by Bella Cooper

Created on: October 05, 2009   Last Updated: April 18, 2011

Grand Rapids is a beautiful part of Michigan, and is especially lovely in the autumn months. The leaves are changing color making the surroundings quite striking, and there are plenty of fun activities to partake in. Here is a guide describing some of the fun things you can enjoy in Grand Rapids during the fall.

With the vivid autumn colors, be sure to enjoy the outdoor scenery with a stroll through one of the fantastic parks located in the city. Belknap Hill is a particularly popular spot, holding two lovely hillside parks, as is the Frederick Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park , housing beautiful flowers and plants and outdoor sculpture. Another great way to appreciate the outdoors is to take one of the great tours offered in the city.

Your family will especially enjoy attending one of the fall-specific events. Go on a fun hayride or corn maze, pick out pumpkins for carving at one of the pumpkin patches, or stop by an apple orchard to collect the tasty fruit. These are all fun ways to get outside and enjoy the season.

The fall is also home to a great art program called ArtPrize. This festival runs during late September and early October and features art displayed throughout the city. Local artists will set up their work at locations all over the downtown, competing for thousands of dollars in prizes.

Another great place to visit in the fall months is the John Ball Zoological Garden, which is home to a great park and zoo. The zoo is home to many native and exotic species, including some of the more recent additions of a Komodo Dragon and wallabies.

With the amount of waterways nearby, you can also enjoy the outdoors by fishing or boating. Right in the downtown you can fish for salmon and steelhead, or you move further away at one of the many local rivers or lakes. Consider renting a boat at Lake Macatawa or Lake Michigan, or take a canoe or kayak trip down the Rogue River or Grand River.

If you want a break from the fresh air, head on in to the Public Museum of Grand Rapids, which is a world-class history museum. There you can enjoy many of the exhibits focused on the history of Grand Rapids and the West Michigan area. In addition, you can enjoy staring at the stars at the Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium located within the museum.

As you can see, the autumn is a great time to visit Grand Rapids and there are many fun ways to enjoy the city both indoors and outdoors. Have a nice trip!

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