Honestly always a beautiful place to go for a walk. Excellent area for kids to experience and learn. Little gift shop has some beautiful items. Honestly I could never understand how someone may not like this place. Whether you go by yourself to take pictures or just to clear your mind. Or you're going with a significant other for your entire family and kids. Definitely worth the experience and the money spent. Some may think ticket prices a little high however we fully understand that the ticket price doesn't just pay wages and basic upkeep that it also pays towards donations and contributions to keep this place up and running and growing. You're ever in the area I highly recommend you check this place out.

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park is an enchanting destination that offers a perfect harmony of indoor and outdoor beauty. The indoor aspect features a breathtaking butterfly conservatory that is simply stunning. The vibrant colors and delicate fluttering of the butterflies create a captivating experience. On the outdoor front, the park offers scenic views that are equally impressive. From well-manicured gardens to picturesque landscapes, the outdoor aspect of the park is a visual treat. Whether you're exploring the butterfly conservatory or enjoying the serene outdoor scenery, Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park is a place of unmatched beauty and tranquility.

You can easily spend all day here. There are so many different things to see and experience. There is a wetland area that you can just watch the blue herons, turtles, frogs and other wildlife enjoy. There are sculptures and art galore. Beautiful landscape and flowers everywhere. Such a peaceful serene atmosphere all over that makes it wonderful it just walk through. There is also a kids area that is interactive with splash pad and more.

FM Gardens and Sculpture Park is one of the gems of Michigan (the whole country, really!) I’ve been a member over the years, and they keep making a great place even better. I go there often, to walk amongst the beautiful grounds, and to see the art - they have over 200 sculptures by world-class artists! If you have kids (I took mine when they were little and now bring my granddaughter) there is a special children’s garden full of interactive things to do, as well as an awesome indoor play area. The whole place is a wonderland for children, full of plants and wildlife, including swans and geese and ducks and turtles and frogs in the wetlands boardwalk area. And there is a great cafe, wonderful gift shop, picnic area where you can bring your own food, and plenty of spotlessly clean restrooms :) They also offer many special events, including parties and concerts, and things like the butterflies in the spring and holiday trees from around the world in late fall. If you haven’t been, I recommend it as one of the top things to do in Grand Rapids!

Loved the butterfly exhibit! Very nice place to get out and walk. Sculpture gardens and beautiful Japanese gardens. They also have a restaurant that serves great sandwiches (turkey and curry chicken salad were wonderful). You can also pack a lunch and eat outside if you want. Was not crowded when we went and spent just over three hours. Will definitely come back next time we are in town.

Such a neat place. Loved the indoor plant displays. We were there while they were doing their butterfly exhibit, which was awesome. (Butterflies are my favorite!) We also did the nature walk, visited the Japanese Garden, and walked around the sculpture park. Highly recommend!

This was a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon. There is way more to see than the eye let's on. The ticket price of $18 is well worth the amount of park to cover. There is also a great indoor area to explore as well. The park sections are well taken care of and it was a true delight to walk the trails and see wildlife in its natural form. We probably spent more time looking at the frogs, tadpoles, and chipmunks than anything else. There is staff readily available anywhere in the park. The Japanese Gardens is definitely a highlight and a must see. However, there is not nearly enough shaded areas to take refuge in during hot summer days in some of the outdoor sections. With little cloud cover the particular Sunday I went, it was too much to continue on and finish the park. The park recommends giving yourself at least 2 hours, but honestly, you should plan for 3 or 4 if you like to stop and observe. It's a great way to spend a large portion of your day.

Beautiful gardens and museum! Highly recommended! I haven’t been here in 10 years and I was pleasantly surprised with all the recent renovations! This place is top notch! My adult children, my toddler grandchild and I all loved it/Perfect for all ages! I can’t wait to go back!

It was a bit hot but the trolly ride was very worth the extra $6 each. Then we strolled around the absolutely beautiful and relaxing Japanese Gardens. There are a lot of benches throughout the park. Definitely plan to go back and check out more of it.

What a fun way to spend the afternoon! There's lots to see.. so many pretty plants & trees along the many pathways. They have a neat children's play area. Make sure to bring drinking water!! It's a long walk, but we seen everything within 2 hours.. if you're wanting to move slower and take your time you could easily spend all day here tho. The greenhouse was really neat, lots of tropical plants & trees.. the cactus room is amazing also! As for the art.. well it's was ok. I'm not big into art so most of it didn't impress me. A few that were neat tho was the giant horse, arch, and electricity one(pictured)

A rather wonderful space for the community, and travelers alike. The grounds are expansive with meandering trails both shaded and open. The gardens, landscape and hot house vignettes are enjoyable, but lack emphasis on botanical diversity and content. Dominant use of hybrids and ordinary nursery stock used creatively to provide aesthetic balance. There are a lot of sculptures, large and small. The diversity of styles is impressive and each provide a plaque to note artist and title while leaving the interpretation to the viewer. The amphitheatre is beautiful and offers a unique space to partake in cultural performances. It is the very reason I had the pleasure of visiting this venue, being on tour with a music concert. Absolutely all the staff and volunteers, from every department and level of position are friendly, helpful and accommodating. There is tram service that tours the grounds for those that want or need a way to see everything. An on-site cafe offers uncomplicated yet fresh food for a variety of dietary needs and tastes, with options for indoor and outdoor seating. If you're visiting with children you will not be alone, there are a variety of spaces geared to offer safe and entertaining areas for the young ones. Generally speaking the venue is large enough that those desiring more peaceful contemplation of their surroundings will not feel neglected.

When I lived in the area we visited frequently and had annual passes. We enjoyed the butterflies in the spring and the train ride at Christmas. In between we never tired of the standing exhibits or special exhibits. Back in the day we could see The Thinker. Today you can see Eve and of course, The American Horse which is an epic sculpture. You'll find the Children's Garden to be charming at any age. You'll be entranced by the Japanese Garden. Other areas you don't want to miss are Michigan's Farm Garden and Sculpture Park. There are also exhibits indoors. If you want to see everything, allow 4-5 hours. It's best though to become a member and return regularly. Plan a trip with a book or a camera and sit in the many well positioned areas to enjoy beauty and tranquility. Also, check frequently for special events including outdoor concerts in the spectacular amphitheater. Below please enjoy some photos below. It's not a complete tour so you'll want to go yourself. Pricing hasn't changed in years so it's still very reasonable. Almost everything is completely accessible except for a few small trails. There is a mobility center with some wheelchairs and scooters (first cone first serve). There is a tram that is narrated if you prefer not to walk. There are some designated picnic areas and some eating options though I didn't see these personally. Parking is plentiful. No smoking. The signage maps are plentiful and strategically placed. The guest guide provided with your ticket is very helpful . Adult ticket is $20; seniors $15.

It was such a beautiful place! It's being taken care of by professionals! We did the tram ride, and it was so much fun. The guide was amazing, and he would crack a joke and make all of us laugh. He was very informed about the sculptures and the land.

It was really cool to see international sculptures in grand rapids. I've personally never been to a sculpture garden but it's cool to listen to everyone's interpretation of what they think the sculpture represents if the artist won't tell you. Sometimes the artists actually visit the gardens which is really cool to hear what they have to say about their own work. The Japanese garden was may favorite, probably because of my affinity for Japanese culture and art. They have a tea house in which they actually do tea ceremonies there every once in a while, but you have to reserve a spot for yourself if you want to experience that. There are plenty of different types of flora and lots of ponds and waterfalls. A very nice place to forget all of your issues and just relax. When I went it was like 90° F so I was focusing more on not being dehydrated but I did take some time to sit on a bench in the shade and just reflect. The art is very abstract if you're into that. Plus the visitor center is air-conditioned so it feels nice to go in after being in the hot sun.

This garden is absolutely stunning and worth every penny. The entire garden is perfectly kept and you could easily spend your entire day here. Not only is it nice to look at and explore it's a great place for photos. The garden is kid friendly and has tons of activities to keep busy. There's easy access to many bathrooms spread about the garden and lots of drinking fountains and places to recycle or throw items away. There's places to eat snacks from home or eating from their personal Cafe. Overall i enjoyed every second of being here and would highly recommend going.

WOW!!😯😍 Such an amazingly beautiful and awesome place!! We spent 4hours walking through most of the inside and we ate lunch there too. It was raining outside, and this was a perfect place to go on a rainy day. BUT we have to go back to walk through all of the outside. I did walk outside to see a couple fountains real quick, but there is SO much more that I want to see. They have very detailed and handy maps that you can get from staff. You can take a tram tour through most of the outside gardens. This place is just unbelievable, and sooo worth the price. If I lived near by, I'd get a membership forsure. The cafe is amazing too, and has so many neat options to choose from.

magnificent botanical and sculpture garden. includes conservatory and greenhouses off the lobby area. Lovely Cafe with several food choices. Including vegan choices. Chuily glass displays: ceiling of the Cafe and the chandelier outside the Cafe entrance. Outdoor concerts in the summer. Check the website for the dates, times, musician details. Enjoy this beautiful botanical gardens in Grand Rapids. Only 2 hours and 15 minutes from Valparaiso. Easy drive. 94 to 196. then get off on exit 38 in Grand Rapids Michigan. you have arrived at your destination.

