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If you’re searching for family fun in Kalamazoo, MI, then you’ve come to the right place! This charming Southwest Michigan city is packed with adventure, flavor and fun for all ages (and it’s one of my personal favorite places to explore). I’ve put together a low-stress, kid-friendly Kalamazoo weekend itinerary that includes vintage cars, epic ice cream sundaes, nature trails and more. It’s everything your family needs for a memorable trip to Kalamazoo.
Friday night: dinner (and dessert) at D’Nicio’s Parlour
D’Nicio’s Parlour is a Kalamazoo staple known for its nostalgic 1950s vibe, Greek and American-style menu and, of course, its hand dipped ice cream. We stopped in for dinner with some extended family so collectively, we tried quite a bit of their extensive menu. Some of the standouts included the Gyro sandwich, bacon cheeseburger, and their Detroit-style Koneys.
Dessert is a must at D’Nicio’s. It’s also a big reason why this place is such a hidden gem in Kalamazoo. They have over 30 flavors of ice cream to choose from that can be served in a cone or a dish, blended into a malt or shake, or piled high with toppings in a parfait or sundae.
D’Nicio’s Parlour is also home to the “Dare To Be Great” ice cream eating challenge. You get one hour to finish off a gigantic ice cream sundae with 21 scoops of hand-dipped ice cream. Finish and it’s free, plus you get your photo of the Wall of Fame and a free T-shirt. The wall of fame features a long list of challengers, but not a single finisher.
Family favorite: Try “The Old Fashioned Parfait” from D’Nicio’s. It’s layers of strawberries between strawberry and vanilla ice cream and topped with whipped cream and a cherry. You can’t go wrong with this one. It’s huge and absolutely sharable, but I don’t blame you if you don’t.
Saturday morning: experience history in motion at the Gilmore Car Museum
Step back in time at the Gilmore Car Museum and experience the rich history of the automobile. It is the largest auto museum in North America and features over 400 vehicles in over 209,100 square feet of exhibit space. From the earliest horseless carriages to vintage muscle cars to some of the most stylish cars of the 21st century, you can find it all at the Gilmore Car Museum.
There’s even an old-fashioned phone booth complete with a rotary phone. Our kids were in awe by the concept.
One of my favorite parts of the museum is that each display notes the cars’ original factory price. It was so much fun to talk about how much these prices have changed over the years and how much we spend on cars today compared to previous generations. We also discovered cars with unique histories, including the Gnome-Mobile from the 1967 Disney movie, and this muscle car that was found in a scrap yard and restored back to its original glory.
This 1957 classic Thunderbird was my personal favorite car of the whole museum.
If you have kids (or if you’re a kid-at-heart), the Gilmore Car Museum has several hands-on opportunities. There’s a head-to-head arcade racing game and slot car track – both of these are part of the museum’s Without Limits: Racing Through America exhibit.
We also discovered an opportunity to learn how to crank start a Model A car. This was definitely a hit with the kids.
Our visit to the Gilmore Car Museum was during their Ford Model A Days. This special event included live music and a swap meet. Model A owners from all over brought their Model As to show off on the museum’s campus. It was so fun to see all the different cars lined up. This event is always the third Friday and Saturday in September.
The Gilmore Car Museum hosts a number of events throughout the year including Cruise-Ins, car shows and their popular Winter Wonderland Holiday Experience. You can find a full list of their special events here.
Tip: plan at least 2-3 hours for your visit to the Gilmore Car Museum. Grab a quick lunch at the museum’s authentic 1941 Blue Moon Diner for a needed break between exploring (open seasonally) or the Pedal Car Cafe (open year-round).
Saturday evening: fun and games at One Well Brewing
After a busy day exploring, One Well Brewing is the perfect pit stop for dinner and fun. They have generous seating both inside and out, hand-crafted beer, great food, and tons of activities for the whole family.
Go early to grab a table for your crew. One Well has bookshelves full of games to keep everyone entertained while you decide what to order and wait for your food.
One Well Brewing’s menu is a bit eclectic in the best of ways; sharable bites and wings, unique pizza combinations, hearty sandwiches and more. Many of their dishes can be made gluten free or vegan.
