Make the most of spring break and take the kids on a road trip! From a couple hour drive day trips to overnight adventures, here are a few of fun getaways your family will love.
Lansing – 1 Hours From Detroit
- Lansing has a NEW $3M accessible playground at Louis F. Adado Riverfront Park. The vibrant playground is fun for everyone. Completely barrier-free allowing children and adults, regardless of ability, to play side-by-side throughout the entire park. 500 N Grand Avenue, Lansing, MI 48933
- Impression 5 Science Center is a great interactive space for families to play, create, and challenge their understanding of science. The hands-on museum offers dedicated space for the littlest learners and lots of space for everyone interested in building, flying, bubbles and more. You can also experience the temporary Scooby-Doo! Mansion Mayhem exhibit.
- Take a trip through time at the Michigan History Center, the museum offers interactive fun for kids and FREE admission on Sundays. Take a 3 story tour through time, the museum’s hands-on exhibits look at the life and industry in interactive ways that give kids a chance to stroll from the wilderness to the copper mines and into the classroom. See first-hand what life in Michigan has been like for generations.
Grand Rapids – 2 Hours From Detroit
- The Frederik Meijer Garden and Sculpture Park is beautiful and expansive – wear walking shoes because there’s plenty to see. From the indoor conservatory, featuring Butterflies Are Blooming, to the ‘hidden’ tree house playground and famously large horse statue outside, this is more than a garden trip
- The same can be said for zoo. John Ball Zoo is an oasis for animals and their visitors. Get up close to animals, ride the Funicular and play at parks inside and out of the incredible zoo. The Grand Rapids Lantern Festival runs April 10th thru June 16th and it’s a can’t-miss experience.
- Downtown Grand Rapids is walkable and features mulitple family-friendly museums. The Grand Rapids Public Museum is 3 stories of fun with a special Building Buddies exhibit that’s great for the pre-K crowd, the Grand Rapids Children’s Museum is experiencing a Daniel Tiger takeover and pop into the Grand Rapids Art Museum to get creative and play in the Brick By Brick LEGO exhibit.
Fort Wayne, Indiana – 2.5 Hours From Detroit
- At Science Central spend the afternoon exploring more than more than 200 hands-on exhibits and activities that promote learning while having fun. See a live science experiment in the demo theater, splash in the water zone, and so much more.
- Fort Wayne was built on three rivers, which offer unique connectivity. Via a connected trail network (that totals more than 120 miles), you can enjoy destinations like Promenade Park – a one-of-a-kind park that features a kids’ canal, permanent ping pong and corn hole games, a tree canopy trail, porch swings, river access, and more. BONUS: Explore vibrant pieces of art around every corner! Use the Fort Wayne Public Art Trail on your phone to find 150+ murals and sculptures around town.
- The Botanical Conservatory and Fort Wayne Museum of Art also make great additions to a Spring Break trip to Fort Wayne. The Botanical Conservatory’s Speedway exhibit is a fun indoor activity where kids can pedal along and burn some rubber on a tropical racetrack. The Fort Wayne Museum of Art has a new dedicated wing for glass art and is continually developing as a Midwest center for glass.
Ohio – 1 to 4 Hours From Detroit
- Hocking Hills State Park is a geological gem with waterfalls, caves and natural and American made features that will take your breath away. Put on your walking shoes and get ready to hike. Book a stay at a cabin or the cute, tropical themed hotel – Worthington of Logan – that has an indoor salt water pool. This is a 4 hour drive but worth it, check out these stops along the way.
- Columbus Zoo and Aquartium – it has 10,000 animals, dinosaur area and amusement park!
- Keep it even closer to home and check out Glass City Metropark in Toledo. The FREE public riverfront park has multiple new, creative playgrounds, roller rink and more! The Toledo Botanical Garden & Secret Forest Playground is also free and right off the freeway! Let the kids burn off extra energy in the treehouse, climbing structures, and walking trails.
Chicago, Illinois – 4.5 Hours From Detroit
- There’s a museum for all interest in Chicago! For science lovers, check out the Adler Planetarium or the Museum of Science & Industry. For animal lovers, visit the Field Museum or the Shedd Aquarium. For lovers of art check out The Art Institute or Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art. For nature lovers visit the Garfield Park Conservatory, Chicago Botanic Garden, or The Morton Arboretum. And if you plan on visiting multiple city museums/attractions, be sure to get a CityPASS for cost savings!
- Scattered throughout the Chicagoland area are TEN different children’s museums that are dedicated to hands-on exploration and are the perfect place to spend a day with younger kiddos. While downtown, visit the Chicago Children’s Museum located at Navy Pier. Just west of downtown is Wonder Works Children’s Museum which is an easy 30-minute “L” train ride from downtown and located in beautiful Oak Park where you can plan a day of shopping, playing, and dining. Other popular children’s museums include Dupage Children’s Museum in downtown Naperville, the Kohl Children’s Museum in Glenview, and SciTech Hands-on Museum in Aurora.
- Don’t forget to visit Millennium Park. Take a selfie at “The Bean” and visit the Play Garden at Maggie Daley Park! It’s a stunning 3-acre kid’s fantasyland with climbing walls, huge slides, a giant climbing ship, and more!
LittleGuide Detroit’s family adventures are brought to you by Southeast Michigan Ford Dealers:
