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Thursday, April 21, 2011

Weekend Idea Round-Up- Easter Edition

We finally have sunshine! It’s been a rough spring so far in West Michigan, but things are starting to look up! The sun is out today, and West Michigan is going to be busy this weekend. Don’t feel like dealing with the hassle of cooking and cleaning on Sunday? This edition of the weekend round-up is filled with Easter brunches and buffets that are sure to have your mouth watering.

Also, don’t forget to enter our giveaway this week- A trip to the Coopersville and Marne Railway! You can enter to win a family 4 pack of tickets right here!

  Kelly

Friday

Saturday

Sunday- Happy Easter!

Don’t Forget


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Friday, April 15, 2011

Just In Time For Easter: The Bunny Train



Here at WMTA, we like to give you an inside look at some of West Michigan’s best-kept secrets, and today we have a very special one for you.

The Coopersville and Marne Railway is a train of antique passengers cars, which date from the early part of the last century. It has been a huge part of the Coopersville and Marne communities since the early nineties and is a very large attraction. It is always tops travelers list of “favorites” in West Michigan.

The train goes out into the countryside and through family owned farmlands. Passengers cross over an open deck girder bridge, four creeks and one road bridge before they arrive at the Village of Marne. The 1950's era diesel locomotive then uncouples from the train, runs along a passing siding next to the passengers car, couples onto the west end of the train and pulls the train back to the City of Coopersville.

This 14 mile excursion, takes travelers back to a simpler time of transportation, and only lasts about an hour and fifteen minutes. During the trip, the Conductor describes points of interest while train music from the 1800's plays throughout the cars.

On top of their regular excursions, the train also does something very special throughout the year. The railway puts on special programming for kids and families. On Saturdays in July the train does a “Great Train Robbery” excursion where the train gets “robbed” and for the whole ride, passengers will watch shoot-outs, horses running along side of the train, sheriffs fighting off robbers, and dancing girls! My family and I used to go every summer and it is one of my fondest memories growing up. Kids and adults get involved and help fight the crime!

Saturdays in October are always dedicated to the Pumpkin train. Riders will be able to enjoy entertainment from the giant pumpkin and his friends while they sing songs about the season. And of course, the infamous Santa Train runs throughout the weekends in December. The big guy in the red can be seen riding the train and kids and families are able to get their pictures taken with him as well as celebrate the holiday season.

However, RIGHT NOW the railway has a special Easter program called the Bunny Train!

Kids of all ages will enjoy this one hour and twenty minute excursion through the Spring Time country-side. The Easter Bunny and her cast of wacky, musical characters perform in each of the antique passenger coaches.  The Springtime Princess will even read children's books and lead the passengers in springtime songs. The Bunny Train runs through April 23rd.

It is so easy to fall in love with the Coopersville and Marne Railway. The charm of the whole entire railway really shines through on every excursion. What makes this particular West Michigan secret so special is the fact that the whole entire production is volunteer based. These volunteers absolutely love what they do and passengers can see this on every ride. We know that once you take one ride, you will be back for more!

If you have kids who are fascinated by trains, you can actually rent out the Caboose for an extremely low rate. The red caboose was built in the 1940’s and has tables and benches that can seat up to 16 young railroaders. These rentals are also great for school groups and business meetings. In fact just a few years ago, the WMTA held our board meeting on the train! Businesses can actually hold meetings on the train while it is running its route. Talk about inspiring your employees!

If you haven’t checked it out- you must. You and your kids will fall in love with the railway. For more information on the railway, visit the website here.

We are giving away three family 4 packs of tickets to ride the train. These tickets are good for a free ride during the regular season or $5 of themed train rides. Just tell us about a memorable train ride you have taken, and you will be entered to win (3 winners will be drawn on Friday, April 29)!

Good luck!
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Weekend Idea Round-Up


Happy Friday!

