Celebrating its flannel-clad identity since 1936, Cedar Springs, just north of Grand Rapids and tucked along the Cedar Creek in the rolling farmland of Kent County, is a city that knows exactly what it is and wears it proudly. The self-proclaimed Red Flannel Town is a blend of community pride, outdoor access and genuine small-town warmth, making it one of West Michigan’s most appealing day trips or weekend getaways. Come for the festival. Stay for everything else.
The Red Flannel Festival
Cedar Springs is the Red Flannel Festival, and if you can time your trip for October, consider building your weekend around it. Cedar Springs earned its Red Flannel Town nickname in 1936 during "the worst winter in years," after a New York news writer complained that "there are no red flannels in the USA" for purchase. Turned out Cedar Springs had the flannel. They rose to the occasion, deciding to own it by eventually launching a festival that turned a pain point into a point of pride.
Held each fall, the festival draws visitors for a parade, crafts, live music, food, competitions and a small-town energy that's impossible to ignore. Local artisans set up alongside food vendors, and the festival throws itself into the flannel theme with full commitment. It's Cedar Springs at its most Cedar Springs, so don your finest red flannels and show up.
The history behind the flannel
The Cedar Springs Historical Museum traces the city’s founding and development through photographs, documents and artifacts that capture local history in vivid detail. The volunteers behind the exhibits know the stories (the legends, the milestones, the characters who shaped this community), and they bring them to life. Stop in, and you’ll feel that sense of civic pride too.
outdoor adventures on the white pine trail and beyond
The Fred Meijer White Pine Trail is Cedar Springs’ premier outdoor destination. This 92-mile paved linear trail runs from Comstock Park north to Cadillac. In the warmer months, hikers, cyclists, inline skaters and joggers work the full stretch in either direction, with the smooth paved surface making it accessible to all fitness levels and ages.
When the temperature drops and snow covers the ground, the trail doesn’t close, it changes. The southern section between the Russell Road trailhead and Comstock Park gets cleared for winter walkers, cross-country skiers and snowshoers moving through quiet, snow-covered landscape. North of Russell Road, the trail opens to snowmobiles from December through March. For riders who want to go further, a snowmobile trail originates right in Cedar Springs and heads nearly straight north, along an open run up the Lower Peninsula when there’s a solid snowpack on the ground.
Morley Park rounds out the city’s green space with open fields, walking paths and event space that draws people together through the warmer months.
wildlife, family fun and farm experiences
Deer Tracks Junction Adventure Park is one of Cedar Springs’ most distinctive attractions, and it’s a well-earned reputation. Michigan’s only drive-through safari, the farm-style adventure park lets visitors get hands-on with deer, llamas, goats and other animals in the walk-through park, or stay in your car and let zebras, bison, camels and more come to you on the safari trail. Either way, you can get up close to feed and learn about the animals and their habitats. Cruising the trail in your own vehicle gives the experience a relaxed, all-ages pace as animals stick their heads right up to your windows. Cap off the adventure with a stop at the park's well-known “Plop Plop” Ice Cream Shop for their legendary, farm-fresh homemade ice cream, a local favorite. It’s the kind of place that brings out joy and adventure in kids and adults alike.
brews, wine and good times
A night out in Cedar Springs can be a night out on the town. Cedar Springs Brewing Company is a Bavarian-style brewpub and biergarten right on the White Pine Trail, crafting traditional German lagers alongside Michigan craft ales. Food, live music and seasonal events make it a great spot to settle in for an evening of fun and good company.
If you’re looking to make a night of it, the Kent Theatre is a historic, community-operated venue showing films and live performances in the heart of downtown, an intimate neighborhood theater that has been part of Cedar Springs for over 120 years. Dinner at the brewpub, a show at the Kent, and you’ve got a full night of enjoying downtown Cedar Springs.
If wine is calling, it might be telling you to visit Pour Michigan Wine Barn. Set on 43 acres with views overlooking an 8-acre pond, it’s a self-serve tasting experience built around Michigan-made wines, ciders and meads, rotating selections that draw from all five of the state’s wine regions. Beyond the tasting, they host events and classes throughout the year for anyone who wants to go deeper than the pour.
tee off at cedar chase golf club
Cedar Chase Golf Club is a championship 18-hole course designed by architect W. Bruce Matthews III, and it earns the drive. Bent grass fairways, elevated tees, Scottish-style roughs and bunkers, and spacious undulating greens give each hole its own character with isolated tree-lined fairways, par-threes over water or rolling links-style holes. Five sets of tees let golfers at any level choose the right challenge. It’s the kind of course that keeps you coming back to master it.
Come On, Let’s Go to Cedar Springs, Michigan
Cedar Springs is the Red Flannel Town, and every fiber of it feels as warm as that sounds. From the flannel-clad energy of the Red Flannel Festival each October to the quiet rhythm of the White Pine Trail in any season, Cedar Springs offers something genuine — a community that has always known what it is and welcomes you to be part of it for a day, a weekend or longer.
Indian Trails can help get you there. We run regular bus routes throughout Michigan that serve Cedar Springs directly. Buy a ticket and enjoy stress-free travel to this wonderful destination. If you’re traveling with a large group, you can charter a bus and create a customized sightseeing tour for yourself! Either way, start your adventure with Indian Trails.
FAQs
If You Like Cedar Springs ...
You might want to check out our guides to Grand Rapids, Big Rapids and Kalamazoo. Cedar Springs is one of those cities that rewards a longer look, and there’s always another corner of Michigan ready to be explored.
