My dad and I celebrating Father's Day in Grand Rapids
Father’s Day 2025 falls on Sunday, June 15, which means it’s coming up quickly. If you’re in the West Michigan area, I’ve put together this list of the top Father’s Day activities in Grand Rapids. This list features a variety of Father’s Day ideas for every type of dad, with everything from local brunch and lunch spots to unique events and activities around town.
7 Ways to Celebrate Father’s Day in Grand Rapids This Year
Wolfang’s - Best for Father’s Day Brunch in Grand Rapids Wolfgang’s is a well-known breakfast spot on Wealthy Street in Eastown GR, and it’s the kind of local, laid-back place that many dads would enjoy for a Father’s Day brunch. Additionally, it’s a more affordable option than some higher-end brunch spots. Wolfgang’s has a kids’ menu, where kids 12 and under can choose from three breakfast items for under $5. Wolfgang’s Sunday hours are 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like they take online reservations, so I suggest calling them at (616) 454-5776 to ask about reservations. In the event you can’t make a reservation, you can always call ahead to see how busy they are. Pros
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For more brunch ideas, take a look at this roundup of top brunch spots in Grand Rapids Gerald R. Ford Museum - Best Father’s Day Idea for History Buffs Located just off the U.S. 131 highway in downtown Grand Rapids, the Gerald R. Ford Museum is a great idea if your dad is into museums and history. This presidential library is dedicated to the nation’s 38th president, who grew up in Grand Rapids. On Sundays, the museum is open from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., and ticket prices for adults are $13. Prices for seniors, military members, college students, and kids are cheaper. Kids 5 and under can go in for free. Pros
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Grand Haven - Best for a Beach Day I grew up visiting Grand Haven, and it’s one of the most popular beaches in West Michigan during summer. I chose this one because you also have the option to camp there, and there are numerous restaurants in the area to eat at. Granted, the weather in Michigan can be unpredictable, so you may need to plan for this one a little closer to the date. However, nothing beats a gorgeous day on Lake Michigan. If you’re really looking to splurge, you might also consider staying at one of the local hotels in the area to spend Father’s Day weekend there. Pros
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Grand Rapids Beer Tour - Best Unique Activity Grand Rapids is known for its exceptional local breweries. Heck, it was even named ‘Beer City USA’, so a beer tour around the city could be a unique way for dad to spend his Father’s Day. Great Lakes Pub Cruisers offers 2-6-person party bike tours around the city to top breweries. Unfortunately, they don’t have a beer tour on the actual Father’s Day Sunday, but you could book a tour on Saturday, June 14. In the event you’d rather save something for Sunday, consider visiting a new brewery you haven’t been to yet. Some of my top choices are New Holland, Cedar Springs Brewing Company, Founders, Brewery Vivant, and Perrin Brewing. Pros
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The Score - Best for Father’s Day Lunch The Score is one of the most unique establishments in West Michigan. Throughout most of the year, it’s a regular sports bar, but come summer, its backyard morphs into a tropical oasis in the heart of the Midwest. With live bands, sand, and even volleyball games all situated along the lake, The Score is a great spot if your dad could use a getaway this Father’s Day. As you might imagine, this place can get busy during the summer season, and unfortunately, they only take reservations for parties of 20 or more. So, if you do come here, just keep in mind that you may have to wait a bit for a table. Pros
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Grand Rapids Lantern Festival - Best Local Event Father’s Day 2025 also happens to fall on the last day of the Grand Rapids Lantern Festival at John Ball Zoo. According to the zoo’s official website, this evening festival features Asian lantern displays around the park and runs from 7:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Tickets for non-members are $26 and $23 for members. This could also be a fun outing for those with younger kids. Pros
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Hike at Saugatuck Dunes - Best Outdoorsy Idea If your dad is anything like mine and loves outdoor activities, then a hike could be a great idea for a nice Father’s Day adventure. Like Grand Haven, this one will depend on the weather, so I recommend checking the forecast up to a few days before. There are lots of beautiful West Michigan hikes you can find, but one my dad personally recommended was the Saugatuck Dunes. After your hike, consider going out for lunch or to a brewery for some local craft beer. Pros
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Transparency Disclosure — The opinions on this website are independent and based on my own personal experiences. I may receive a referral fee for stays booked through the links on this site. 
For this year’s Europe trip, I managed to find another non-stop flight from LA. Last year, it was to Barcelona, but this year, the destination was Frankfurt, Germany. And the airline? Lufthansa.