An amazing and beautiful place to visit in West Michigan. Highly recommend doing the 45 minute tram tour to view many of the sculptures on the grounds with narration. We spent over an hour in the Japanese Garden and it is the most amazing spot in the park. The children's garden area is fun and has a really cool tree fort. You need all day to even try and see everything. We spent 3 hours there and did the tram, Japanese Garden and Children's Garden.

The sculpture park is a highlight of this establishment, featuring an impressive collection of outdoor sculptures from renowned artists. As you stroll through the gardens, you’ll encounter striking sculptures set against lush landscapes, creating a harmonious interplay between art and nature. The pieces range from classical to contemporary, ensuring there’s something for everyone to appreciate. The botanical gardens within the park are equally captivating. They showcase an array of plants, including tropical, arid, and seasonal displays, making it a year-round destination. The conservatory is a real gem, housing a diverse collection of exotic plants and seasonal flower displays. It’s an ideal place to escape the cold Michigan winters. The children’s Garden is a fantastic space filled with interactive exhibits and activities, making it both fun and educational for kids. Educational programs and events are often hosted here, making it a valuable resource for learning about horticulture and art.

ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! I couldn't even begin to say enough wonderful things about these gardens! And the sculptures too! My parents brought me here years ago when it was a lot closer to its original opening and it certainly has grown and FLOURISHED! The pictures speak for themselves as to the beauty of the entire place. But the workers are just as beautiful. Everyone was so kind, helpful, friendly, and happy! A truly pleasant and peaceful place to be! Thank you so much, Frederik Meijer Gardens, for an amazing day and memories that will last forever!

Had a really great time! My in-laws have the grandparents membership and it's totally worth it, this place is extremely family friendly. The indoor gardens are stunning and the kids loved watching the mini train go by! There's a kids playroom on another level as well if you need a break from all the noise. We mainly went for the Christmas around the world exhibit, which is so beautiful I just wish they had the space to do every county. Staff was also wonderful!!

My daughter and I enjoyed the butterfly exhibit!! The staff is always so friendly and helpful The quails are so cute along with the canaries. Will definitely be going back. The sculptures are very interesting. The handicap parking area is plentyful. The wheelchairs are readily available. I can't wait until the plants outside start blooming. Beautiful outdoor areas

The only negative i could say about here is that they don’t have a squished penny machine! 😢 My girlfriend and i absolutely lovee this place let me tell you what, i have been going here since i was real little and am fortunate enough to live close by. I have the membership and i am constantly surprised and amazed that every time we go, there is something new and different to see. The property is big and they have a lot to offer and see, i would highly recommend going if you can!

A must visit place in summers. Kids love the open are and lots of things and activities to choose from. Children’s garden nd insects exhibited in the gallery were awesome. Will try to go again to cover the areas which we missed today.

I no longer live in Michigan and visiting GR it was fun to take our kids to see the gardens and the butterflies. Such an incredible experience to see all the plants and the butterfly experience was incredible. I would definitely recommend visiting and experiencing the butterflies.

We made a return trip to see the butterfly exhibit today. It was wonderful! We also took a tram tour of the sculpture park. The tour was narrated by Bruce. He was such a knowledgeable tour guide and made it such an enjoyable experience. Thanks again Bruce. You made our day!

I went in early April for the butterfly exhibit and was absolutely blown away. It was my first time coming here, but will absolutely not be the last. The butterflies are very chill about you getting close for pictures (but NO TOUCHING). I've heard there can be a long wait in the ticket line ($20/adult), but we made the mistake of showing up an hr before close so there wasn't a wait 🙃

This presidential museum is detailed and well done. There is often a temporary exhibit which makes visiting even more worthwhile. Located across the street from the GR Public Museum and right on the river. There is free parking available, as well as walking paths and a pedestrian bridge if you want to cross the river and explore downtown. Museum is very quiet, clean, and the staff is helpful. Gift shop is small but there are many custom and fun items.

Nice museum highlighting Ford’s Childhood College days and his work in Congress. There is a great replica of the Oval Office and Cabinet Room . You are allowed to go into the Cabinet room and take a seat around the table. President Ford and Betty are buried on the grounds outside the Museum.

Highly recommended presidential library. Inexpensive, beautifully maintained, and interesting architecture. It's not overwhelmingly large. Plus, the videos and 70's artifacts are fascinating. Loved the exact replica of the oval office and the cabinet board room!

The Gerald Ford Presidential Museum is a fitting testimonial to America’s only unintentional President. Living proof we live in a country of laws and not men. How great to have the museum in the hometown. Great exhibits and interactive presentations.

Very nice architecture and ground. Interesting exhibits. Defiantly recommend you see the Sistine Chapel temp exhibit!! Gerald R. Ford seems like a real stand-up man. It was nice to find out more about him.

What a wonderful experience. I didn't pay much attention to President Ford's contributions when he was in office. I learned a lot about both his and the First Lady's contributions. Truly remarkable.

Loved, “A heartbeat away: The American Vice-Presidency, currently at the museum. Learn all about our 38th President and how he made some decisions that saved our Republic. Very interactive. See the Berlin Wall, the Oval Office, and the Cabinet Room. The Betty Ford exhibit shares the story of her accomplishments & how she made a difference. From her work on Equal Rights for Women to her passion around those in need, and formation of Betty Ford Clinic. I enjoyed the bicentennial exhibit. Stop in at the museum gift shop!

The museum was decent; it was well maintained, it had some interesting history and information not only about former President Gerald Ford but also several pivotal moment of his presidency. The biggest problem is with the man himself, I personally didn't find him that fascinating of a president and his tenure was largely short and unnoteworthy aside from his near-disastrous pardoning of Richard Nixon. Still the museum and staff were great and the recreations of the Oval office and other presentations are immersive and faithfully recreated.

Wow, what a great piece of American history here. There is lots of fascinating memorabilia and interactive features. While Ford may not have been the most influencial president, he did preside over some of the most influencial times in US history. Great place to take the kids, or just learn some more about American history for all ages.

Very well laid out museum, following the life of our most unique (to date) president. I was very impressed by the displays, information and the Oval Office recreation. The staff was kind, helpful and very welcoming. I went there at the end of the day and was the only visitor - what a special visit as it was my first time to any presidential museum. Thank you everyone for making my visit there a GRAND one!

This was my first presidential museum. It was a great experience. I learned a great deal about Ford and his presidency. My favorite exhibit was the replica of the Oval Office. I also appreciate Jared the last exhibit about Ford’s funeral, and hearing all the tributes.

The Gerald Ford Presidential museum is a very accessible, affordable, and enjoyable experience. The exhibits are well made and presented, documenting the life and careers of the President and First Lady. The funeral exhibit is a very solemn tribute. Very much recommend a visit!

The only Presidential museum in Michigan, and what an amazing adventure! As we entered the parking area,we didn't have any trouble finding a place to park. Nicely landscaped, situated on the banks of the Grand River. The entrance fees are very reasonable starting at 12.00 general, 10.00 for Sr, 6 - 18yr 6.00. There are 3 exhibits to view at this time: 1976 Presidential Election, A Heartbeat Away , The American Vice Presidecy, and Exploring Watergate. Took over 3.5 hours to walk through and was very educational.

Amazing place to spend a few hours with the family to soak up some history. We learned more at our visit to the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library than we thought was possible. My entire family enjoyed our time here with exhibits that are both educational and entertaining. I would put this location on your list of things to do in Grand Rapids.

Phenomenal experience. Loved the various informative videos with opportunities to sit and watch. Many many displays well explained by plaques. It has an oval office replica from his time as well as the room known as the cabinet. I highly recommend this place

Beautiful location, great information. The information on Betty Ford and her contributions nearly overshadow her husband. The VP exhibit was very informative.

The museum has a simple layout but offers alot of details about Gerald Ford's presidency. The second floor walks you through a life of service starting from Ford's early years as an Eagle scout, his college years, his service as a Naval Officer, congressman, Vice President, and finally his presidency. You can appreciate his many years of service, despite his short lived presidency. I recommend visiting this museum especially for history lovers.

Even though I lived thru this period it was great to review it again. We've come so far and Ford did much to heal our nation. The exhibit about the other Vice Presidents was amazing history. Too often, if not always, the Veep was only a footnote on our memory. This is our fifth presidential library/museum. It's amazing the lack of recent history we were never taught in school that has so much bearing on the world we live in today.

Great place to learn about the life and legacy of former President Ford. There is free parking on-sight. When I went, it wasn't crowded therefore no wait to get in and no need to purchase tickets in advance. There's a canal just outside with benches. Nice place to sit and think.

A really great zoo! We loved the trees and winding paths. It feels very natural, unlike some zoos which are too open with the sun beating down on the animals. We went to a wedding there and got to explore the zoo, and it was the best wedding experience I've ever had! Highly recommend visiting, but if you've got an event coming up it's worth checking out for the great venue!

I went in with the expectation that it would be a fairly typical zoo layout and experience but I was pleasantly surprised. The zoo has a very vertical component to the land and is incorporated well into the surrounding trees and hillside. The types of animals is pretty standard but the hippo was nice to see. Staff were numerous and friendly with info on the surrounding exhibits. Great for the whole family.

