We love visiting the smaller baseball stadiums, especially in Michigan. The LCMU is definitely on…read moreour list of best ballparks in that category. First, easy to order our tickets and parking pass online, especially since I have the MLB app on my phone, that was a bit of luck. We even got a small discount, $22 instead of $24.50, per ticket (we sat in the section right behind home plate). And no surcharge!!! The ballpark is cashless, so be prepared to use your phone or plastic for everything. I am currently experiencing issues with my knees, so what a nice surprise to see they have a place to drop off the mobility challenged very close to the elevator side entrance. Otherwise, lots of steps or a very long ramp are the other options. There was also special parking for us, not handicapped, I don't have a sticker, so that was a huge plus. The ballpark is beautifully designed, with thick cushioned seats! What a lovely surprise. I usually travel with a portable cushion or a thick blanket I can fold up to use as a cushion. Very comfy seats. The concessions offered some unique items, like a Dubai chocolate and strawberry sundae, which was yummy, though a bit pricey at $12.50, but you get that cute thick plastic baseball cap bowl (which we threw away, so I do wish they had a paper option). Burgers, dogs, soft pretzels, corndogs, and fries, are some of the regular fare we see at most of these parks though. Boozy smoothies were also a unique item, though we didn't try one this time. Offered sans booze as well. Also, they have a roving concessions person with the basics, like cotton candy, peanuts, popcorn, bottled water, beer and other na beverages. So while the sundae was excellent, my foot long corndog was lukewarm. But hubby loved his soft pretzel. So a mix of feelings about the food we had. Microbrewery beer was very good though. So while I loved almost everything about this park, there was one big negative. The scoreboard. They have a big fancy digital board that displays each players' stats, which we love, but they use an old school scoreboard to display the score, balls, strikes and outs. No biggie normally, but the lights indicating the balls, strikes and outs, were not working! Someone manually changed the runs, but that was it. If you turned away for anything, you missed where things stood. I had to pull up the game on my phone to be able to tell where things stood, it was annoying. Still, if that doesn't bother you, ha-ha, you can disregard this part of my review. Also, no pitch speed display, something we like to see. Friendly staffers everywhere, another huge plus. It's really a great stadium, except for the food inconsistency (but it is ballpark food, so my expectations were on the low end anyway), and the scoreboard issues. Great for families and the mobility impaired. Fireworks after Saturday night games too, so cool. Worth the two hour drive, easily, in my opinion.

It has been years since we came to a game as a family and not part of a large group in the Pepsi…read moreStadium Suite. We came on a Tuesday night, and it happened to be a night they were passing out bobbleheads to the first 1,000 people - our kids thought they were the coolest! There was a line of people waiting to get in at gate opening (5:15pm) but it moved quickly. Once inside we found our seats and we grabbed some food from one of the main concessions stands. They have a fairly big menu, so not just hot dogs. We got a corn dog, three hot dogs, a large fries and two sodas and it came to 61.80 with tip. The food was your standard stadium food - no complaints. We did also get two popcorns, a large cotton candy, and two bottles of water for 41.93 with tax. Here are my main reason for 5 stars: CUSTOMER SERVICE & HOSPITALITY. I was literally so impressed! When we got to our seats with our food, our 5-year-old knocked over our full (not even a sip out of it yet) soda. An employee, no idea his job title, saw what happened and asked us what it was so he could replace it for us, and he did. Totally unexpected and very much appreciated! Also, when my kiddos were standing near where the players were practicing before the game, there was a group of older kids and adults huddled around trying to get autographs. My kids were a little intimidated, so they stayed to the side. Another WC employee noticed this and was able to get a ball and toss it over to my boys. They were elated! A small act that made a huge impact. They were so excited. Our seats happened to be the first row to the left of the WC dug out (awesome seats!) and during the game a player stuck his head around the corner and saw my kids and tossed them another ball. They were on cloud nine! The whole experience at the game was impressive. Lots of fun things to keep us and the kids entertained during lulls in the game. Playground and inflatables for the kids, we took advantage before the game started. Lots of food options, although, we didn't get a chance to try out any of the other options. Lots of local beer options, too! Overall, just a fun night that my kids won't soon forget. We are looking forward to another family outing!