This German airline has been around since the 50s and is a well-known commodity. If you’ve never flown them before, you might be wondering if they’re any good. And if you’re American, you may wonder how this international airline stacks up against U.S. ones. Lufthansa Check-In Process Check-in with Lufthansa was super convenient. I was able to check in online and obtain my boarding pass through email and the airline’s official app. For the passport part, I simply had to manually put in that info. This saved me plenty of at LAX airport too. All I had to do at that point was go through security. Once I got to my gate, an airline rep just had to verify that I physically had the passport. Are Lufthansa Flights On-Time? This one’s kind of hard to nail down since probably every airline has delays at some point. In my case, my flight's take off time was delayed 50 minutes, but since I didn’t have any layovers it wasn’t an issue for me. I imagine if you had a tighter layover, it could impact things though. Lufthansa In-Flight Experience Since I was going on an 11-hour flight and have a bladder the size of an acorn, I prebooked my seat. I was in economy but selected an aisle seat on the left side of the aircraft. This plane was huge. It was columns of two, four, and two seats. While the lady next to me wasn’t pleased with the seat space, I was pretty used to it since I often fly economy or basic economy to save money. What most impressed me, however, was the two meals we got on the flight. I’ve been so used to not getting a meal on flights (or at the most some peanuts and ginger ale), that the idea of a meal, let alone two, on a long-haul flight felt like a luxury. I was actually able to select ahead of time if I wanted a special meal. I ordered the vegan option. Both the dinner and breakfast were good, though I liked the breakfast one slightly more. Also, did I mention I got free wine too? As far as turbulence, we had a little in the beginning, but most of the flight was smooth sailing. All-in-all, I would recommend Lufthansa. If you're ready to book with a flight Lufthansa or just look for flights in general, you can click on the link below to search upcoming flights on Booking.com. Transparency Disclosure — The opinions on this website are independent and based on my own personal experiences. I may receive a referral fee for stays booked through the links on this site.
If you’re like me and on the fence about the idea of camping at Yosemite, another option is to stay at a hotel or motel in a town near the Yosemite park entrance you’re closest to. For those coming from Los Angeles and other areas of Southern California, that would be Yosemite’s south entrance.
I recommend staying in the town of Oakhurst, which is about a 30-minute drive from the south entrance. My husband and I recently stayed at the Oakhurst Inn at Yosemite, and in this review, I’ll discuss our experience there and share my thoughts on whether I’d recommend it as a place to stay during your Yosemite trip. Where is the Oakhurst Inn? The Oakhurst Inn is located off Road 41 in Oakhurst, California. If you’re coming from LA, it’s about a 4-hour drive. The Oakhurst Inn is a motel-style property. Oakhurst Inn Check-In Process The check-in process here was quick and easy. I just had to show them an ID and pay a $100 incidentals deposit, which is returned after your stay. We were given two keys for our room, and they even provided a welcome goody bag with a thank-you card, snacks, and juice boxes. That was a nice touch! How Far is the Oakhurst Inn from Yosemite? The Oakhurst Inn is a 30-minute drive to Yosemite’s south entrance. Getting there is very easy, too. It’s just a straight shot on Road 41 until you reach the park entrance. A heads up, though, that the road to the park entrance has a lot of twists and turns, so if you can, I’d avoid driving at night. How Much Does It Cost to Stay at the Oakhurst Inn at Yosemite? We stayed at the Oakhurst Inn for two nights in mid-May (Thursday to Saturday), and the total cost was $350, including taxes and fees. Believe it or not, this was one of the more affordable options, but we also booked our trip at the last minute. We stayed there the week before Memorial Day Weekend, so I imagine prices will be higher during the busy summer season. Pros: What I Liked About the Oakhurst Inn at Yosemite
Would I Recommend the Oakhurst Inn at Yosemite? Yes, I would recommend the Oakhurst Inn if you’re visiting Yosemite National Park. I didn’t have any complaints during my stay. The staff was friendly, and the property was quiet. Plus, the extra perks like the location, free breakfast, pool, and being pet-friendly make this a great choice. It’s a 2-star motel, so don’t come here expecting luxury, but I think you get a lot of bang for your buck. My only regret was that I didn’t book earlier because the price was more expensive than I would have liked to pay for a motel. Visiting Yosemite soon? Find out my top tips for visiting Yosemite for the first time. Transparency Disclosure — The opinions on this website are independent and based on my own personal experiences. I may receive a referral fee for stays booked through the links on this site. |
About the author
Jill Zwarensteyn is a writer and comedian who has been featured on Islands.com, Amazon, truTV, The New York Times, Matador Network, BUST Magazine, Sleep Advisor, Tiplr, ARTRPRNR Magazine, YourTango, Thought Catalog, GoMad Nomad, Mashable, The Daily Mail UK, the Cannes Film Festival, LaughFest, Women's Lifestyle Magazine, and the Funny Women Festival LA. Archives
June 2025
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