Leaf-Peeping Weekends in Michigan: Grand Rapids
The city is built among trees and when they turn in mid-to-late October, the city glows with the colors of autumn.
Pair the scenery with a world-class sculpture park and a downtown full of breweries, and there’s plenty to fill a fall weekend in Grand Rapids.
Color in the Gardens
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park showcases October at its most colorful. The event Mums at Meijer Gardens runs through the month and fills the grounds with Michigan’s largest chrysanthemum display, arranged among pumpkins, gourds and ornamental grasses. Every Tuesday in October, family-friendly Autumn Nights means the gardens stay open until 9 p.m. with live music, food trucks and children’s activities.
Beer City, U.S.A. in Fall
Grand Rapids isn’t called Beer City, USA for nothing, and autumn brings out some of its best-known flavors. Founders Brewing Co. taps its Märzen-style Oktoberfest and the barrel-aged Ultimate Oktoberfest at its taproom just off downtown. A short drive west, New Holland Brewing's seasonal flagship, Ichabod Pumpkin Ale, is also worth sampling.
On the Road
To explore the fall colors outside of the city, follow Leonard Street west out of Grand Rapids and into Ottawa County, where it winds along the Grand River toward Spring Lake. It’s worth stopping here and stretching your legs. Breathe in the crisp lakeside air and soak up the colors as you bike or walk the 12-mile loop around the lake. Then return to one of the quaint cafés in town for some much-deserved coffee.
For making the most of your time in the city, check out more fall attractions in Grand Rapids, including top photo spots, color routes and more.
Find more weekend getaways to soak up as much Michigan fall color as possible this season. To see predictions of where and when fall color will peak throughout our two peninsulas, check out our interactive fall color map.