Fun entertainment for my 5 year old! This place was tucked way off the main road but had plenty of…read moreparking. We got a package where we could do both mini golf and bowling. Mini golf was fun and just enough challenge. At first, there was no one in front of us or behind us. However, the crowd soon caught up to us. So we had to wait for people in front of us and then people were waiting behind us. It could hardly be helped though since the golf course is small and compact. The bowling was fun and they even had option of using bumpers. My kid had a good time and it was nice that there was no one else bowling around us. The arcade was nice. It had plenty of free games. The pay games were mostly the claw games where you can win a stuffed animal or plastic duck. They offer food, ice cream, and drinks. Ice cream was delicious and my kid approved! Overall, it was a fun time and worth the amount of money that we spent. It was clean and comfortable inside. The golf course was kind of tight quarters with everyone waiting but otherwise, it was a good time!

Very fun gold experience. U would say this is more catered to young family's and children but would…read morestill return again. The course is challenging and engaging, but does seem a bit old. Overall a fair price and food service! 4/5 stars!

My boyfriend and I have a tradition to ice skate at a new place each year once finals are over…read more This year we did some research on the Christkindl Market/Rosa Parks Circle and decided to make a GR day out of it. The rink was very fun and I will always love skating but there were a few things that made the experience not merit 5 stars. We wanted to make reservations beforehand since we have trauma from Detroit's ice skating lines being INSANE. But, you have to make a reservation over a few days in advance, and don't try to call their office because they won't answer. Thankfully it wasn't busy the day we went so there was no wait, but something to keep in mind when planning your visit. Parking is tragic and that's coming from an Ann Arbor local who is constantly fighting for a spot (and her life) on State street. What we thought to be an easy parking garage turned out to charge a nightmare price of $14 for only being there a little over an hour. Not to mention, the place was a bit of a walk on unsalted and very slippery sidewalks to the park. Compared to other outdoor skating rinks, this one was quite small. The path to the rink is downhill and dangerous to walk in regular shoes, let alone your skates when you've put them on! I counted so many people who almost ate it coming to and from the rink because of the icy path. I'm aware it's an ice attraction, but no one wants to be skating before they actually get to the rink... The ice rink itself has a wall of snow all around like it's carved out of snow, which is cool, but results in snow falling on the ice and it being pretty rough to skate on. There were also a bunch of kids digging at the snow and creating snowballs and throwing it at skaters passing by. PTL I wasn't one of the ones targeted but still, a safety hazard in itself! They were given several warnings by the employees but were never taken off the ice despite being told multiple times not to. I will say that for the cons, there are a few pros. The cost of skates and skating is a combined price of $6 per person so you don't have to worry about bringing your own skates. They have plenty of cubbies to hold your shoes/belongings that are within eyesight in case you're worried about things getting stolen. (Even if it was stolen, the thief would break his back trying to run away because of how slippery it is!) There is a nice area where parents/non-skaters can sit looking over the rink. For it only being $6, the ice skating does it's job, but doesn't stand out in comparison to other outdoor rinks I've been to.

Rosa Parks Circle is a community gathering place in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids. It features…read morea large open concrete area/amphitheater where people can gather for an outdoor lunch during the day, and it also acts as a stage for festivals, swing dancing, musicians, and more throughout the year. You can sometimes find food trucks parked here in the summer. In the winter months, it's transformed into a public ice skating rink. This park was designed by artist Maya Lin and is formally known as Ecliptic, which refers to the path the sun follows in the sky among the constellations over the course of a year. The park includes features that portray water in its three states: The central ice skating rink is water in its solid form, a mist fountain represents water in its vapor form, and finally, the table-like fountain represents water in its liquid form. Another unique feature of the park are the lights beneath the ice rink's surface. 166 tiny fiber-optic lights shine at night, depicting the millennial constellation of the sky over Grand Rapids on January 1, 2000, the start of the new millennium. Currently the park is under construction, with plans to refurbish the bandstand and restrooms, add a bus shelter and more shade trees, benches, drinking fountain, and additional trash receptacles. I'm excited to see the updated park and encourage anyone visiting to visit once it's completed.