We had such a great time exploring the zoo! It's so different in its layout and has so many animals to see. The staff was friendly and helpful. We missed the tram as it wasn't operational but it looks super fun! This place will also definitely wear your kids out!

I will definitely have to go back during the day sometime, to check out the animals, but this time we went for the lantern festival. It was absolutely awesome, and worth going to! It was such a perfect time, and I took sooo many pictures. I loved every moment, and every theme!

Lions, tigers, and bears... Literally. Great zoo for the price. It has a unique layout due to being built into a hillside. You get several vantage points of different animals because of this. It's also a great place to watch a variety of animals nap 😉 definitely worth checking out if you're visiting the area. Soon it will also have koalas! Go already

What an amazing zoo!!! So much to see and do. The "extras" are definitely worth it. Never been to a zoo on a forest foothill before. Worth every penny. Lots of shaded areas. Enclosures for the animals were great...lots of room for them and enrichment. We will definitely return the next time we are in the area.

Great family zoo. Everyone had fun! Lions, Tigers, and Bears, oh my! We loved the penguins, frogs, and flamingos! The camel ride made our visit very special. Helpful and knowledgeable staff, and clean bathrooms. Many places to relax in shade.

Visited from out of town and absolutely loved the zoo! Much bigger than expected and so many animals and reptiles. We really enjoyed everything there was. The food was pretty good too. Would love to visit again!

Came for the lantern festival so can’t speak for the full zoo but had a great time. Layout was great and the event was spectacular. Showed up just before dark and liked it so much that we did a second loop once it was completely dark. Got a chance to see the eagles and snowy owls too. Would definitely come back for this event but would love to check out the zoo again in the daytime.

When we visited, the cable car ride that takes you up was closed for the season. I recommend taking the walking route up to the station up and then visiting the enclosures on by one on your way down. To do this, when you enter, go in the following order: Aquarium -> Kangaroo/Walaby -> Petting zoo -> Follow waterfall route right up to the train station. There are multiple snack stalls along the way. It's a long walk without any enclosures but worth the effort. The route is stroller friendly. If you have little ones with you, I recommend renting the strollers at the entrance. I like that all the big enclosures such as the lion, tiger, chimpanzees have multiple viewing locations. Due to choices in paths, you are likely to miss: Natural treasure (lots of snakes n lizards), chimpanzee sleeping room, second tiger enclosure, bear and the snow leopard. Backtrack to them if you want to cover all enclosures.

We went for the lantern Festival and it was everything we expected and more. It was a lot more I thought maybe half the zoo but it was so much. All the lights and the music and the interactive things, it was wonderful! It was great seeing people of all ages enjoying!

Very nice, clean zoo. Small but a nice assortment of animals, some I've never seen before in person. The enclosures were spacious for each animal, I like that. I also liked that the signs told the stories of some of the animals including how/why they were in a zoo. My favorites were the eagles (bald and 2 golden), the grizzlies, and the reptiles/amphibians. Didn't get to see some animals because of the heat, but that's pretty normal in a zoo. Would have loved to see the snow leopards and somehow we missed the red pandas. There were some beautiful Lego displays of animals throughout the park, mostly at the entrance, that were fascinating.

A decent zoo - neat how it is kind of on the side of the hill. I recommend taking the little 5 minute tram up to the top and coming down from there. All the birds are put away for bird flu and there is a ton of construction going on so eventually the zoo will be really nice with the exhibits all finished. The good is a little pricey and it costs extra to do all the things like the ropes course, zip line and tram, but it's not horribly outrageous. Some very cool sculptures and the waterfall is cool.

Attended Lantern Festival last week on Thursday, well organized event, love the way the path works with the trees. With it being a hot early June day the animals were more active in the evening. The staff was friendly and always looking to help. The entrance fee for the event was $22 and there was time slots with plenty of flexibility. The parking was free which was a wonderful perk.

John Ball Zoo is a nice attraction. I've been to several zoos in Michigan. Was very disappointed that the website didn't note that it is an incline to walk to the top of the park and my parents are in their mid 70s. The Funicular takes you to the top so you can walk down instead of up, but of course it was closed. Some exhibits were great, and some were just meh. Most exhibits had a zookeeper available to answer questions and they were very informative. There were some dead fish in the aquarium which was upsetting to my daughter. All in all I would recommend it for a family day trip. It's what you would expect from a zoo in my opinion.

This was a great zoo to visit while passing through town. It was the perfect size and we covered everything in about 2 hours (yes, we obviously could have stayed longer, and we didn't spend too long at anyone spot, but we did get to see everything). The funicular was not operating the day we visited, but I don't think that detracted from our experience. The animals have nice enclosures, especially the tigers and lions.

Must say this was a really cool zoo... I loved that it wasn't to big, but also not to small. Was so happy with the exhibits they covered more than I could have hoped for, from the lions to the turtles. Make sure you stop by the parakeet area where you can feed them on your hand. Also the 🦘 was really cool as well. Was one of my favorite zoos in the area

Lantern Festival. It was an incredible display throughout the zoo. No animals were out at night. Entry to the festival was timed. You need to buy your tickets in advance. This is a worth the drive experience.

To start, the 5-star rating is actually for the Lantern Festival which is held at the zoo, not the zoo itself. I've never been to the John Ball Zoo before this, and I haven't seen the animals (the living ones). Instead, I went to their Lantern Festival, and the lantern animals were pretty great. Plus, I really like the layout of the zoo (built into a hill), which makes for a much more intersting walk than the zoo in my city. If you haven't had a chance to check out the Lantern Festival, I'd recommend it before it wraps up in June. Definitely a good way to spend an evening out with a significant other, the family, or if you just want something fun to look at while you take a walk. I had a great time with my DSLR trying to get pictures to showcase some of the lanterns that are there.

The Lantern Festival is what originally drew me to the zoo. We went during the day to experience the animals. However due to the season a lot of the exhibits were empty. We can back in the evening for the festival and it was top notch. I would absolutely recommend going at least once. The zoo overall was maintained fairly well. Had a great experience.

Went for the Lantern Festival and it was awesome as always. Was nice to see different things than last year. Got all kinds of photos for ya.

Wonderful experience visiting the Lantern Fest at the zoo. Vivid colorful displays to galore, mesmerizing artifacts lighting the night sky, interactive displays and much more. Super fun for the family.

Very beautiful museum with interesting topics. i truly enjoyed my visit. It’s a 3 floors building so make sure you have enough time to check out all of it. I spent like 4 hours. Entrance ticket is 12$ for adults. Maybe it’ll be less if u live in the area but I don’t.

Had a great time at this museum. Lots of history and science. Make sure you visit the theater planetarium. 🎥 Admission was very reasonable. Great place to take the kids!

The Grand Rapids Public Museum is an amazing place to visit! It's filled with fascinating artifacts, exhibits, and interactive displays that showcase the history and culture of the area. From ancient artifacts to immersive exhibits about nature and local history, there's something for everyone to enjoy and learn from.

Not too pricy for how big it is and how much you get to see! Took us about 2 hours to walk through the whole place!! The exhibits were done really well, loved the printing press in the old town walk-through!!

Had a wonderful visit up until the end when museum staff singled out our family to keep reminding us it was closing time. Several other families continued farther into the museum while she followed us and anytime we stopped to glance at an exhibit she would remind us how long we had until closing time. The planetarium Pink Floyd light show was very cool. However, we are planning another visit and hopefully will not run into same staff.

My 10 y.o. old son and an awesome time going here. It was perfect for a small adventure to a place we have never been to before. There are 3 floors full of exhibits. Some exhibits do change a couple times per year. Right now is "The power of Poison" exhibit. It was all super cool. Definitely recommend if you need something fun and educational to do for an afternoon. The only downside is parking. I paid almost $20 bucks to park for 4 hours in the designated parking ramp for the museum, which was more than our tickets combined. But still, overall worth it.

If you're looking for a unique and classy wedding venue that screams "Grand Rapids" the museum is THE place! I've had the joy of photographing here many times, and I discover something new every time! Where else can you say "I do" under the stars, and then have your first dance under a whale?? They offer multiple ceremony options to fit your vision, including the option for a planetarium wedding! The main floor is the perfect for any size reception. The outdoor space all around the museum is always beautiful, and it’s right next to the Blue Bridge – another iconic Grand Rapids must-have! Plus you can’t visit the museum without riding the carousel! Who says you can’t have a little fun on your wedding day?

This place was fantastic, my kids really loved it. I didn't think my teenage boys were gonna enjoy it but we were all pleasantly surprised! There is so much to see and do that we ended up having to make this a 2 day adventure. They have stuff for any and all ages as well as many different things to engage all different types of interests.

We had a great time visiting all of the exhibits. Lots of things are interactive and keep you interested. Our favorite part was definitely the Streets of Old Grand Rapids exhibit. It was just like walking through an old town! Lots of detail and effort went into the exhibit, and it definitely showed. The only thing we weren’t able to check out was the historic carousel. The carousel was unfortunately closed when we visited. Overall it was a wonderful experience!