With our new blogging schedule that I posted on Tuesday, I was supposed to have put this up yesterday, but unfortunately I did not do so. See, the whole office was out getting motivated at the “Get Motivated” conference in Grand Rapids! So now that I am totally motivated, I have put together a fantastic list for you and of course I apologize for the late post! Make sure you check back later today for our next giveaway!

 Kelly


All Weekend

Saturday

Sunday

Don’t Forget


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Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Thank You!

Hello West Michigan Weekly Readers-

We appreciate your support of our blog and love reading all your comments! If you have noticed, we have been infrequent in our posting lately and for this, we deeply apologize. However, wonderful things lay on the horizon for us and we will be back into the full swing of things shortly.

We will be switching our schedule a little as well. Our usual Monday giveaway posts will now be on Fridays and will last two weeks- giving you more time to enter! Our weekend idea round-up's will be on Thursdays and we will be posting periodically throughout the rest of the week. 

Shannon has finished the 2011 Carefree Travel Guide and it is currently at the printers (yay!). We will of course let you know when they are hot off the press and ready for distribution (because everyone needs a West Michigan guide just in time for summer).  I am almost done with the travel show season and will be back in the blog world regaling you all with my West Michigan stories and unique finds.

Thanks for sticking with us- and make sure to check back later this week for some great weekend ideas, and of course a fantastic giveaway!

--Kelly
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Friday, April 8, 2011

West Michigan Weekend Round-Up!


Happy Friday, West Michigan fans! Now if only the sun would come out! Luckily, according to the weatherman, we are supposed to see some sunshine this weekend (and weather in the 70’s)! I’ll take it! If you are still looking for something to do around West Michigan to enjoy the weather- make sure to take a look below at all the different events going on!

A big congratulations,  CHRISTA   you are this weeks winner! You have won a pair of tickets to see “Chicago” when it comes to Grand Rapids in May! E-mail Shannon@wmta.org with your information and we will get your tickets to you!

Have a wonderful weekend, and enjoy the sunshine,


 Kelly

Friday

Saturday

Sunday
·         Traverse City: Traverse City CVB: Traverse City Chocolate Festival
·         Grand Rapids: West Michigan White Caps: Opening Day!

Don’t Forget


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Friday, April 1, 2011

Weekend Idea Round-up-- No Jokes Here!

Spring is in the air! And did you hear it is supposed to be 70 degrees in West Michigan tomorrow? (April fools!) However, the sun has been shining for a week straight now and the temperatures are on the rise! I don’t know about you, but I am thrilled about this.

Aside from the beautiful weather, we celebrated another exciting day at the WMTA headquarters on Tuesday! Our 2011-2012 Carefree Travel Guide went to press! Look for it to hit stands in mid-April. If you would like a copy of this comprehensive guide of West Michigan, you can order one here or feel free to give our office a call at 616.245.2217 and we will make sure you get one!

I hope you will be able to get outside this weekend and enjoy the weather! If you are looking for some great things to do around West Michigan, as always, we have provided a weekend idea round up below!

AND DON'T FORGET! We are giving away a pair of tickets to see "Chicago" the musical when it hits the Broadway Grand Rapids stage May 10-11. We will be picking a winner on Friday April, 8. Enter here!

-- Kelly

Saturday

Sunday
·         Hickory Corners: W.K. Kellogg Manor House: Sustaining the Vision Tour

Don’t Forget



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Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Pop! Six! Squish!

I'll start with a warning: if you see Chicago The Musical, you will undoubtedly spend a minimum of a month with the songs in your head. Heed my words! You'll sing All That Jazz in the shower and shimmy to Cell Block Tango while spring cleaning. You'll puppeteer We Both Reached for the Gun and end your day contemplating Mr. Cellophane. In fact, it's been six years since I've seen it performed live, but as soon as I found out that Broadway Grand Rapids was bringing it to West Michigan in May, it's been a nonstop vaudeville extravaganza in my brain.