Saturday night + raging = one great night of fun!…read more Concessions are well priced. Prepare for a long night by bringing coats and/or sweatshirts as the sun sets cooling the temperature of the day. Different events and promotions during the season. Bring a seat pad to sit on the wooden bleachers.

Saturday night 8/8. Worst experience in my 12 years of coming to the track. Over capacity. Too…read moremany people standing at the fence. People couldn't see the race. Fighting with drunks in front of everyone because they were asked to sit down in front at the fence. Staff did nothing to help the situation. Many people left without seeing the semis, including me

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

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

I'm not a traditional baseball fan, but have enjoyed a few Whitecaps games over the years, when…read moreinvited. Most recently, we were invited into the upstairs suite...man, it is nice! The food provided was really good, and the seats and view were nice. I enjoyed the option to sit inside or outside and the ability to open and close the window. It was a fun night and I'm excited to go again. (Also, cheers to the team for winning each time I've been)

Last time I was here, I ate the Baco and the 5/3 Burger. Times have changed. Different ballpark, no…read moremore novelty foods. Friendly staff and a family-friendly environment, but just not the same. Expensive parking, pregame music was sped up (personal pet peeve). But then I got to interact with the mascot. And all the between inning children activities. And the great music that played when the opposing player dropped a foul ball. So sure, this is more a review of the baseball than the venue itself. Come for a game and teach them to bring back the foods like old times.

2022 drink and food ticket system was WAY better than 2021s. Signs of improvement are wonderful…read more Had a great time again. Even had the honor of running into our Yelp leader Katy! Definitely the best event in November, hands down. In 2021 we went late, 2022 early, and I can say that our experience was so much better when we went early. We could actually walk, and get drinks without waiting in lines, or asking people to move who wanted to talk in front of booths. There were tables available to sit and eat, or listen to the music. Highly recommend going early if you have the ability to.

This annual event is definitely one for anyone who likes to eat or drink. With over 1,200 wines,…read morebeers, ciders, and spirits to try, as well as plated dinners, cooking demos, items for sale, small plates and samples galore, there's something for everyone at the International Wine, Beer, and Food Festival each year. I've been attending this festival for the past several years and it's always fun. Here are my tips: -Dress in layers and take advantage of the complimentary coat check. It can get a little chilly in the beer room, but you might not want to be holding your coat the whole time if you get warm. -Bring a small tote bag if you like free stuff or want to buy things. Lots of the beer booths have free swag and you may end up purchasing items as well. -Wear comfortable shoes. The beer room floors are all polished concrete, which can be hard on the feet. -Eat a little beforehand if you're mostly interested in drinking. Or check out some of the great local food options at the festival! -Check the prices on food items. In 2022 they had cash pricing as well as ticketed prices for most of the food booths, and often the cash prices were a better deal. Most of the vendors took credit cards. -The best time to go is usually early on Friday. Lines can get long and it can be a bit crowded on Saturday or in the evenings. I love going to the Festival and finding new favorites. It's a great way to sample things without having to buy a whole can or six pack of a beer or cider. I found a seltzer from Austin that I really enjoyed and ended up buying from a local store after the festival. I also ended up buying some salami chips for my Thanksgiving charcuterie board! Other favorites included Odd Brothers Cider out of Homer, Michigan, and local lychee vodka. I was happy to see more non-alcoholic options being offered and finally got to try the Liquid Death water. I'm already looking forward to next year!

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

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