Our kids loved the museum been years since we have went but took our neice and nephew.They had some great time with interactive exhibits the old Grand Rapids street with shops never thought I would see an Arcade in a museum as an exhibit makes me feel old but definitely fun to watch the kids play our favorite games. Still glade to see the whale skeleton and airplane hanging from the ceiling, there's a lot going on in the public museum it's a gem of Grand Rapids for sure. If your on vacation with little kids I'm sure they will enjoy it as much as we did.

Absolutely fantastic museum. So much to see and do. Lots of interactive features and kid friendly items as well. The gift shop is cute and perfect for people who love nature themed items. 10/10 would come again!

Great place to spend a day, especially with kids! Our family had a lot of fun. The carousel is 🔥🔥🔥. Would like to visit again when my little one is a little older. 100% recommended if you're around and have a 1/2 or full day to spend!

I received a aenior citizen discount and parking validation at the parking ramp because I am a Kent County resident. Nice bonus. In the museum the city street is always interesting to see. There were "pharmacist" in the apothecary to explain what we were seeing. We viewed nearly all displays. We didn't ride but watched the carousel. The staff did a great job explaining how to board and ride safely. The planetarium and carousel requires an additional fee but all fees were affordable. Take quarters with you to play the classic video games!! I like to go every couple of years as the displays are always changing.

I'm thinking ok, just a museum it's better. 3 different floors. Alot to see and learn about. They even have a small arcade with older games to play so bring some quarters.

Had a lot of fun with my kids. They had an elf scavenger hunt which kept the kids engaged in something. Also went to the planetarium and watched the Christmas special they had. Very cool. Highly recommend any show in the planetarium. The bug exhibit was very cool too.

Loved walking around the museum and getting a self guided history lesson on all the unique things the building holds. I couldn't help but wonder what might could be added to the museum in the next 100 years. Where will the world be and how far will the world have gone by then, and if earth will still be the only planet we as humans reside on... or not....???

This spot is an absolute blast, offering an engaging journey into the rich history of Grand Rapids and Michigan. We got lost exploring the captivating bug exhibit, although I heard it's closing in February, so catch it while you can! The staff at the front desk were incredibly friendly and helpful upon our arrival. With three expansive levels to explore, be prepared for an abundance of fascinating exhibits. It's not just for kids – adults can have a great time here too. Definitely worth a visit!

Second time here. A fun museum for a low cost. Plenty of fun exhibits for young and old alike. Food selection a bit slim. Appears they are expanding due to outside construction. Will be intriguing to see how they evolve

Always an awesome experience, and it was beautifully decorated for Christmas 🎄🎁 I have always loved going here since I was a kid. I decided to take my nephew to see the bug exhibit and he had an amazing time. The only negative I can say is the person we experienced at the cash register in the cafe had no personality and was quite unwelcoming.

I was afraid there wouldn't be enough for my grandkids, 2 and 4 years old, to do here, but after 3 hours, they begged to stay longer. The builder exhibit was a huge hit, and although the bug exhibit was a little scary for the 2 year old, there were parts that were fun for her, too. They also loved the habitat and animal exhibits. What a GR treasure!

My husband and I were just here May 20 for Friday Night Smackdown. While the event itself was very enjoyable, the venue is your standard arena. Bathrooms were decent, and the food and drinks were overpriced as they usually are at these types of places. The only personal downside for me was the lack of mask protocol, if not for anything else to mask the onslaught of the smell of beer, sweat, must, hot breath, and rear end mixed together. For women, you can't bring in purses, only small hand clutches. And the seats are super close together, which isn't a problem, except when you have persons who are much bigger in size trying to squeeze into a seat while invading your personal space. Otherwise, we had a pretty good time.

We had a great time!! It was a bit small, but that didn't stop the show. The bike show was pretty cool at the beginning. But the monster truck show was fun to watch. There were 2 times that the trucks couldn't perform, but I just think it was time management. I do recommend taking your family, though. Parking wasn't so bad, and entering wasn't that bad either.

The Van Andes Arena is one of the top three venues in Michigan. The facility is located in the heart of Grand Rapids and was established in 1996. The total capacity is close to 12,000 and there isn’t a bad seat in the house. Recently, I attended a Dixie Chicks concert with my Mother and the acoustics were top notch. I’d highly recommend making a visit for any and all special events!

One of the friendliest concert staff! Even when guests were hard to handle they showed kindness. The stage was super close for my tickets and all the seats looked good to sit in! One of the best times I've ever had! See You Again!

It was a great experience at the inaugural season opener for Grand Rapids Rise pro volleyball last night at Van Andel! ❤🧡💛🏐 Tickets sold out and it was packed! They introduced Ember, their new mascot, too! One area of improvement: letting us in the door and then waiting for 5 minutes before getting our tickets scanned to find our seats was a little clustered and awkward, but once we got settled in, it was great! Can't wait to watch more pro volleyball!

I went to a Hillsong elevation worship concert here. It was huge and every seat was filled! But super nice building the concert was awesome! They also had like a little shop in the upper floor that was kinda neat as well.

Good place for events. Good views from about everywhere. Staff are friendly. Lots of clean bathrooms and many food and drink options. Parking available all over town. Getting in can be a hassle some times. Good times for hockey fans, new basketball team here as well.

I recently went to the People's Tour featuring Quinn XCII with special guests ARIZONA and Julia Wolf at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, MI. The concert was amazing and the venue was perfect! The acoustics at Van Andel Arena were incredible. The sound was clear and crisp, and you could hear every word of the songs. The arena is also very spacious, so there was plenty of room to move around and dance. There were plenty of concession stands and merch tables throughout the arena, so you never had to go far to get what you needed. The restrooms were also well-maintained and clean. Getting in and out of the arena was very easy. There were plenty of parking options available, and the security lines moved quickly. The best part of the show was ARIZONA. They were so energetic and engaging, and they really got the crowd involved. They even brought out a random fan to play drums on stage with them! Overall, I had a great experience at Van Andel Arena. The venue is perfect for concerts, and the staff is friendly and helpful. I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a great place to see a show! 🤩 - The acoustics were amazing! 💃 - The crowd was so energetic! 🥁 - ARIZONA brought out a random fan to play drums on stage! 💯 - I had a great time!

Been here for Hockey games and concerts. This is a really great arena in which to watch your favorite bands and sporting events. I love the upper seating in rows A and B. Great views. I am a bigger guy so some of the seats are more cramped than others. If you are of larger persuasion spend the money for better seats, they can be a bit to squeeze between the cup holders. Completely cashless for transactions which is nice and speeds up the lines. Being able to order ahead at the concessions from your phone is a cool perk as well.

Saw Thomas Rhett here a while back, great concert great place for a concert also the acoustics are wonderful because it's a smaller place not as big as some other arenas. A little more up close and personal. Recently went and saw Eric Church there also.

Always a great show at the Van Andel!! Keith Urban was amazing! Not really a bad seat in the house! Quick but thorough security check at the door. Easy ticket scanning to get in. Prices have gone up with inflation, but that is to be expected. I definitely recommend Van Andel Arena!!

The seats are little, and I always feel like I'm going to fall down the stairs. The climb is so steep. Every concert you see at least one person miss a step and slide. You can see pretty good from any seat. That's a plus. Also, it's always SO hot!

The presence of God filled the whole arena. It was wild. God loves western Michigan and has so much in store for this region! Practically, the arena is great for events such as concert and conferences. The sound is crisp if done right, the echo isn’t bad, bathrooms are good, and the food options are mid. The one bad thing about the food is that there’s no gluten free or dairy free options.

First time going to Grand Rapids and being at the arena. The seats are a bit tight if you’re a little bit bigger like I am. The outside of the arena looks very nice with an all glass exterior for the front entrance. Lots of concession stands with lots of food and beverage options.

Visited for the Grand Rapids Griffins game. Venue was clean, staff was friendly and helpful. Large food selection from affordable in-hand snacks up to extreme stadium buckets. Merchandise was a bit pricey but no more than anywhere else.

Recently went to the Lindsey Stirling Snow Waltz concert here! I've been here many times over the years and it's always a great venue no matter what style of performance. The Lindsey Stirling concert was excellent. She is a truly talented and amazing performer! It seems there's nothing she can't do! Plus, she has a philanthropic heart and message! We need more of that!

First time here, place was great. Great view of stage, pretty decent sound system. Super clean, friendly staff. Very good experience.

This is my first visit to the arena. Nice place, I parked in one of the ramps and used the skywalk. That was a different experience, never put foot on the sidewalk or street. My visit was for a Griffins hockey game. For those that carry bags, purses, backpacks etc, don't. I didn't think to check the website. My family had to return to the car because of purses. Only 6 inch by 4 inch bags are allowed. Everyone goes through metal detectors. We found out about the bag thing from the staff at the door. Signage for that, or electronic notification with everyones e-tickets would have been nice. Fun time, Griffins won, Go Griffins!

Fantastic! Clean and convenient venue, friendly staff, parking garage was easy enough and close. Saw the Jurassic World show with the kids. It's also nice that they didn't have a bunch of advertisements outside the building to spoil the surprise, so my kids didn't know what they were going to until they were IN the arena itself. I look forward to future events.

