Grand Haven, Michigan with a Toddler Trip Advice

I have been going to Grand Haven, Michigan every summer since I was 6 months old. My parents took me when I was a toddler, and I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve taken my toddler there with me. Grand Haven, Michigan with a toddler is a perfect USA trip. Beaches, ice cream, musical fountains… it’s so wonderful.

My parents now live near Grand Haven, so I am lucky to be able to visit so often. Even if they didn’t, though, I would still want to visit this amazing town.

Grand Haven, Michigan with a Toddler Jump To:

About Grand Haven
How to Get to Grand, Haven Michigan with a Toddler
When to Visit Grand Haven
Trip Length Recommendation
Where to Stay
Tips for Visiting Grand Haven, Michigan with a Toddler
Best Things to do in Grand Haven, Michigan with a Toddler

About Grand Haven

Grand Haven is a quaint town on the east coast of Lake Michigan. If you fly into Grand Rapids and drive West, you will eventually hit Grand Haven.

It has a population of 11,000 and is known for its 1839 Lighthouse and its “singing” sand. If you drag your feet, the sand squeaks. The sand here is lovely, and so are the sunsets on the Lake.

How to Get to Grand, Haven Michigan with a Toddler

Your best bet is to fly into Grand Rapids, rent a car, and drive around an hour to Grand Haven. We usually use Southwest, but a lot of airlines fly into this nice little airport.

Pro Toddler Travel Tip: The Grand Rapids airport is pretty small, which is so nice for traveling with a toddler. But it also has 2 play areas! One right before you go through security and one right after you go through security. We usually visit the one once we’re through security, and it’s perfect for toddlers.

When to Visit Grand Haven

Summer is prime time in Grand Haven. June-August is the time to go if you want to spend warm days on the beach. You can try May and September with the hope that you get some warm days, and there will be fewer crowds. It’s definitely a summer destination.

Grand Haven, Michigan with a Toddler Trip Length Recommendation

I have spent a full week on the beach here with our toddler and have still not been ready to go home. Truly, it’s such a lovely place. However, if you just want to hit the highlights and spend a few hours on the beach, you only need 2-3 nights.

But Grand Haven is best when you can savor it.

When you can sit with your toes in the sand and watch the sunset. When you can spend an afternoon on the beach and then head into town for dinner and drinks. Don’t rush your time here.

Where to Stay

We are big fans of AirBnBs with our toddler because we can put her to bed in a separate room and still have space to hang out.

There are lots of hotels in the area as well.

It’s generally a nice, safe town, so you don’t really need to worry about what area of Grand Haven you’re staying.

Tips for Visiting Grand Haven, Michigan with a Toddler

Accommodations can fill up, especially during summer weekends and holidays. Book them ahead of time.
Make sure you keep your toddler safe near the water. Besides just regular water safety, Grand Haven can have surprising undertows that pull people underwater.
Sunscreen! Lots of it if you’re spending time on the beach.
Have all your Toddler Travel Essentials for the trip, and double check your Packing List.
Relax. Don’t pack your schedule. Enjoy the little things.

Best Things to do in Grand Haven, Michigan with a Toddler:

A Lake Michigan Sunset from the beach in Grand Haven

Go to the Beach

The beach in Grand Haven is the best place to spend your time. It’s just so pretty, the freshwater lake doesn’t make you sticky like the ocean, and you don’t have to worry about sharks.

A lot of the beachfront property in Grand Haven is private property. You can’t just lay your towel in front of a beach cottage that isn’t yours. But you can walk the beach. If you want some exercise and an escape from the public beach crowds, pack some snacks and take a long walk along the lakeshore.

Try Grand Haven State Park. This beach park is right next to the lighthouse, so the views are great. You can walk the boardwalk, play on the playground, or just sit in the sand. Parking is $9 per day, or you can buy an annual pass for $34 if you’ll be spending a lot of days on the beach.

Grand Haven City Beach is a half-mile down the road from the State Park. Dogs are allowed here, it’s a bit farther from the lighthouses, and there’s a restaurant. Limited free parking is available.

North Beach Park is technically in Ferrysburg but is another beach option in the area. There’s a playground for your toddler. Pay to park.

Kirk Park Beach is in West Olive but worth a stop too. Playground and pay to park.

If there is a red flag warning, do NOT go swimming. It’s unsafe.

Experience The Musical Fountain

1 N Harbor Drive

This is such a unique, fun, free thing to do in Grand Haven!

They display colored fountains on the side of a hill across the river, and the fountains move to music.

Depending on how strict you are with bedtime for your toddler, you might have to skip this attraction. Mid-summer, it doesn’t start until after 10pm.

Shows are 25-30 minutes everyday at dusk, Memorial day through Labor Day.

Get all the info here.

Watch the Sunset

The sunsets from the beach in Grand Haven are the bestttttttt. The sun sinks behind the horizon over the lake, and it is just beautiful.

