By Jeremy Witt, West Michigan Tourist Association
Don’t forget that Father’s Day is Sunday, June 18th. This is a day all about celebrating dad. Many West Michigan businesses are hosting special events, discounts, or offers for the dad in all of our lives. No matter their interest, you’ll find something for him here. Give dad the gift of West Michigan this Father’s Day.
Father’s Day in Southern West Michigan
Arcadia Ales in Kalamazoo is hosting a free corn hole tournament on Father’s Day. Come show off your skills, with the winning team receiving bragging rights and beer specials on their next visit.
Father’s Day orders are rolling in at Allen & Sons Woodworking in Linden. Place your order for one of their handcrafted Michigan-shaped chairs, garden planters, or tables. They have plenty of products to choose from, and they even do custom orders if you have something special in mind. Check them out on Facebook, and place your order today to receive it in time for Father’s Day!
Book a stay at the Inn at Harbor Shores in St. Joseph for Father’s Day and add up to four golf rounds with cart per room for only $85. The Harbor Shores Golf Course is a Jack Nicklaus Signature Course and hosts, on even years between 2012 and 2024, the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship.
Celebrate dad with a dinner at Pierce Cedar Creek Institute in Hastings. The evening’s program will feature information about the full solar eclipse that will move across the United States this August. Richard Bell of the Kalamazoo Astronomical Society will highlight what an eclipse is, where to see the eclipse, and how best to experience it.
Take dad on a fun-filled trip through Coldwater Country. Hop on a historic steam locomotive and make your way from Coldwater to Quincy with an opportunity to get off the train and see the locomotive switch around for your return trip.
The dad in your life will enjoy a Father’s Day weekend in River Country. Kick off the weekend with dinner at one of the area’s many restaurants before you enjoy some time outside canoeing, kayaking, bicycling, hiking, and golfing throughout both Three Rivers and Sturgis.
Visit Henderson Castle in Kalamazoo this Father’s Day for a one-of-a-kind event. The front lawn of the Henderson Castle will be transformed into a Live Chef Action Grill. Chef Moyet will be grilling up all of Dad’s favorites: Ribeye Steak, Foie Gras Burgers, Baby Back Ribs, and Juicy Grilled Chicken. Traditional sides will include Baked Potato, Cole Slaw, Pasta Salad and more! Each table will receive a family style Garden Salad and choice of individual dessert: Apple Pie or Blueberry Pie. Kick off Summer and treat Dad to a very special day!
Take dad out for a golf weekend at Gull Lake View Golf Club & Resort in Augusta. They have six courses, making it a prime location for a golf outing. Their newest addition, Stoatin Brae, sports amazing views all around the course and vistas that rival courses across the country.
Father’s Day in Central West Michigan
The 39th Annual Arts & Crafts Festival in White Lake is scheduled for Father’s Day weekend, June 17th and 18th. Nearly 75 creative and talented artists come together for the juried art show. Attendees have the opportunity to peruse and purchase an assortment of handmade items including jewelry, paintings, prints, wood furniture, and more. Throughout the weekend, enjoy a lineup of local music artists and food vendors.
The Grand Rapids Treetop Adventure Park is hosting a Father’s Day special on Sunday, June 18th. Dads climb free with purchase of one regularly priced ticket! This event will book up fast so get your tickets now before it’s too late. Use the code WELOVEDADS for daytime tickets or WELOVEDADSNNIGHT for evening tickets when you book online.
Downtown Market in Grand Rapids wants to help you and your dad have the best neighborhood barbecues this summer. Their Father’s Day Grill Off Class is Sunday, June 18th from 10am to 12:30pm. You’ll be grilling crostini with burrata cheese and grilled flank steak with classic chimichurri and asparagus.
Give dad the gift of live theatre at the Circle Theatre in Grand Rapids! From June 1st to 17th, Neil Simon’s hit Broadway play, Brighton Beach Memoirs, comes to the Circle Theatre! This is a story of a young man with big dreams who always has one eye on the ball and the other on a girl. For music lovers, the Music of Fleetwood Mac comes to the Circle Theatre on Monday, June 5th, followed the next week by Uptown Funk: The Best of the Funkiest on Monday, June 12th.
Pigeon Creek Golf Course in West Olive welcomes all fathers, grandfathers, great grandfathers, and more to a Father’s Day weekend celebration. To give thanks to these men, they’re giving dads a free cart rental all weekend long. To receive this offer, mention this West Michigan Tourist Association promotion when booking your tee time.
Bring dad to Ionia for the Wizard of Oz Festival on June 17th. Main Street is transformed into the Yellow Brick Road before your very eyes! As a tribute to the Wizard of Oz, they have planned a full day of fun for everyone. The movie that started it all will be shown at the historic Ionia Theatre. Tickets are priced as they were seventy-eight years ago at just 25 cents per person.