The game itself was fun, the staff who run the food and merchandise tables are great. The security did nothing when I had a man behind me swearing left and right. The section was full of elementary kids and the swearing made it a violent environment, no one did anything and we left early because of it and it was $6 for one personal bottle of MTN dew. We ended up spending the last five minutes on the merchandise floor where I assisted people getting down from the stairs where there were no railings and no one assisting. For what they charge I expected a little better.

This place is great for concerts, perfect sound system, and seating was awesome too, to add the services and vendors were awesome

Wish this place had some realistic hours for tours. I was unable to view the inside, however, the outside was impeccable. The grounds were manicured and well taken care of. Well done on the restoration. There is plenty of parking along streets, and many sidewalks you can view the home from, even if you weren't able to get a tour either.

If you're looking for a fun and unique experience, I would highly recommend visiting the Meyer May House. The tour starts at the Visitor Center next door with a 35 minute video about the mid-1980s restoration of the house. From there, the docent will take you into the house for a full tour. In all, it lasted about 90 minutes. Tickets were free (although they should be reserved in advance). Parking was also free and was available on the street near the house.

What an informative & enjoyable tour! Our docent shared lots of details over about 45 min inside & outside the home & the 30 min movie had great footage of the restoration. Highly recommend whether you're a Frank Lloyd Wright fan or not!

What an amazing experience. A delightfully old mini documentary about the Renovation of The Meyer May House was followed by a vibrant tour of the house. We were expecting a charge, but IT WAS FREE. I absolutely photo dumped in this review, but they don't do it justice. Amazing natural light throughout and breathtaking architecture for its time. A must do for anyone visiting from abroad, or even locals who have yet to take in this historical masterpiece.

Very unique Frank Lloyd Wright home in Grand Rapids. Nice little day trip. I would suggest making reservations as it can get busy. If you admire this prairie style look no further!!!

I really loved the tour. It made the architecture nerd in me so happy. The house was beautiful and all of the details were fascinating! Highly recommend!

Of all the Wright projects I have seen in person, this has been the best kept and restored one yet. It was a magical and exciting experience to tour this with my university group last month and I highly recommend.

Fantastic experience with my college class. You will want to make reservations well in advance. Limited hours and days (Tuesday, Thursday 10-1 and Sunday) Knowledgeable guides. The video at the start is a bit dated, but it shows the restoration in the mid 1980s and a bit longer than it needs to be. You can watch it at their website. The house is the star attraction. The whole experience is first class. Steelcase has done an out job here. Highly recommended.

This was a very cool place to visit. The details that they went to to fix this place up are mind boggling. A truly beautiful home. We had a fantastic and knowledgeable guide to show us around. And most amazing of all, it's free to tour!

The Meyer May House located in Grand Rapids, Michigan is an amazing example of Frank Loyd Wright's Prairie House designs. While visiting the Grand Rapids area, we took a chance to visit the house and ended up getting a private tour including an informational film about the house and its restoration. The house was originally built in 1908 and after The Meyer house was purchased by Steelcase in 1985 has since been masterfully restored to it's original condition including the structure, furniture, flooring, stained glass and even the table settings which were all designed by the master himself. An absolute must see for any FLW enthusiast. Be sure to call ahead for tour information.

Wow wow WOW! This tour was awesome! Our docent was so knowledgeable! This wasn’t our first visits to a Frank Lloyd Wright home, and we loved this just as much as the rest. Book a reservation online in advance (it’s the only way to your), but admission is free! It starts with a 35min video about the history and restoration, then you tour the house in great detail. We didn’t feel rushed at all, and all of our questions were answered. Highly recommend this tour to locals and visitors! Also, restroom in the visitor center has a baby changing table! Always appreciated!

An amazing example of history in architectural design. The restoration exhibits true artistry to reveal Frank Lloyd Wright's wonderful attention to detail, the balance of light, and the beauty of his craft. Well worth seeing. Our docent, Jeff, provided insight and a glimpse into the family and the era in which this great house was built. Fantastic!

Beautiful place! You have to go next door to the Visitor's Center sign in and watch a 20 minute video first. Then a guide takes you into the house for about a 45 minute tour. It is a free guided tour.

If you had asked me to review the GRAM 20 years ago, I would’ve probably given it a three star. However, in the last decade or so, it has changed over immensely! They have an amazing permanent collection, and the exhibitions they bring in throughout the year Are amazing! It’s incredible to their education department is Outstanding! I highly recommend if you’re visiting Grand Rapids to make this a stop. I do miss their dip store, though which closed a couple years ago under the new renovation. The photos below are from the Jim Henson collection. They did a year or so ago.

The space is used very nicely for being a smaller art museum, we saw Kara Walker's images. It's nice to know you don't always have to go to a larger city to see some interesting work. You can get in free with your bridge card!

Always super clean, staff is friendly. I like that the art isn't always the same like some museums, so you can go every few months or so and there's new things to see. If you don't like art, I definitely don't recommend but if you're into art, you will definitely enjoy yourself.

We visited the GRAM specifically for the Jim Henson exhibit but, of course, walked the entire gallery, appreciating all the beautiful art work. Personally, it was a very interesting exhibit with stories and sketch art that I'd never otherwise know existed let alone see and read! So glad we caught it before it moved on!

Nice relaxing visit. Worth the time. The lady at the front desk was very inviting.

I was in town for a conference and had a couple of hours of downtime beforey last session and dinner. Since it was free admissions Thursday and I love museums I decided to pop in for a quick visit. The museum isn't huge but very well curated. Start with the permanent collection on the third floor and work your way down and don't be surprised if you discover new favorite artists/pieces along the way, and hidden gems like a Picasso sculpture and a drawing by Matisse. Will definitely visit again!

The permanent collection upstairs is beautiful and they have great exhibits rotating throughout the year on the first and second floor. I love dropping in on a Tuesday when admission is free.

I brought my daughter to the Light the Night event at the GRAM. It was put on by the Kaufman Interfaith Institute of Grand Valley. It was a very nice event with fun and engaging activities for the whole family. It was also a beautiful night to go ice skating just out front at Rosa Park Circle. It's a beautiful art museum!

Enjoyed the art. Awesome art. Part of our reciprocal Detroit Institute of Arts membership. Made it through in a hour and a half. Right in the heart of Grand Rapids. Downtown is really nice. 3 levels of exhibits.

Great place. Small though. Two fun exhibits while I was there, Jim Henson and Salvadore Dali. Very well presented. Tickets were pretty reasonable for Jim Henson but otherwise free on Wednesdays. Other days of the week cost.

Such a good staple in GR. Always so nice to walk around and appreciate the exhibits they have going on.

Went there on a Thursday evening (it's free on Thursday evenings from 5-8) and thought it was wonderful. The permanent collection is lovely, the temporary exhibits are well thought out and impeccably presented, and the staff is super nice and helpful. Not to mention the cool vibes of being in a museum at night!

Really nice museum! If you go between 5 and 6 pm on a Thursday, you can enjoy both free admission to the museum and an hour of free parking at the Monroe Center Parking Ramp.

This is a cool art museum! It’s bigger than it looks on the inside and although there aren’t many exhibits they are cool and seem to have rotating exhibits. They had a scavenger hunt for legos when I went! A couple of interactive things too.

Elephant whirlpool ~Adonna Khare 2014 carbon pencil on paper. And so much more. Free on Tuesday and Thursday eve. Go and grow. Your mind.

This place is awesome. They regularly have a wide variety of interesting and diverse art exhibits so even if you’re going every few months, you’re still seeing a whole new museum. It is wheelchair accessible, portable, and a great date spot too. If you’ve never been or just visiting in town, this is a great spot to check out!good access to parking and food options too.

Love visiting the art museum. They offer studio times and classes, have a great variety of rotating exhibits, and lots of ways to interact with art and the art community. Membership is definitely worth it, but just a visit is good too. Thursdays they have extended hours and free entry.

I thought it would be bigger but it is still a really nice art museum. The vibe here was really nice and relaxed too

A great place for children to explore. A younger kids 2-6 yo paradise. Correct amount of play time is 1-2 hours per session. Nice area with some parking. Basically, the parents run behind their kids making sure they’re sharing and not taking cuts in-front of others.

So fun! Love the different themes in each room. We did a fun craft in the craft room too. We could easily spend the whole day here.

So much fun for younger kids throughout, mya almost 10 year olds liked exploring but ultimately loved the grocery area. Gives them the feeling of being real people!!

My three year old son adores this place. There is a ton of sensory play and really cool experiences. Pretty ideal for a busy toddler.

I had a really good time with my 2 year old. There was a huge variety activities to practice many skills. It was quite busy, but the place is so large with so much to do that it was a comfortable experience. The team members that work there did a really great job cleaning up once in a while so each kid had a good experience (putting groceries away, picking up blocks and stacking them nicely). The museum was clean. Somebody else had a review on here that suggested not to take a child older than 5. I would agree that it is largely geared towards infant, toddler, and preschool. In my experience the Grand Rapids museum would be better suited for a school-age child.

What a great experience for our family. I have two young kids and 7 year old daughter in a wheelchair with special needs and addie was able to do anything all the general kids could do. Thank you so much for making this fun for all.

