Grand Rapids, Michigan is a veritable winter wonderland from December through March, a snow and ice playground for kids of all ages. There is so much to do in the winter: from ice skating to downhill and cross country skiing; sledding, tobogganing, and tubing to snowmobiling; and from catching a Griffins hockey game to exploring one of the many fine museums in the area; everyone can find a winter pastime and many will find a snowy passion in or close to Grand Rapids.

Ice Skating

Rosa Park Circle Ice Rink, located in the Monroe Center at the intersection of Monroe and Pearl, is West Michigan's first refrigerated outdoor ice rink. Weekdays there is music played over the public address system and on weekends a DJ provides interactive entertainment and music for relaxing skating fun.

Indoor ice skating is also available, for those way-too-cold-outside days, at the Griff's Ice House at Belknap Park. Just north of downtown at 30 Coldbrook NE, the official practice ice for the Grand Rapids Griffins offers skate rentals, regular open skate times, 8-week learn-to-skate classes, special events, a concession stand, and more.

The Walker Ice and Fitness Center, located at 4151 Remembrance Rd in Walker, just north of Grand Rapids, offers open skating, rentals, skate lessons, skate sharpening, and party packages for a "chillin'" celebration. For those who want their kids to enjoy this ice, but would rather sit-it-out themselves, there is a heated lobby viewing area where you can watch the youngsters in comfort.

Skiing

The trails at Aman Park offer self-guided, interpretive hikes in summer and cross country ski adventure in the winter. The park is located just west of Grand Rapids, on Lake Michigan Dr. There is an available park trail guide here.

Kent Trails provides 15 miles of relatively flat, mostly paved, non-motorized cross country enjoyment. Used by bicycles, skateboards, and rollerbladers in the summer, it is virtually a skiers haven in the winter. With 5 main access points, and traversing across Grand Rapids and five of her suburbs, there is easy access and varied scenery for hours of crisp, refreshing exercise.

Many of the larger parks in and around Grand Rapids offer areas that are compatible with cross country skiing. Check the website for access, availability, and directions.

Cannonsburg Ski Area, located northeast of Grand Rapids at 6800 Cannonsburg Rd., is West Michigan's premier downhill and cross country ski destination. Its not Lake Tahoe, but it is a lot of fun for the kids! With 18 runs and a vertical drop of 250-ft there is a course to please everyone. They offer rentals, beginner's lessons, an assortment of easy to moderately difficult hills, and good lifts, plus a good selection of cross country trails. There are separate areas for snowboarding and tubing.

Sledding

Almost every park in Grand Rapids has a hill of some sort that you can sled down, but there are a few that are either set up for sledding or are just very popular with the sledding crowd. Here are the top three sledding destinations in Grand Rapids.

Richmond Park, located at 1101 Richmond NW, is a terrific place to spend a wintry afternoon. There are a few trees off to one side of the hill, so be sure that the little ones keep on course, but a big amenity of Richmond's hill is the set of stairs leading back to the top. Great for helping those same little ones return for another run down the hill.

Pinery Park, 2301 DeHoop, is just south of Grand Rapids and a good evening sledding spot. There is a fence just past the bottom of the hill that gets protected with hay bales and the walk back up is assisted by a stationary rope pull. Not too big, easy access from the parking lot and restrooms make Pinery Park a favorite of the younger kids.

Johnson Park is a Kent County Park, located at 2600 Wilson Avenue in Walker just off I-196 south of town. Johnson Park is the "Big Cheese" of Grand Rapids area winter recreation spots. With the best sledding hills, albeit minus the assistance back up the hill; scenic trails perfect for cross country skiing; and plenty of room to dash around aboard your favorite snowmobile, Johnson Park is the place to be for mid-winter, blues chasing, spirit-liifting fun and excitement.

Indoor Fun

If you enjoy watching sports more than partaking in them, the Grand Rapids Griffins Hockey Team can put on quite a show. From catching a game at the VanAndel Arena downtown to watching an open practice at their official practice facility on Coldbrook, you can stay warm and enjoy the excitement of good hockey played up-close and personal.

Grand Rapids is home to a variety of museums, from the Children's Museum to the Gerald R. Ford museum to Art Museum and more. There is an adventure awaiting you, on a cold and blustery winter day, at you favorite museum. Come on in, we'll leave the heat on.

Grand Rapids, Michigan is a great place to spend recreational, educational, and leisure time any winter, every winter, and all winter long. Come experience the warmer side of winter with us, won't you?

Learn more about this author, Wendy Lafond.
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