How to Spend a Day Indoors with Kids in Bay City
The kids are so excited! Your family has arrived in Pure Michigan's Great Lakes Bay Region for a weekend getaway and everyone is giddy to get going! But — it’s unexpectedly freezing, suddenly sleeting — it’s a blustery snowstorm outside! Now what, parents?
When you planned on clear skies & sunshine, but Mother Nature has something different in mind — look to this guide for weatherproof ways to spend the day indoors as a family in Bay City!
Delta College Planetarium
Delta College Planetarium | @planet_delta
Morning: Watch stormy weather turn into sweet smiles inside Cops & Doughnuts – Sutherland Precinct with fresh donuts (and hot coffee for the adults). Head to Uptown Grill for classic offerings with a twist, like Blueberry Bread French Toast and Apple Cinnamon Cakes with a touch of caramel, or start your day with downhome favorites at Mandy's Diner.
Mid-Morning: Experience something out-of-this-world together at Delta College Planetarium and enjoy a journey through the solar system made for space travelers of all ages! With photo exhibitions in the lobby and an exquisite gift shop, your family will be starry-eyed over this adventure!
Lunch: Grab fresh soups and subs at Intermission Deli, and enjoy how “selective” eaters can choose just what they want (or don’t want) on their made-to-order sandwiches. Or, catch a casual lunch at BarqueBC and taste their specialty smoked meat tacos.
Mid-Afternoon: Wet weather won’t dampen anyone's spirits once your family is inside the Antique Toy and Firehouse Museum, open seasonally May through October. Here, “kids from 1 to 101” will enjoy the NASCAR and Tonka rooms and more than 60 motorized fire trucks — the largest collection in the world!
Antique Toy and Firehouse Museum | @frommichiganwithlove
Late-Afternoon: Get creative together at paint-your-own studio Painterly Pottery and make unique souvenirs from your family getaway. Or, choose from a menu of options at the Craft Bar inside Studio 23/The Arts Center and discover a walk-in, self-service art experience with instructions and supplies provided!
Be sure to enjoy all that’s inside St. Laurent Brothers' historic nut and candy shop, including hand-dipped chocolates and nostalgic treats.
Dinner: If pizza makes your family smile, enjoy brick-oven pies at Vinny's Pizzeria where every pizza can also be ordered vegan and gluten-free. Or, dine at MI Table, a farm-to-table restaurant that serves a seasonal menu (and a Chicken Pot Pie with Michigan-shaped biscuits that both kids and "big kids" will love).
Evening: Rain, shine, snow, or sleet — your family will have a blast playing dozens of pinball machines and classic video arcade games inside Crazy Quarters Arcade! Or, rent shoes and be ready for strikes and high-fives while bowling at Washington Lanes or Monitor Lanes.
End the evening with a Bubble Waffle Cone from Michigan Cream & Sugar Ice Cream Company, filled with inventive flavors like "Show Me The Dough" and "Michigan Sugar Cookie." Double-scoop ice cream cheers to a great day spent indoors together in Bay City!
Things To Do
Situated along the Saginaw Bay of Lake Huron, Bay City is bursting with flavors to savor, boats to board, and places to play, carefree! You're on vacation and you've got a weekend to spend making beautiful memories together in Bay City!
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Jen W. O'Deay + Go Great Lakes Bay
By: Jen W. O'Deay | Updates: Go Great Lakes Bay | Jen is a Saginaw native and owner of Feel These Words, an independent copywriting studio & home to the free "5 Day Website MiniBoost". Jen specializes in writing that connects, delivered through website copy, branded content articles, and WingWoman writing services. You'll find Jen camping with her family, laughing, and at feelthesewords.com