Pros: lots of different things to do. Interactive, kids seemed to enjoy it and we spent many hours there the one time we went Cons: Other peoples wild children, and maybe other peoples cons are my crazy children. Lot of decently intriguing things, but nothing crazy cool like a robot dinosaur…but hey oh well If ya have young kids, worth a visit I’d say.

My niece loved it here! It was hard to pull her away. The bubble area is a fan favorite! We enjoyed our day date, and will be returning.

Fun for the kids. On the smaller side compared to others we have been to. Nothing stands out as amazing but there are some cool things that make it unique. One example is the shopping/community area with ties to the local community. They have a Meier and a Huntington bank. Kids enjoyed shopping and banking like mom and dad. Overall, it's pretty good.

The museum was spectacular my grandson loved all of the different exhibits. He especially loved the barn/farm area as the museum provided a large number of animals, faux food, cars, carts, and so much more to play with. The museum had activities for a wide range of age groups. Another fun activity we participated in was a clay workshop where we made a small bird. I can't wait to visit again.

This is definitely more geared toward toddlers/preschoolers. The last time we visited was pre-COVID and lot of the really fun things were gone. Our child asked to leave after half an hour because it was too busy and there wasn’t much to do. She did enjoy the art room. We opted for a playground which was more fun for her. It was not worth $12/person plus parking.

I am so happy I learned of this place! It's amazing and the staff keep it clean as best they can. There are so many unique features that kids of all young ages can enjoy, from infant to about 10-12 ish years old. They have all kinds of different interactive play features, including cultural exhibits and learning opportunities. It's only open on specific days and times so it can be hard to work around naps for younger kids, but it's worth it if you can make it. I asked for a membership for my kid for Christmas and we have used it plenty already just this summer! It's great for really hot days to be indoors and still have fun, and will be even more useful once the weather gets colder so we don't have to be home and bored. I will be asking for a membership here or buying it myself pretty much every year until my kid outgrows it. Ps. Find parking near the public library or across the street on Fulton if you can since most of the parking directly in front is typically filled up right away. Bring your wagon or stroller so you don't have to carry everything around with you, and yes snacks and covered drinks are allowed inside. They also have a nursing nook, gift shop, and bathrooms on both levels as needed.

Get there EARLY- the line up for entry before opening is long - it worked out for us but if your on a time crunch or bad weather plan ahead ! Inside it was fantastic- geared towards 7 and under for sure - very busy but still had room to navigate and enjoy- it’s a must while your kids are young !

Really disappointed with this children's museum. Very few things to do, and so much wasted space. The Daniel Tiger exhibit took up most of the upstairs and is basically nothing. There is so much pretend play and very few hands on learning activities. Definitely overpriced for what it is. This place could be so much more. For living in an area that is cold 6 months out of the year, we could use a really great childrens museum!

Super great place to take your littles for a few hours. I was pleased with the variety of exhibits, some creative and some educational, and as an adult found a couple of interesting things as well. The entry fee was affordable, even without a membership, and it was a great way to tire out my 4 and 7 year olds in just a couple of hours. Would love to visit again!

Okay, not only is the view of this place amazing, the fishing is even better. I got invited here by my neighbor to fish. I've never salmon or steelhead fished before, so I came unprepared. DO NOT BRING A WALMART 20 DOLLAR FISHING ROD! I hooked a big salmon, and the rod blew up, snapped my pole, and the line. But it was still a blast! I'm planning on gearing up and catch fish in 2023 because this is an awesome gem in grand rapids.

This is one of my and my husband's favorite places to come and take walks and enjoy the beautiful scenery. We also love to go fishing near here! Just remember that there is no fishing allowed in the Fish Ladder itself!!!! We just came today and walked around a little bit south of the Fish Ladder and found a lot of usable and fixable lures, and also some very pretty shells. If you haven't visited Fish Ladder Park yet, I highly recommend it! If you have been here before, I also highly recommend you come back again soon! This place is so beautiful, and relaxing.

We stop by here at least once a year, typically late September to watch the Salmon run up the ladder. Always relaxing, nice people around, functional clean restrooms, and just an interesting experience. A little early this year...but we popped by during Art Prize. Get a load if rhe fish this man caught! If you look closely in the pool, you'll see some getting ready to start their jumping journey.

Great place to grab lunch and sit to have a picnic. Feed the ducks. Some people wade out into the falls. There’s also a lookout that is beautiful. Small parking lot but no fees and usually not too busy.

It was interesting watching a few of the fish using the ladder. There were quite a few fishermen. We learned from some fellow visitors that there are plans to remove the spillway, returning it to the natural flow.

Fish Ladder park in Grand Rapids is not only a cool place to visit but extremely peaceful as well. Sitting directly on the Grand River, you get to see the fish making their way up river and breathtaking views of downtown Grand Rapids. With upper and lower viewing areas, there is plenty to do either alone or with the family!

It's a very beautiful place, not just the river. Small cozy park and observation deck on the river, convenient parking.

Absolutely beautiful day!! And the fish are running really good right now!!

It was fun to go and watch the fish either succeeding up the ladder or not and trying again. Nice to see architectural art melding into nature. There is a walk way so that you can view the Grand river, the fishermen and the outline of the city. It's free to go. It was a bit busy but this is the time of year that the fish are going upstream and Art Prize is happening right now. We were still able to see the fish. They were really fast so I was not able to get a shot of the fish. It was still a cool experience.

A cool invention and a real spectacle to watch the fish use it to circumvent the height of the damn to swim up stream.

Young man showing us his fish that he caught at the Fish Ladder in Grand Rapids Michigan. He's so proud 👏

We swung by after a fun visit at the GRPM. It was a really nice time. Relaxed vibes and easy way to get some sun and do something different. There's a good free parking lot and the fish ladder is pretty well tucked away despite being in the city. It was a bit of an odd drive, but it was a short one from the museum.The only thing that killed the mood was a man on his work break going around asking to debate religion which is fine and dandy, but it's just not a good time or place. Didn't really take no for an answer, so hopefully he doesn't frequent the place often.

I recently hosted a baby shower at the Loft. It was a great space at a great price! Would definitely recommend this as a venue for small parties and plan to have more parties here in the future!

We were actually passing through and stop for the night. My wife went in and did some winetasting and bought some wine. It’s a nice little apple orchard with a bakery Café and ice cream. They have different gift, shops and boutiques. If you’re in the area you should stop bye.

i love robinettes so much. i worked here for 3 years and there never was a full moment. it’s completely family owned and is a must visit for grand rapids not just in the fall but year round.

Very family oriented! Very friendly atmosphere. Will be returning every soon!

Amazing atmosphere. So many activities. Store open all year round with so much local made treasures!! Took the family here when they visited and it was also very accessible for the elderly. (Stairs were the only thing but they have a front entrance if you can’t access stairs) Cider and donuts had a long line but moved fast and was totally worth the wait. Went back for round 2 and picked some apples 🍎

Loved it, the corn maize is amazing and great fun for little ones and the bouncy pillow is a blast! The only thing, if you want donuts get in line early because that was one long line!

Nice to spend time with the entire family.. we went for corn maze it was good.. they do have horse rides , pony rides and petting zoo.. More busy during the weekend.. we went during cherry picking time.. Worth a visit if you're in the grand rapids area

Very nice place to visit. Enjoyed picking cherries 🍒. Quiet at night. Tasty donuts.

Tried to go for a wine and cider tasting. Because I had a newborn with me, they said I had to wait in the neighboring room (20 ft away from the bar, in the same building, separated by an open threshold, in full view and earshot) while the rest of my party had their drinks, and then if I wanted some, I would have to switch places with someone else and have my drink while they waited in the contiguous room. They have a bouncing pad for kids which they charge $6 for, while I've seen the same pad in another cider mill half hour away for free. They have more gifts shops selling random stuff than cider/apples related fare. I'm definitely not coming back to a tourist trap with such nonsensical rules. There's much better cider mill/orchard alternatives in the area.

Great place! Lots to do. Many activities for kids and adults. The corn maze was so much fun for all.

Several different kinds of apples in the shop. Couldn't figure out how to even get into the shop unless we pushed past the line and went through doors inside the shop. The line for the donuts took far too long, and they didn't even have Apple Cider Donuts. Instead, they were Cinnamon Sugar. The staff were fairly friendly, though. This does not live up to the hype.

I stopped here a couple weeks ago after hiking at the provin trails which is right next to this place. I really like this place because it seemed to me like a hidden gem and new place I’ve never discovered before. They have really good donuts, coffee, apple cider and other things. I got a chocolate donut with a toffee flavored cappuccino which was really good and the other section next to the area where the donuts are had some really good candy apples and other things. The outside on the property looked really nice as well and although I didn’t get a chance to check out the gift shop, I did walk around the outside for a bit and saw that there was an area for apple picking which was nice.

We have always loved the stores and bakery. Cider is wonderful as is the wine. We especially loved the Long John's. Nobody makes them as tasty. Great breads, snacks and popping corn

Not sure if I had been here before for apple picking but I really enjoyed their winery, my mom took me here for a tasting which was delightful but nothing fancy, it's their small wine store which had a cute gift shop connected to it. They were very good and I bought a couple bottles which were a hit.

