Make it a Grand (Rapids) weekend
Sure, you think there'll be nothing sweeter than getting a few extra hours of shut-eye on the weekend, but lo and behold, the body clock that's used to buzzing in the darkness of 6 a.m. weekdays doesn't know it's Saturday or Sunday. You'll be as alert as a prairie dog bobbing from his burrow around 6:15 anyway, so why not make the early morning rise and shine pay off nicely, providing a remarkable rate of return with a fall family getaway?
Tell the little miscreants they can go back to sleep in the car on the way to the Grand Rapids area. When they awaken, the scene will be awash in painted pumpkins, apple cider and scarecrow stuffing. Choose the weekend of Oct. 6 and 7 or Oct. 13 and 14 to visit the Rockford Harvest Festival, in Rockford, Mich., a northern suburb of Grand Rapids. The party is completely family-oriented with lots of free entertainment and kids' activities (www.rockfordmi chamber.com). The Harvest Celebration in Lowell, 14 miles east of Grand Rapids, is jam-packed into one day, Oct. 13. Join in the Scarecrow Building Hoedown, sample entries in an old-fashioned chili cook-off, tune in to live music and browse the Fifth Annual Flat River Antique Fair. For details, call (616) 897-9161 or tour www.discoverlowell.org.
An easy 15 miles west of Grand Rapids, the Coopersville & Marne Railway presents the Famous Pumpkin Train in October (6, 7, 13, 14, 20, 21, 27 and 28). Antique passenger cars are decorated to the harvest hilt and the countryside views outside thrill as you glide past family farms, pastoral woodlands and wildlife. Kids' attention will be focused on the Great Pumpkin, Scarecrow and Little Crow who are on board to sing, dance and tell jokes during the 75-minute journey. Passengers de-train at a trackside pumpkin patch where kids pick a locally grown pumpkin. For details, coast over to www.coopersvilleand marne.org or call (616) 997-7000.
Back in town, take a wagon ride at Robinette's Apple Haus & Gift Barn, a fifth-generation, family-owned and family-operated fruit farm, cider mill, bakery and lunchroom featuring seasonal fruits such as apples, peaches, nectarines and cherries (www.robinettes.com).
Head indoors to warm up the bod and brain at the Grand Rapids Children's Museum (www.grcm.org). Through Nov. 11, the "To the Rescue" ambulance exhibit shows kids how to stay safe and gives young visitors a glimpse into the lives of rescue workers. Play with Lil' Red Fire Truck No. 5 and dress up as firefighters, steer the rescue vehicles, play safety games and much more. For admission fees and hours, call (616) 235-4726.
Take advantage of the lingering crisp, sunny days at the ColorFall celebration throughout October at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. Fun, educational activities for the entire family include color tours, giant pumpkins and colossal chrysanthemum displays along the walking trails of Meijer Gardens.
Every day during October, guides lead tours through the park highlighting changes in color in a variety of plants (or opt for a self-led tour if the kids get too squirrelly). Consider a family photo around one of the largest chrysanthemum displays in Michigan, then stroll Meijer Gardens' 1930s-era farmstead in harvest mode for the entire month of October. A Fall Family Day & Herb Festival takes place Oct. 6 and 7 featuring live music, activities in the large children's garden, herb products and yummy samplings of mustard, syrup, butters and sugars.
For more ColorFall events at Michigan's largest tropical conservatory, visit www.meijergardens.org.
You might want to be some of the first to experience the brand new JW Marriott Grand Rapids, the Midwest's first JW Marriott, the company's luxury brand. The Grand Rapids/Kent County Convention & Visitors Bureau's Web site, www.visitgrandrapids.com, also features a list of hotels offering affordable family packages. About 180 miles from Chicago, Grand Rapids offers a range of museums, art galleries and ethnic and family restaurants as well as the only five-star, five-diamond restaurant in the state.