If you want to keep your kiddo up a bit late, I highly recommend hitting the beach and witnessing this.

**Of note, Michigan is in the Eastern Time Zone. We travel from Mountain Time, so we’re always 2 hours ahead on our trips to Grand Haven. Because of this, we just keep our toddler on Mountain Time. We let her go to bed late, and she (usually) sleeps in later in the morning. It makes it an easier transition when we get back home, AND we’re able to do fun things later in the day. Just a thought!**

Eat Ice Cream

Grand Haven has plenty of ice cream shops to satisfy this summer craving. I’ll list a couple of my favorites, but you can always use Yelp or wander into the nearest shop.

Temptations is on the boardwalk and so delicious. It can be a bit pricier than the other ice cream shops, but I do think it’s the best one in Grand Haven. Their ice cream and waffle cones are homemade, and it’s been a local shop for YEARS.

Norm’s doesn’t make their own ice cream, but the portions are huge and well-priced. And it is really good ice cream.

Wander Downtown

Washington Ave is where to go to explore the quaint downtown area of Grand Haven. There are cute shops and great places to eat. In the summer, they shut down part of the street to cars, so you can wander worry-free with your toddler.

toddler at Imagination Station playground

The BEST playground

Check Out This AMAZING Playground

1 Y Drive

This playground – Imagination Station – is hands down the BEST playground we have ever visited. Our toddler has the absolute time of her life. There’s a little kid section and an older kid section, but our almost 3 year old goes on both. She LOVES it. Runs and runs and runs. I promise you, if you’re visiting Grand Haven, Michigan with a toddler, you MUST visit this playground.

Free parking.

Visit MacKite Store – Grand Haven, Michigan with a Toddler

106 Washington Avenue

This local shop is a toddler’s dream. Tons of unique toys to check out, including beach toys if you forgot to bring them!

Walk the Boardwalk

Grand Haven has a 2.5 mile long boardwalk that leads to Grand Haven State Park and the pier. There are ice cream shops and other stops along the way. It’s probably too long to walk your toddler the whole way and back, but pick a section to burn some energy and watch the boats along the river.

Important: You can walk all the way to the lighthouse, but please be careful with toddlers. There are drops on each side that go straight into the water. If there’s any chance your toddler might choose to not listen and run off the edge, maybe wait to do the pier until they’re older.

Pick Some Fruit!

There are tons of You Pick Places in Grand Haven. Spend some time picking blueberries or apples. Here’s a list of all the places to visit and when they’re in season.

Hang Out at the Splash Pad

101 N Harbor Dr.

This splash pad is located near downtown and a nice spot for a toddler to cool off in the heat of summer.

Chinook Pier Mini Golf

301 N Harbor Dr.

This little – seriously, it’s very little – mini golf course is perfect for toddlers. It’s not difficult, it’s cheap ($3/adult and $2/kid), and they’ll have fun just hitting the ball around while the parents maybe get an actual game in.

Ride the Trolley

This can be a fun activity with toddlers. There are 2 different loops, it’s less than $2 per person, and it runs from 12pm-1opm. Check their website here to plan an outing. You must pay online ahead of time or pay with cash (exact change).

Eat Good Food and Drink Good Drinks

Our favorite places to go in Grand Haven for food/drink:

Ok, the BEST food in Grand Haven is Righteous Cuisine. It’s Mexican food, and it is SO GOOD. Unfortunately, the inside of the restaurant is small and I opt to not eat with my toddler there. BUT you can get takeout and find a pretty spot to eat. The tacos, the NACHOS, the burritos. Trust me, it’s so good. And you can get a cheap quesadilla for your toddler.
Oddside Ales. This spot is a brewery AND a coffee shop. Both drink options are delicious. There are board games, there’s outdoor seating, and you can get food from places nearby and bring it in. It’s very kid-friendly.
The Toasted Pickle has good sandwiches and delivers to Oddside.
Morning Star is THE place to go for breakfast. It’s delicious, and they’re always nice to my toddler. If you have to wait a while (it gets very busy, especially on the weekend), there’s a bookstore next door with an awesome kids section to explore.

Visit for a Festival – Or Avoid Festival Times Because It Gets SO Busy

Some people LOVE festivals. LOVE.

Others (like me) try to avoid the large crowds.

So this one is totally up to you! If you and your toddler love crowds and things to do, visit during one of Grand Haven’s stellar festivals.

Great Lakes Kite Festival – this one happens in May at Grand Haven State Park. See professionals fly kites and try to fly one of your own. Admission is free; pay to park.

Arts Festival – end of June in Downtown Grand Haven. Admission is free.

Coast Guard Festival and Fireworks – a week at the end of July. Grand Haven gets BUSY for this one. Over 300,000 people flock to the town for this event. They honor service members, have parades, ship tours, and fireworks.

Grand Haven Sand Sculpture Contest – one day event in August at City Beach.