Go Roller Skating in Grand Rapids

Roller skating is cool again.

Not since the disco era of the 1970s and ‘80s has the sport been so popular. Its outdoor cousin, inline skating – aka rollerblading or rolling blading – is experiencing a similar resurgence. Skating is accessible to a wide range of age groups and abilities, it’s great physical exercise, it’s inherently social and it’s downright fun. What’s not to love?

Grand Rapids has some great roller rinks for indoor skating and outdoor spaces for rollerblading. Strap on your skates and get your glide, spin, jam, grind and jump on at these venues.

Roller Skating

Tarry Hall Roller Rink

Roller skating never went out of stylet at Tarry Hall, which has been operating since 1959 in Grandville, about 15 minutes southwest of downtown Grand Rapids. There have been a few upgrades over the years, of course, including top-of-the-line sound and lighting systems and a floor-coating technology that keeps the rink surface from getting too slippery.

Tarry Hall offers public skating sessions Thursdays-Sundays, with different musical selections each session. Thursday is Adult Night, reserved for skaters aged 18 and up, and Friday night skating is faster paced (so no strollers, wheelchairs or Skate-mates are allowed on the skating floor). Saturdays and Sundays are suitable for all ages and abilities. Admission ranges from $10-$12, and roller skates and rollerblades can be rented for $3 (or you can bring your own).

Beginner skating lessons are taught by Roller Skating Association Certified instructors, the pro shop is stocked with a wide variety of skates and accessories, and you can refuel at a fully stocked snack bar. The rink can be rented for two-hour private parties by groups small and large (100+).

If you’re still hungry (and thirsty) after your adventure, Brann’s Steakhouse & Grille, just a few hundred yards away, serves burgers, steaks, sandwiches, salads and more, along with craft beer and cocktails. Also nearby: family-friendly Russ’ Restaurant and the Rainbow Grill – both of which have been around even longer than Tarry Hall  – and Oakestown Brewery, where you can enjoy a delectable deep-dish or thin-crust pizza along with a wide range of beer, cider, wine and craft soda options.

GR Skate & Event Center

Another longtime community fixture, opened in 1949, GR Skate & Event Center has two area locations: Kentwood, 15 minutes south of downtown Grand Rapids, and Byron Center, 20 minutes southwest. GR Skate Kentwood offers five days of public skating sessions each week, including a 21+ Adult Skate on Thursday evenings and a Family Skate on Saturday afternoons. You’ll enjoy free admission during “Cheap Skate” on Thursday afternoons, otherwise admission starts at $8. GR Skate Byron Center’s public skating offerings include Wristband Wednesday, when the $8 admission price includes skate rental plus unlimited pizza and soft drinks, and Friday Family Skate, when kids skate free.

Both locations have skate shops filled with skates and gear along with experienced staff who can help you find just the right products for your ability and budget. The Roll-and-Dash Café serves a menu of pizza, chicken, hot dogs and more during public skate hours. As the name implies, GR Skate & Event Center also hosts birthday parties, family celebrations, weddings, corporate gatherings and other events, providing hours of fun with a retro flair.

Restaurants near GR Skate Kentwood include Greco’s Pizza and Poncho’s Tacos (recommended by locals for its tacos and nachos), as well as a number of burger chain restaurants.

Note: Roller rink features and prices can change without notice, so check their websites for the most current information before you go.

Inline Skating

555 Monroe Skate Park

Rollerbladers share downtown GR’s 555 Monroe Skate Park with skateboarders, BMX riders and scooter riders, thanks to features ranging from low ledges to half pipes. This is the place to practice your skills on rails, stairs and other obstacles. (Wear your helmet!) Numerous nearby casual restaurants include Atwater Brewery, Brickyard Tavern, Chicago Beef Joint, City Built Brewing Company, Field & Fire Café, Grand Rapids Garage Bar & Grill, SpeakEZ Lounge and Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea  – all within a 10-minute walk.

Other area skateparks include Westown Commons (near Grand Valley State University’s downtown GR campus), Clemente DIY Skate Park (one mile from downtown’s Founders Brewing Company), Home Acres Park in Kentwood, Prairie Park in Wyoming and Byron Center Skate Park.

Highland Park

Less than 10 minutes from downtown GR, Highland Park was upgraded in 2023 with two new multi-sports courts for rollerblading, roller hockey, bike polo, shuffleboard, futsal and more. Both courts are lighted. There are no set times for each sport, so you’ll have to show up and see what’s happening. If the courts are already in use for something else, you can bide your time on the park’s bouldering walls, just steps away. Some of the city’s best dive bars are close by if you want to grab a burger and a (cheap) beer afterwards – you can’t go wrong with Birch Lodge, Bob’s Sports Bar, Duke’s Bar, The Elbow Room or Logan’s Alley.

Walker City Central Park

About 20 minutes northwest of downtown GR  in the city of Walker, City Central Park has an outdoor inline skating rink that hosts free drop-in roller hockey games on summer Wednesday nights and is frequently used by practitioners seeking to polish their skills. Lost Art Brewhouse, Roasted Sports Bar and Grill, Ironwood Bar & Grill and Walker Roadhouse are popular after-session dining destinations.

Rail Trails

Grand Rapids boasts a number of “linear parkways” that are ideal for rollerblading (as well as hiking, biking and cross-country skiing). These paved trails typically follow abandoned railroad beds over mostly flat terrain. Trails include:

Kent Trails, a 15-mile rail trail that runs through the cities of Grand Rapids, Grandville, Walker, Wyoming and Byron Center. A trailhead can be accessed five minutes from downtown GR, across the street from John Ball Zoo. Kent Trails travels through the forests, meadows and Grand River frontage of Millennium Park, one of the nation’s largest urban parks, as well as residential neighborhoods and commercial districts.

Paul Henry Thornapple Trail, a 42-mile work in progress whose paved sections currently include a 10+-mile stretch from Kalamazoo Ave and 44^th St in Kentwood south to 108^th St in Caledonia.

Plaster Creek Trail, a 2.7-mile trail that follows the course of Grand River tributary Plaster Creek along a series of paved paths, boardwalks and bridges from Ken-O-Sha Park to Plaster Creek Family Park.

Fred Meijer White Pine Trail State Park, a 92-mile trail connecting Grand Rapids and Cadillac to the north. You can link to the trail from Riverside Park, less than 10 minutes north of downtown GR, and follow it through Comstock Park, Belmont, Rockford and Cedar Springs on its way out of Kent County – a distance of nearly 20 miles. Click here for a look at that stretch.

Roller Derby

If you view roller skating as more of a spectator sport, you’ll be happy to know that Grand Rapids has its own roller derby league, Grand Raggidy Roller Derby (GRRD). A founding member of the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association, GRRD consists of two teams: the All-Stars, who travel and compete with teams internationally, and the Attack, who compete with teams throughout Michigan and neighboring states. Visit GRRD’s website for upcoming events and ticket availabilities.

If you’re interested in skating for GRRD, the league hosts a Basic Training program three times a year. It’ll introduce you to the sport and teach you how to safely play roller derby. No previous derby experience is required. You don’t even have to know how to skate! GRRD also welcomes referees, non-skating officials and volunteers to join the league at any time.

Roller skating in Grand Rapids is easy, convenient and fun, whether it’s your first time or your hundredth. See you on the rinks and the trails!