Remember the tale about the ugly duckling? It turns out that the “ugly duckling” is not a duck at all; he is a swan.
Well, we had our own fairy tale adventure this weekend in East Grand Rapids, Michigan. As it turns out, Reeds Lake is the perfect place to look for ugly ducklings as it is the home of several swan nests this Spring.
Once upon a time…
My in-laws told us about a swan’s nest easily visible from the boardwalk over Reeds Lake; they had seen the mama swan with her “ugly ducklings” a few times there this past week. Of course, we had to check this out for ourselves!
My husband and I took the children out to Waterfront Park in East Grand Rapids, Michigan to wander the trails and explore around the lake. (Download a PDF map of the Reeds Lake Trail here.) What a neat experience!
While we did not catch a glimpse of any ugly ducklings on this particular outing, we marveled at the large size of the nest and its close proximity to the trail. The nest was only about 15 feet away from the boardwalk! We discovered two more swan nests in the distance during our walk. Additionally, we saw 3 turtles, a few swans in the distance, several birds with pretty colors, some lovely views, and lots of pretty foliage.
This may be a new favorite local trail for our family outings. We will be headed out there again soon in hopes of finding those ugly ducklings. Wish us luck!
Happily Ever After…
To ensure a happily ever after for your outing, you may want to check out some of these other fun activities while you are in East Grand Rapids:
- It’s a great place to play Pokémon Go! Do you or your children love Pokémon Go? If so, you should wander up the road into the nearby Gaslight Village district. This area is loaded with Pokestops and gyms.
- Frosty treats are just a few steps away! We love ice cream from Jersey Junction which is also in the Gaslight Village district. Jersey Junction is a long time favorite for area locals, and the long lines on a hot day are worth the wait.
- Reeds Lake is a great place for a date night. This has been our favorite date night location for years. We like to enjoy a good meal at Rose’s (which boasts of a lovely lakeside location with pretty views, a neat historical background, and great food), wander the Reeds Lake Trail and admire the nautical views, and then, stop over to Jersey Junction for a yummy ice cream dessert.
In general, we always enjoy spending time in East Grand Rapids. I bet you and your family would enjoy it, too. Please let us know if you check it out.
For more wildlife adventures throughout West Michigan, you may want to check out these previous posts:
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What a great place though glad about the elevated sections. I wouldn’t want to get too near a swan and its nest ! #citytripping
Ah it looks fab it would have lovely to see a duckling hatch though? But would be worried getting to near the swans too. Thanks so much for linking up #MondayEscapes xx