How to Spend a Day Indoors with Kids in Midland
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 Midland!
Midland Center for the Arts
Grove Tea Lounge | @grovetealounge
Morning: No matter the weather, start the day feeling great with cinnamon rolls and locally roasted specialty coffee at Creation Coffee or Live Oak Coffeehouse. Taste a piece of Paris in Midland when you begin your day with sweet or savory crepes from Crepes et Amis! (The kids will love the S'more Crepe or Berry Cheesecrepe with Nutella® and cheesecake filling.)
Or, head to Grove Tea Lounge to pick from a full lineup of delicious scone & cinnamon roll options — and order a colorful Unicorn Latte topped with rainbow sprinkles for the kids!
The Playground | @midlandsplayground
Mid-Morning: Let the little ones burn off some energy at The Playground, an indoor space with safe, clean playscapes and inflatables for kids. Or, stop into Joyful Tantrum downtown to shop a colorful boutique with a large selection of intentionally unplugged and creative toys.
Lunch: Look to lunch at Pizza Sam's for specialty pizzas, soups, sandwiches, Coney Island hotdogs, and gyros, or head just up the street to Pizza Baker for handcrafted, wood-fired, Neapolitan-style pies. Enjoy memorable sandwiches, homemade soups, and your choice from 10 specialty hot dogs, including the Bacon Cheddar Dog, at Amazing Deli.
Mid-Afternoon: The weather won’t matter once you’re all inside Space Studios, where your family will find a wide selection of ready-to-be glazed, handcrafted pottery. Or, step inside the climate-controlled Midland Civic Arena and have a brave adventure together on ice skates!
Visit Midland Center for the Arts to experience Spark!Lab® Smithsonian — a unique and hands-on learning lab where everyone can be an inventor — and set aside time to discover interactive, pop-up STEM & history exhibits.
Valley Lanes | @shineonsunfish
Late-Afternoon: Take a taste adventure inside flight-themed Aviator Cookie Company, and order from an actual airplane wing! Visit the area's only "cupcakery," The Gourmet Cupcake Shoppe, where the goodies are made with natural ingredients including European cocoa, Madagascar bourbon vanilla, and real buttercream.
You could also step into Heather 'n Holly for gourmet caramel corn, handmade chocolates, fudge, and all kinds of candy for every sweet tooth!
Dinner: Take the family out for St. Louis-style barbecue at Molasses Smokehouse + Bar and enjoy Loaded BBQ Tots, Burnt Ends Mac & Cheese, or a BBQ Sandwich.
Evening: No one will mind that the sun’s not shining while roller skating inside The Roll Arena, and every family member will have tons of fun at Valley Lanes Family Entertainment Center with bowling, indoor mini-golf, an arcade, laser maze challenge, bumper cars, and two escape rooms!
Depending on your trip timing, fam, be sure to check for a kid-friendly performance at Midland Center for the Arts and, no matter the weather, end the evening “all smiles” with artisanal ice cream at Great Lakes Ice Cream Company. Order the fan-favorite Great Lakes Rainbow, triple-flavored with Blue Moon, Blueberry, and Key Lime!
Things To Do
Splash at multiple spray parks, roam through colorful gardens and groves, and dare to take the country's longest canopy walk up to 40 feet high in the forest! It’s all here, and ready when you are, when you spend a weekend in Midland with the kids!
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Author
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
