Winter in West Michigan | 2024 - The Local Element West Michigan

Winter in West Michigan 2024

Winter has truly taken off, West Michigan, and we are pretty pumped about it! From new things coming to Grand Rapids this year to the classic West Michigan winter activities, there is plenty of fun for all to enjoy! Keep reading for a list of the latest and greatest winter activities for the 2023/2024 winter season in West Michigan!

1. The Christkindl Market Grand Rapids

The Christkindl Market is brand new to Grand Rapids this year and has been a BIG success! It is open until December 23 so if you haven’t made it out yet, you definitely should do so. It runs every Wednesday through Sunday and is located at the Downtown Market in Grand Rapids.

So what exactly is the Christkindl Market?

It is a traditional European inspired holiday market that features local artisans in the area it is being hosted in along with food vendors, entertainment, and so much more!

2. Ice Skating-Rosa Parks Circle and the Muskegon Luge Park

It’s not a West Michigan winter without ice skating!! And let us tell you about the two best places to ice skate in the West Michigan area:

The first is at Rosa Parks Circle where you will get some city views while listening to the most nostalgic Christmas tunes. Ice skating at Rosa Parks runs from November 30 to February 24 this year.

Next we definitely recommend that you visit the Muskegon Luge Park and skate their ice trail that winds through the woods! The trail takes you on a half mile, figure eight loop through the trees and is the perfect spot to enjoy the outdoors!

3. Cultural Christmas Trees at Frederik Meijer Gardens

Frederik Meijer Gardens is showcasing the COOLEST exhibit right now! Head out there to see the cultural displays of holiday traditions and the park decked out in holiday cheer throughout – both indoors and outdoors! Pictured above is some of the cultural Christmas trees

4. Ada Covered Bridge

Ada is another fun place to visit in the winter whether it’s to get some holiday shopping in at the local boutiques or going to see the lights at the Ada Covered Bridge! The bridge is decked out in lights and holiday decor in the winter and is absolutely beautiful! (Pssst-to any guys who are dating a reading this, it also makes for a fantastic engagement spot!)

5. LMCU Ball Park Lights

One of the fav winter activities in Grand Rapids during the winter is the Christmas Lite Show at the LMCU Ballpark. Get your gang together and take a drive through the beautiful lights as you listen to holiday music and get into the holiday spirit!

6. Cannonsburg Skiing and Winter Wonderland

The Winter Wonderland Forest is a lit up trail that you can enjoy during select dates during the month of December at Cannonsburg! The trail is a half mile long and is perfect for all ages, be sure to dress warm though! Click here to learn more about the dates and times you can go!

Once the snow starts coming, then you can enjoy skiing and snow tubing at Cannonsburg which is a family favorite in the West MI area!!

7. World Of Winter GR

We are SO excited for World of Winter in Grand Rapids this year! It runs from January 12, 2024 to March 10, 2024 this year and there are a ton of events to add to your calendar! Stay tuned for a ton of light up exhibits scattered around the city as well as a fun event calendar with things like giant hungry hungry hippos and a silent disco. Click the link below to see the full event calendar!

8. Winter Sports in Grand Rapids

Grand Rapids is a busy place in the winter when it comes to sports. The city is home to two sports teams who hold games for fans to enjoy at Van Andel arena throughout the winter!

The first is the Grand Rapids Griffins, and if you’ve been a West Michigander for a while you know that this team is well loved! The Griffins are the hockey team affiliated with the Detroit Red Wings and hold super fun home games for you to enjoy.

The Grand Rapids Gold is GR’s very own basketball team and they also play at Van Andel Arena. The team is an NBA affiliate with the Denver Nuggets. Join the fan base by buying tickets to a game!

9. The Grand Rapids Symphony Winter Concerts

The Grand Rapids Symphony does a fantastic job with any concert they do! In the winter they have a couple of different concerts that are AMAZING in the winter!

The first is the Holiday Pops concerts which really help you get into the true holiday spirit

10. Snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in West MI forests and trails

The lakeshore is a widely popular place to visit in the summers in West Michigan, but in the winter the trails through the dunes make for great places to snowshoe and cross country ski! Pigeon Creek Park, North Ottawa Dunes, PJ Hoffmaster State Park, and the Muskegon Luge Park are all great spots along the lakeshore to enjoy the outdoors in the winter!