Grand Rapids With Kids
10 stops · about 5 hours · Updated October 12, 2026
Build a day in Grand Rapids, MI around game show competition, bowling and story-based puzzles, with lunch and a food stop between activities. Grand Rapids Game Show welcomes children and puts family members into competition with friends and strangers downtown. Clique Lanes pairs bowling with on-site food and free lot and street parking. At The Ruse Escape Rooms, families have 60 minutes to explore, find clues and solve puzzles while working toward an escape.
Lunch choices come with specific family amenities. Bistro Bella Vita serves Mediterranean dishes and provides a children’s menu, high chairs and changing tables. Licari’s Sicilian Pizza Kitchen-No.1 offers pizza, pasta and sandwiches, plus a children’s menu and high chairs. Big Bob’s Pizza adds free popcorn and big-screen TVs to its pizzeria setting.
For another food stop, Black Napkin serves dessert alongside comfort food, with counter service and takeout. Brooklyn Bodega Bagels And Deli offers egg and cheese on a bagel or Kaiser bun, deli sandwiches, salads and coffee. Pinball at The Pyramid Scheme and Michigan craft beer at Arvon Brewing Co. - GR Taproom round out the wider list.
Something to do
morning
Stop 1
Grand Rapids Game Show
5.0(260)Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids Game Show welcomes children for game show competition against family, friends and strangers, with wheelchair-accessible entrance, parking and restroom.
Stop 2
The Pyramid Scheme
4.6(2175)Grand Rapids
The Pyramid Scheme combines pinball machines, arcade games and a live rock venue in back with a laid-back bar and kitschy setting.
Stop 3
Clique Lanes
4.6(718)Grand Rapids
Clique Lanes pairs bowling with on-site food, suitability for children’s birthday parties, and free parking in both a lot and street spaces.
Run around outside
afternoon
Stop 4
The Ruse Escape Rooms
4.9(504)Grand Rapids
The Ruse Escape Rooms welcomes families into locally designed, story-based games with 60 minutes to explore, find clues, solve puzzles and escape.
Stop 5
Arvon Brewing Co. - GR Taproom
4.8(295)Grand Rapids
Arvon Brewing Co. - GR Taproom serves Michigan craft beer, focusing on New England-style IPAs, heavily fruited sours and bold stouts.
Lunch
midday
Stop 6
Big Bob's Pizza
4.7(680)Grand Rapids
Big Bob’s Pizza brings free popcorn and big-screen TVs to a comfortable pizzeria setting, with microbrews and a full bar also available.
Stop 7
Bistro Bella Vita
4.6(2163)Grand Rapids
Bistro Bella Vita combines farm-to-table Mediterranean dishes with patio dining, a children’s menu, high chairs and changing tables for family meals.
Stop 8
Licari's Sicilian Pizza Kitchen-No.1
4.6(1746)Grand Rapids
Licari’s Sicilian Pizza Kitchen-No.1 serves pizza, pasta and sandwiches in a laid-back setting, with a children’s menu, high chairs and outdoor seating.
Treat
afternoon
Stop 9
Black Napkin
4.8(1181)Grand Rapids
Black Napkin offers dessert alongside comfort food and vegan and vegetarian options, with counter service and takeout in a casual setting.
Stop 10
Brooklyn Bodega Bagels And Deli
4.8(699)Grand Rapids
Brooklyn Bodega Bagels And Deli offers egg and cheese on bagels or Kaiser buns, plus deli sandwiches, salads and coffee.