For the Electric Bike Place in Grand Haven, Father’s Day is a time to celebrate all the dads. To help you celebrate, they’re giving dads a buy one, get one half off special for half day rentals on Father’s Day! This means that you can get a rental for dad and receive half off your rental. Spend the day riding through Grand Haven together on these unique electric bikes, a perfect activity for the entire family.
Get the gift of adventure for dad this Father’s Day from MACkite in Grand Haven! Their kiteboarding lesson are a fun and unique gift for any dad that loves being out on the water. During these lessons, dad will be pulled by a kite as long as 19 meters on a board, right on the beautiful shores of Lake Michigan. Their two day kite school lesson camps are in Muskegon, and are available for Thursday/Friday or Saturday/Sunday lessons.
Bring dad out to Lewis Farm Market in New Era for Father’s Day! Dads will enjoy free admission, an apple cinnamon donut and coffee, all on the house! They will be open at 10am until 5pm, giving you plenty of time to stop by.
Kids camp for free over Father’s Day weekend at both Muskegon KOA Campground and Covert/South Haven KOA Campground. This national promotion has been growing in popularity the past few years thanks to this special offer and the great experiences had by dads and their families.
In addition to 16 beautiful golf courses, 23 charter fishing operations, historic ships and Lake Michigan sugar-sand beaches, Muskegon has some wonderful events for you to enjoy with your dad on his special day! The 26th Annual Antique Tractor and Engine Show is June 8th to 10th with tons of events packed into this three-day event. The Civil War Encampment is June 10th to 11th from 8am to 4pm, with skirmishes each day. Each June, the Promo Tours give classic car owners the chance to show off their rides. This year’s event is June 11th from 4pm to 10pm with over 200 classic and antique cars lining Western Avenue. The Muskegon Powerboat Weekend is June 16th to 18th with more than 80 boats on the 65-mile run. Rounding out the events are free tours for dads at the Hackley & Hume Historic Site on June 18th. Pack the month with celebrations for dad in Muskegon!
Mecosta County is the place to be for any dad that loves to fish or golf. The area is not only home to over 100 lakes and smaller streams, they also have the majestic Muskegon River. With 14 locations to purchase a fishing license and places to rent kayaks, tubes, or canoes, the area truly has everything that you need to enjoy a day on the water! The area also has five golf courses for you to choose from. Each course provides its own beautiful scenery and range in difficulty.
Father’s Day in Northern West Michigan
Spend time with dad learning about the history of the Mackinac State Historic Parks on Mackinac Island and in Mackinaw City. You can visit five living historical sites, including Fort Mackinac, the Mackinac Art Museum, Colonial Michilimackinac, Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse, and Historic Mill Creek Discovery Park. Dads will love these incredible historic spots, and you can even purchase discounted admission passes on their website.
Grab your clubs and take dad for a round of golf at one of the four championship courses at Shanty Creek Resorts in Bellaire. Tight fairways, formidable doglegs, and elevation changes are the perfect challenge for any golfer. You can even have dad try out something new with FootGolf at Shanty Creek’s Summit Golf Course. This hybrid of soccer and golf has you kicking a soccer ball into a 21-inch diameter cup.
Located on Walloon Lake, Hotel Walloon is the perfect place to treat dad. Reserve a spot aboard the relaxing “Tommy’s to Barrel-Back” Sunset Cruise for the whole family. These hour and a half long tours run seven days a week, with snacks and beverages included onboard.
The Bay Harbor Village Hotel in Bay Harbor is the perfect place to stay for Bay Harbor’s 15th Annual In-Water Boat Show. Taking place over Father’s Day weekend, check out all the boats as they come to town from June 16th to 18th.
Get your jump on Father’s Day with the Wings Over Northern Michigan Airshow in Gaylord on June 14th. The Canadian jet team will perform only Wednesday evening and will not be present at the weekend show. This is a fantastic mid-week surprise for dad, and is truly an entertaining event for the whole family!
Treat dad to a superior Father’s Day weekend in Marquette. Grab the golf clubs and hit the links at one of the area’s many golf courses. Spend the evening with a cold beverage at brewery or take a walk through a national park and enjoy Michigan’s Upper Peninsula in all of its glory.
Father’s Day is about creating special moments, and the Charlevoix area is a great place to bring dad for a special weekend together. Take dad on a special trip by hiking through their amazing trail system, golfing at any of the five area courses, or kayaking or boating in one of their lakes or rivers. For the adventure seeker, go skydiving, biking the Lake to Lake trail, and explore the Little Traverse Wheelway. There is always an adventure awaiting you in Charlevoix!