The award-winning musical is set in the seedy streets of prohibition era Chicago, where the call of booze and jazz is too hard to resist, especially for Roxie Hart who longs for excitement and fame far more than a quiet life with husband Amos. Unfortunately for her (and even more so for lover Fred), she ends up with a smoking pistol and a spot in the big house with Matron "Mama" Morton's merry murderesses. Soon, she finds herself to be a media darling, a celebrity criminal, stealing the spotlight - and lawyer - from Velma Kelly, a vaudeville star similarly on trial for the events following finding her husband spread eagle with her sister.

This world of razzle-dazzle is made even more incredible by the fact that it was ripped straight out of the Chicago Tribune's headlines in 1924. Reporter Maurine Dallas Watkins sensationalized the trials of Beulah Annan (the basis for Roxie) and Belva Gaertner (Velma). With her column's success, she wrote a play on the two, which made its way to Broadway for 172 performances and eventually became the musical applauded by today's audiences.

If you'd been there, if you'd seen it... Experience the topsy turvey world of Chicago for yourself as it hits the Broadway Grand Rapids stage May 10 -11. Just tell us what your favorite play is, and you could have two of the hottest tickets in town. The winner will be picked on Friday, April 8.

Jazz hands,

-Shannon
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Butterflies Winner

Congratulations to spring lover bpakh2! Send an e-mail with your name and address to Shannon@wmta.org, and we'll get you hooked up with your family four-pack of tickets.
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Wednesday, March 23, 2011

West Michigan Wednesday

Last night's unseasonable ice storm not only brought out the snow scrapers, but hopefully the cameras too! Trees are hanging heavily, laden with sparkling ice crystals. Unpack your winter wares, bundle up, and take some shots. It's West Michigan Wednesday!

If you have a West Michigan photo you want to share, whether it's of a dazzling landscape, a St. Patrick's Day parade, or any other image you've happened to capture, post it on our Facebook page or e-mail it to Shannon@wmta.org, and we'll post it here on the blog for everyone to enjoy. It's that easy!

Giveaway reminder! You have until this Friday, March 25 to enter our Frederik Meijer Gardens giveaway.

High five,

-Shannon

We've been spotted! by Jennifer Orr Bumstead, Grand Rapids

Jennifer Orr Bumstead, Grand Rapids
Tawnya Shepherd, Memphis
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Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Butterflies Are Blooming

Looking out my window here at the WMTA HQ, I can't help but notice the tell tale signs of spring, only four days away. The snow drifts are dwindling, the grass is greening, and folks going for the mail don't have twelve layers on. Ah, spring. What a uniquely transitional time of year. Before we know it, the browns and grays of winter will be replaced with pink tulips, yellow daffodils, and the orange of butterfly wings. Butterflies!

Is there anything more quintessentially spring than butterflies? I think not. Spring = butterflies. Butterflies in spring = Meijer Gardens.It's that simple. When you start seeing announcements for the Gardens' annual Butterflies Are Blooming event, you know the season has arrived. And this is no mere butterfly house. The five-story tropical conservatory is turned into a fluttering frenzy of 6,000 local and exotic species, freely flying from flower to flower, dazzling visitors with their colors, textures, and all around whimsy. As you may recall from our fall visit, the Gardens are magical year round. Add butterflies to the mix, and you might as well start each sentence with "Once upon a time" while wearing a princess cap and fairy wings. Yes, Butterflies Are Blooming transforms you into a young girl searching an enchanted forest. No small feat, especially if you're a dude.

Butterflies Are Blooming isn't all fairy dust and frolicking though. It's interesting and scientific and wonderfully educational. How does a caterpillar become a butterfly? How long do they live? What do they eat? What makes their wings so iridescent and colorful? What's the difference between a moth and a butterfly? All these questions are answered with informative signage that is sure to get the conversation going with your favorite little ones. Informative and fun? Yes, it's a double whammy in the parental handbook. Look how sneaky you are.

This Week's Giveaway
To celebrate spring and the wonderful world of butterflies, we're giving away a family four pack to the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, located on East Beltline in Grand Rapids. All you have to do is tell us what your favorite thing about spring is. The winner will be picked on Friday, March 25.

High five,

-Shannon
Here's looking at you, kid.
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