The standout appetizer for us is their Brussel Hustle – fried brussels sprouts topped with red onions, bacon, parmesan cheese and drizzled with honey sriracha.
If you’re feeling like BBQ, the “King of the Hill” gives you a choice of two house smoked meats and a variety of delicious side dishes.
We also enjoyed their locally-made twist pretzels served with beer cheese and honey mustard, “Holy Moly Pepperoni” pizza, and “Greece Lightnin'” salad. One Well also has a decent kids’ menu, which includes choices like pizza, a large “Uncrustable” peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and macaroni and cheese.
There’s always something refreshing on tap at One Well Brewing. They offer a number of craft beers on tap and in a can. If beer is not your thing, try one of their slushies or local Cody Kresta wines instead.
After you’ve thoroughly fueled up on delicious food and drinks, it’s time for more fun. One Well has over 50 pinball machines and 20 arcade games, duckpin bowling, dart boards, pool tables, foosball and more. It’s the perfect way to spend an afternoon, especially if you’re looking for family fun in Kalamazoo.
Darts and pool are reserved for ages 18 and up only, but all other activities are available for all ages.
Tip: One Well’s duckpin bowling lanes are first-come, first-served with a built-in waiting list at their self-serve kiosk. If it’s a busy afternoon and you know you want to bowl, add yourself to the waiting list before checking out the other fun.
Sunday morning: explore the Wolf Lake Fish Hatchery
One of our favorite places to go with kids in Kalamazoo is the Wolf Lake Fish Hatchery. There are so many things to do, both indoors and outside, making it one of the best stops for family fun in Kalamazoo.
Spend time in the visitor center learning about how fish hatcheries evolved in Michigan, how fish have been protected, raised and transported historically, and the importance of safeguarding these fish species. There is a 15-minute video to watch, showing what it’s like to spend a year as a steelhead trout at the fish hatchery, a live underwater video feed of the show pond, and also several viewing aquariums.
Don’t forget to ask about the scavenger hunts for kids. The Wolf Lake Fish Hatchery has three different ones to choose from. There’s an indoor hunt to look for animal figurines hidden throughout the visitor center. This is the one we did and our kids had so much fun looking for them all. There are also two outdoor scavenger hunts. One is fairly simple and geared toward younger kids. The second has kids grabbing a discovery pack and venturing out onto the nature trails.
Make sure to stop by the fish hatchery’s show pond located just outside the visitor center. You can feed the fish for free and see them all up close. Fish species include chinook salmon, steelhead trout, northern pike, northern muskellunge, walleye, largemouth bass, sunfish and lake sturgeon. If you look closely, you might spot one of their two 6-foot sturgeon below – we were able to find one.
If you have more time to spend, explore the nature trails and other ponds around the Wolf Lake Fish Hatchery. There’s over five miles of flat trails and these are also dog (on-leash) friendly.
Don’t skip the bird observation deck. You’ll be able to see a number of migrating waterfowl and resident birds, including a pair of trumpeter swans. Be sure to grab a pair of binoculars from the visitor center before you go for a better viewing experience.
Tip: Check out the Wolf Lake Fish Hatchery website for a list of their activities. You can get a guided hatchery tour on Saturdays and Sundays at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. There is also a monthly beginner bird walk on the first Saturday of every month. One of our favorite activities is the summer fishing program. This gives kids the opportunity to fish in one of their stocked ponds.
A weekend full of family fun in Kalamazoo
From the vintage charm of the Gilmore Car Museum, to sweet treats at D’nicio’s Parlor, games and laughter at One Well Brewing, and the natural beauty of the Wolf Lake Fish Hatchery, there’s no shortage of family fun in Kalamazoo. This vibrant Southwest Michigan destination is the perfect place for families to slow down, explore and create unforgettable memories together.
Kalamazoo is conveniently located within easy driving distance of Chicago, Detroit, Indianapolis and Columbus, making it an ideal weekend getaway that’s close to home. So pack up the car, bring your sense of adventure (and your appetite for ice cream) and experience the best family fun in Kalamazoo, MI this weekend.
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