids is Seasonal, Sustainable, and Local. You’re going to love this spot for dinner. With delicious cocktails, delectable appetizers (order the foccacia), and mains that make you FEEL good, while also being delicious, this spot is one to bookmark.
Our Suggestion | Make a reservation so that you can be seated right away and don’t have to wait!