Super cute! We went on Sunday and the weather was beautiful so it was very busy. We did manage to do all the things we wanted to, got donuts, apples, and cider. Got a pumpkin and did the corn maze. We also did the wine tasting. We weren't super impressed with any of the wines we tried, but it was a fun experience. For $8 you get 5 tastings and a glass, and if you bring the glass back you get a discount on future tastings.

Always a pleasure to visit for the donuts and other sweets and then hit up the gift barn. They have a beautiful unique collection of gifts for all ages. My favorite is the women's clothing and accessories. My son loves all the kids things.

I grew up in Michigan and this place has always held a special place for me. It’s changed over the years. On my recent visit I saw their new welcome center. The improvements are amazing but with improvements come cost. There’s a small fee to get into the center, I didn’t pay it. I walked the trails and stumbled across some great outbuildings and updated educational areas. Really think kids would benefit from a school trip here. An old schoolhouse, farm, deer, rustic house and other great things to see near the center.

Well kept trails. Been going here for over 20 years and they've improved trails so much! Great place to get some peace with nature.

Lovely nature center ing the Grand Rapids area. A great place for family and kids to learn about wildlife. There are many trails to explore nature from wooded areas to ponds. They also have wildlife that is rescued that ypu can see. The gift shop has fun stuff and the classes and events are fun and educational. There is a good parking area in the front as well.

I love this Nature Center!! Beautiful hiking trails. Educational for children and adults. Great for all seasons. Been going to Blandford since I was a kid and I still learn something new about nature and conservation everytime I'm here. Thanks to Mary Jane (founder) you are missed but your legacy lives on!!!

I’d definitely check out their website for events— they have a lot of fun events all year round. I’ve been a few times to craft shows, art workshops and of course, got to meet some very cute critters! They have HUGE nature trails. Not a huge parking lot so on busy days, parking can be tough.

We love going here and have been going for YEARS. Peaceful and gorgeous. And there are goats and sheep in the back ❤️

Absolutely lovely place to spend the whole day. 🩷 if you like to hike, like animals and nature, this is the place for you + your kids!

Love this place! Awesome amount of hiking trails with an educational wildlife experience inside & outside for all ages! The Owls are incredible! Staff was great! Will definitely be back!

I enjoy taking walks through Blandford whenever I have the time. The trails are extensive and have easy to follow maps at the trail heads. There are many places to go to, like the Blandford school, the Highlands, the Nature Center, and so much more. As an amature photographer, I love going here to take photos of the animals and nature itself (which I have attached a few). I am very glad that I live close enough to these woods to enjoy them when I want to.

Great experience exploring nature and a wonderful place for a work conference in their auditorium.

Beautiful trails, the prairie in August was breathtaking and there are plenty of free roaming deer 😄

-- As a disclaimer, I've only been here for specific ticketed events, so your mileage may vary -- We came for a toddler time and puzzle contest and both were awesome. Clearly the staff here knows their stuff, not only about the wildlife in their care and the surrounding nature, but also about putting events on in general. Both events - though wildly different - were well organized and had a lot of thought put into them. The buildings are always clean, the animals look well cared for, and the grounds are absolutely beautiful. Definitely worth a visit if you've never been and worth returning if you've been here a thousand times.

Best trails and a great place to feel at peace while getting lost in natures beauty! Also lots of cool rescue animals in and around the main building!

A great place for walks, great nature, silence. Good landscaping. There are places to walk and things to see. Great for dry weather.

Lovely fall morning for a stroll with my folks, the dogs and the lad at the Highlands. Thank you Blandford nature center for buying it and replacing a golf course with green space. If you did the same with the mines , that would be awesome! I appreciate all you folks do for nature and wildlife. This is an amazing education and conservation facility!

A beautiful place to walk. My kids loved seeing the animals they care for.

We’ve visited here before but wanted to share the beautiful tranquility you will feel when walking on the trails. We went on a Wednesday later in the day and there wasn’t a wait to enter. Plenty of parking. The newer and much bigger building was built in 2015. They have souvenirs, logo shirts, maple syrup and many other things for purchase. The entry is $3 per person. You will also see several rescued animals on display. Once outside, you will see several trails that you can follow. Be sure to wear your walking shoes because the trails go for miles. There are other buildings of interest that are pretty nice to see up close. Be sure to visit soon!!

Great venue! Not huge, which I was really a fan of. Concert felt more intimate. Even at the back or on the balcony you were still decently close. All of the staff was extremely friendly as well. Water was pricey, but what concert venue water isn’t? only offered $5 ‘liquid death’ canned water.

Great time at the 20 Monroe! Despite a sold out concert there was still room to get around. Sitting in the mezzanine, there were comfortable chairs and great views. They were quick to check in despite the long lines and an overall amazing experience. The drinks seemed good and the bathrooms were cleanly I would come back again

Can't beat this venue for the atmosphere! Love that no matter where you sit or stand there's not a bad view and I love that I feel like it's my own personal concert or show when I go.

Went to see Alter Bridge (for context). Great venue for it's small size with powerful audio. Friendly staff and well signposted to help you navigate when the lights go down.

Great venue for the Wheeler Walker Jr concert. Plenty of bathrooms and we had a great time. Hopefully we will be going more often. We live 3 1/2hrs North of there. I wanna see Upchurch play there. That's another concert I would love to see

My husband and I had a blast here! I sat on the side upper seats. It was perfect. I think we would like the try a booth next time. It was very clean, workers were all sooooo nice! Only bathrooms are upstairs. Everything was organized most of all everyone had fun! We saw In This Moment! She had a great setup here with the room she had!

Saw Motionless in White and Ice Nine Kills here. Venue made VIP a little confusing by ushering everyone upstairs, but other than that, the venue itself was really nice. Big stage, everything sounded great. Staff was mostly on their A game. They did miss a crowd surfer but made sure she was okay asap. They passed out water to us in-between sets and made sure we weren't getting too overheated.

Great venue! Easy to get in, lots of bathrooms, great seating, not a bad seat in the house. We were in the upper mezz and had a wonderful view.

In my opinion, this is the best venue in GR of this size. It is nicer than the Intersection and larger than Elevation. The balcony and high ceiling make it look and feel larger. Bars down the entire side of the main floor are extremely convenient. It is easy to park and easy to walk to from many bars because it is near the middle of downtown.

Really like this venue for shows. The Vanguard room is great and well worth the extra $$.

Flew in from the East Coast to see Dethklok & Babymetal here. All I have to say is… WOW! What a fantastic venue! I’m tempted to say that I would fly back here just to see another band I love at this venue. It has a super small/intimate feel and there’s not a bad seat in the house! We sat in the front row of the upper mezzanine and it felt like the stage was SO close. The venue staff is also some of the friendliest that I’ve encountered and was happy to answer any questions and help. There are also plenty of restrooms/stalls so I never had trouble with a line to the bathroom. If you can see a band you like here, DO IT!!! 10/10 would recommend!

I had an excellent time seeing Kevin Gates at this venue. Reasonable parking across the street from the venue. The stage was a bit small however the show was great. If you can catch Kevin, I surely suggest it. I’d also return to this venue for intimate shows.

Very cool concert venue!!! Not too big so no matter where you are you feel part of the experience. Only negative is bathrooms whichever venue could use more of, and the exit/entrance is so small it's hard to get out afterward. Other than that a great place to see your favorite bands.

This was my 1st time in Grand Rapids, Michigan. We went to see the trinity of terror tour. Featuring black viel brides, ice nine kills and motionless in white. With opening act lilth czar. It was an incredible venue. We would definitely travel back here for future concerts

This is a really well-run venue. Like others have mentioned, even when it's a sold-out show there's plenty of room to move around. The bathrooms are clean and spacious, the lines move quick, the drinks aren't outrageously priced (for a concert venue), and every seat has a great view of the stage. The medical staff is also fantastic. A friend of mine fainted during a concert here and they were extremely attentive and made sure she was cared for until the concert was over. We got to sit off to the side in a designated medical area that had chairs and a solid view.

Great venue. Seats above the floor are a bit cramped for the bigger guys, but I cannot deduct anything because I am definitely surpassing a normal size. Great distribution of bars and kiosks. Even with a packed crowd, one can still move around since the floor plans are designed a bit better than other venues I've been to. Would 100% consider seeing another performance at this stage.

Great venue. Had a blast seeing Bad Suns a couple weeks ago ❤️ also love that the parking structure is just across the street!!!

I have seen a few shows here now. My new favorite venue. Super small and cozy. Easy parking access. I have seen Father John Misty, Dethklok and Baby Metal, Post Modern Jukebox, Nathaniel Ratliff and the Night Sweats. Excellent shows. Fantastic sound quality. Great view from any seats or the floor. Great service. Going to see the Dead South there later this year.

Sevendust and static x was a great concert. Also, the beers are the size of 2 beers.

Fun venue with a good view of the stage from just about anywhere. Sound was good. Lobby was a bit crowded when you had merchandise, bar, and meet & greet crowds all at once. Folding seats were smallish, as usual. Great location close to tons of restaurants and shopping in downtown Grand Rapids.

