Fun Things to Do Before Spring
Can you believe winter is nearly over? It seems like we were just decorating for Christmas. And now, all of the sudden, we’re getting ready for spring!
As you prepare for warmer weather, here are some last-minute winter activity ideas before Old Man Winter leaves us yet again.
Some are outside, enabling you to fully embrace the season a little longer. Others are indoors—activities that you may not partake in again until next winter.
Regardless of which activity (or activities) you choose to enjoy, let’s make the most of the last few days of winter!
Climb a rock wall (or watch someone else climb it). Open every day, Grand Rapids’ Planet Rock offers a unique wintertime activity: indoor rock climbing. If you’d like to provide your grandchildren an unusual form of entertainment, consider visiting soon. They may even be interested in Planet Rock’s youth program!
Cross-country ski at Pigeon Creek Park. Perhaps you haven’t cross-country skied in years and are interested in trying it again? Or maybe your grandkids have mentioned the hobby to you and you’d love to see them participate in it? Regardless, consider visiting West Olive’s Pigeon Creek Park in the near future. It has more than 10 miles of cross-country ski trails!
Have some fun at the Fowling Warehouse. As a combination of football and bowling, the Fowling Warehouse offers a unique activity for you to try before spring arrives. There really is nothing quite like it—it’s an experience you have to participate in firsthand to truly understand. Once you do, you’ll likely love it!
Ice skate at Griff’s Ice House. Known mainly as the practice facility for the Grand Rapids Griffins, Griff’s Ice House also has open skating. As an activity you can enjoy with your friends or loved ones year round, Griff’s only charges $10 for all skaters. This fee even includes ice skate rentals. If you aren’t interested in ice skating yourself, there are plenty of seats available to sit back and watch others skate.
Simplicity is good, too. Sometimes nothing beats having a cup of coffee or hot chocolate and sitting down, while looking out the window at winter’s pristine beauty. While doing so, consider inviting your children, grandchildren, friends, or other relatives over to just talk—before they become busy during the warmer months.
Snowshoe at Aman Park. Have you ever been to Aman Park before? If not, you’re missing out! Located a few minutes away from downtown Grand Rapids, Aman Park provides more than 300 acres of land. It also has several trails that you can snowshoe on, while witnessing the majestic beauty of maple, oak, and pine trees. You need to visit this park at least once!
Step back into time. Are your grandchildren familiar with roller skating? If not, you have an opportunity to teach them about this once highly popular pastime. And there’s only one way for them to truly learn about it—by experiencing it for themselves! Luckily, West Michigan has a variety of roller skating facilities to visit, too. From Grandville’s Tarry Hall Roller Skating Rink to Byron Center’s and Kentwood’s GR Skate & Event Center, there are many options!
Take your grandkids to Rosa Parks Circle. Do your grandchildren love to ice skate? Have they ever ice skated at Rosa Parks Circle before? If not, there’s no better time than now to take them! Maybe you’ll even join them (weather permitting, of course)?!
Visit John Ball Zoo while the snow’s falling. Without question, the zoo is one of the last places you’ll likely think about during the wintertime. However, as a Grand Rapids resident, that doesn’t have to be the case! Did you know you can receive 45-minute, private, guided tours in the winter?
Watch your grandkids tube at Cannonsburg. Roughly 20 minutes from Grand Rapids, Cannonsburg provides one of Michigan’s best tubing hills. Why not watch your grandkids have the time of their lives before the snow melts? Of note, tickets are only $25 if they’re 10 or younger.
Whether winter is your favorite season or you can’t wait for spring, why not fully embrace the remainder of the season? Let’s treasure our next few days with Old Man Winter— before April showers lead to May flowers!