My boyfriend and I saw JB Ball and Brad Williams tonight. The venue was great. Comfortable seats snf friendly staff.

I was here twice in 2017. And twice this year. This year for Death Grips and The Eric Andre Explosion Tour. 20 Monroe is a special place. It's a nice mid-sized Venue to see great national acts at. Whether you're on the floor or on the balcony, this place is great! I guess I just wish the stage was like a few feet taller?? I saw a girl faint at the Eric Andre show and the staff quickly made sure she was okay, got her a wheel chair, rolled her outside to get fresh air. I think the staff handled that situation well. Any staff I've interacted with have been kind and helpful in helping me find my way around to my seat. I like going to the bar upstairs, it always seems to be less busy. If there's an act that I like coming to 20 Monroe, I don't think twice about going!!!

Enjoy coming here for concerts. I’ve seen several performers here and always like the venue. Clean bathrooms. This is a great place to catch a show. Not a bad seat in the house. Definitely get tickets to see show here!

The sculpture was awesome, and we were disappointed to see workers all around this tourist spot. it was messy. There was a parking lot beside it and it was pay parking. ( Pictures have been edited to remove the structures and workers around it )

This is an awesome place to catch a festival, live music, art work, or just capture some straight up “cool” photos. Taking a stroll downtown at night is a pretty neat thing. I would recommend stopping by to see this landmark and capture a few other visually appealing sites within the vicinity. It will not disappoint. Enjoy!

Great public art in the plaza. Nice to photograph during the blue hour on a summer evening. Don't miss the Tire Swing sculpture in the corner of the plaza as well.

Very accessible for all. Nice spacing. Festival was a breath of fresh air, to see so many people.

City clerk's office to drop off absentee ballots. Easy and quick process.

Beautiful place to go when the temperature go up a little, this day was really cold and windy

This venue was designed during the politically fraught 1960s, when people (you know, middle class whites) could drive in from the suburbs, park in the garage under the sculpture, participate in an activity or two, then flee back to the safety of their homogenous enclaves. The large open paved rectilinear space, the imposing dark glass monolithic buildings in the space, the lack of amenities or seating, reflect the era perfectly. One can almost feel the anticommunist sentiment creeping in as one wanders around the spare environment. But when there's an event, the city does a great job sprucing up the place. Several times a year, a stage and bleachers will be erected, tents filled with home-crafted handicrafts will sprout, food will be served nearby, and crowds will descend to enjoy, sunburned and greasy-lipped. Even when there's nothing happening, it's lots of fun to ride bikes around the legs of La Grande Vitesse, slide down the steel pyramid thing, and swing on the colossal tire swing. It's a photogenic (if retro) spot to bring friends and family.

Magnificent and historic edifice bringing out the soul of Grand Rapids!

On a Saturday night, we waited downstairs in the brewery for about an hour before our table for 4 at The Smoke House was ready. The BBQ was not what I'm used to down South. The brisket was badly fatty and overcooked, although very tasty. The chicken was dry and the skin was so crispy I think it was deep-fried. The pulled pork was really tasty and the best meat on the Sampler Platter. The 4 sauces were a huge disappointment. The grilled bread was super-thick, well grilled, and double thick - possibly the best part of my dinner!! The steakhouse and American burger/pizza place might be better, and the live entertainment was just warning up when we left - but I really don't think I'd return it I was given the choice.

Got the lamb and the steak Oscar. Both dishes were really good but pretty pricey and portions were not huge. Worth going but expect to spend around 100 for a couple.

Great place to enjoy the night life in Grand rapids. The stand up comedy is stellar, the pizza is bomb, and the beer choice is incredible. Big crowds but well managed by caring staff.

Came here on Sunday during Artprize. It is indeed a big old building, it's huge inside! I think it's really cool that this place is basically three stories of bars, but not trashy-looking ones either. And it was neat to see the art on display, my favorite was the 3-D illusion one and also the painting of the statue in Daniel's prophecy.

Update: January 2022. Sorry to hear it closed. _______________________________________________________________________ We went there during Art Prize 2021 and it was filled with goodies everywhere on all the floors. I had never been in the basement level. Kinda dark and basement-like and the bathroom wood door had a piece of wood that was raised up and it snagged my sweater but I'm not complaining. It felt like an adventure just being in this old building. We grabbed a beer at the big oval bar on the main level and had them put a walkabout sticker on it and off we went. I approve of this place.

First time back since COVID. Forgot how much fun this place is. Saw a comedy show. Had a few drinks. You could easily spend your whole night here.

A quick hello before a show, an evening of multilevel adventure, a last dance on a goodnight, this building has something for everyone! I’m so glad this GR monument is breathing it’s beat! West MI wouldn’t be H.O.M.E with out it!

Bob looks so much different then prior to Covid. All 2 floors are mostly bars. I liked the addition of ping pong tables, outdoor patio. Crowded with 20 something kids. Seems like HOME is where the older crowd (not too many) was at on Saturday night.

I haven't had anything short of a great time at the BOB since I moved here. Rip is a riot! And Tatum, Morgan, and so many great servers have been awesome. The food and drinks never disappoint. ✌️🤜👊🤛❤️

Beer was delicious. Had the hopsun and st. John. My husband and I aren't ipa ppl but it was a great recommendation by Abby. Abby was our server upstairs and answered all our questions. She was so attentive, friendly and knowledgeable. We didn't have food. Kid friendly. Fun atmosphere. Has wheelchair/stroller accessibility.

We attended the Haunted Hogwarts party at the BOB and had a blast!!! The staff were amazing and so helpful. I’m a huge Harry Potter fan and the BOB crushed the decorations this year! The dragon was so cool!! Can’t wait for next year!!!!! 🎉🎉👻👻

We are so happy that the BOB is back open. We were heading to see a show upstairs at Dr. Grins. When going online, to Open Table , it looked as though every table was booked at the two restaurants that are serving right now. However, upon getting a hold of somebody at the service desk, I was told that the Open Table app does not apply. The downside is I think a lot of people aren't utilizing the fabulous restaurants that are back open to eat there because they assume that all the tables are booked. Lucky for us, we called ahead and discovered this wasn't true. I highly suggest that this is updated in their system , as to not lose future customers. We miss the hay days of the Bob when it was packed with all ages and served magnificent food and was hopping on every floor. It was our go-to when we had people visiting from out of town. There was something there for everybody. We ended up having a terrific meal at Bob's Brewery. Our appetizer was cheese roulette, the secret being two or three jalapeno cheese stuffed bites! These were fried to perfection. They did not disappoint. We also asked for the barbecued mac and cheese which we had served deconstructed. The noodles were cooked perfect and the meat was so tender. The barbecue sauce was amazing and we probably should have had it served the way they normally do. We'd like to say thank you to our bartender,Rip! He seems to have been a stable in the building off and on throughout the years. We reminisced about the different food and restaurants that have been there, and he is crossing his fingers along with us, to see the BOB come back to its previous glory.

A classic example of a smelly bar with pompous management, that tries too hard to be what it's not. I went here for my friend's 25th birthday. Was denied access because they insisted I was wearing sweatpants(I was not - they were fitted black track pants). Not my typical choice of fashion but I didn't have time to change after work and figured I still looked nice. Not that it matters, but they were probably more expensive than 90% of the pants in there anyway lol. I was an hour away from home with no car. This little detail could have completely ruined my night as well as my friend's birthday. I don't take many days off and he was very excited that I came out. I tried to explain my situation but received no mercy. I took the cold walk of shame back to my friend's truck where I thankfully found some spare pants. The lead bouncer comped my cover and allowed me to skip the line. Nice gesture, but the other two guys still gave me a hard time for no reason. I'm not from here. How am I supposed to know you have a silly dress code? This place is undeserving of such a trivial rule. From the looks of it, you should be able to go here wearing a banana costume. Once inside, I saw others that did not comply with the dress code. Not sure why I was singled out. Never in my life have I seen a place that has beer pong in the basement have a strict dress code. Not to mention, the basement bar SMELLED so bad that everyone had to evacuate!😂 Had a lot more fun last year, they at least had a good DJ then. Note to the owner: Regardless, most people aren't going to wear sweatpants when they go out. There's no need to enforce a dress code. Maybe you had a problem with that in the past because that's the vibe 'The B.O.B.' puts out.

Great food, service and happy hour prices on tasty beer! 4-7 Thursdays you get beer for $2/pint otherwise they’re $5-$6 a pint. I love the Bob; just wish they open a couple of other nights besides Thurs-Saturday.

My daughters, a friend and I had a wonderful night out for dinner. Enjoyed dressing up and going out for a few hours. Staff was friendly, plenty of options for food and different spots to go in the building. Only downside was the women's bathroom on the 2nd floor was freezing!!! Everyone commented in as other ladies were going in and out.

My family and I were invited to a private event during the dress rehearsal for the Holiday Pops show. So much pure talent!! This was so enjoyable, the candid nature of the event was beyond entertaining.

The Grand Rapids Symphony gives great performances. Music Director Marcelo Lehninger brings tremendous energy to the performance both on the podium and when he addresses the audience. The orchestra explores many different types of the classical repertoire and never fails to impress.