With spring break approaching, many families are looking to plan trips to warm-weather destinations. Still, these vacation spots can be expensive, and it is often hard to find places that suit every family member’s needs.
Lansing makes spring break easier, offering family fun without the need for excessive planning or taking extensive hours off work. Plus, several excursions in the Lansing area cater to the needs of neurodivergent children and other family members who might require a more sensory-friendly space.
About 90 minutes from Detroit, Lansing has family-friendly dining, affordable stays and a range of entertainment options to create a memorable spring break.
Spring temperatures in Lansing creep up to the high 50s and mid-60s. While this isn’t Hawaii weather, the city has high-energy attractions, both indoors and outdoors, to keep families entertained during their stay.
View this post on Instagram
Indoor attractions in Lansing for spring break
Zap Zone XL: “The ultimate indoor amusement center for all ages” offers laser tag, glow golf, arcade games and more, all under neon lights.
Sky Zone: This family-favorite trampoline park has rows of trampolines for kids to jump on, along with special glow nights and agility courses that let kids burn off energy.
High Caliber Karting & Entertainment: Go-karting and arcade games keep younger kids active while older kids explore axe-throwing and rage rooms at this center.
Launch Lansing: Another trampoline park that features sports like basketball, dodgeball and tumbling, but with a bouncy twist.
Dave and Busters: This family classic has arcade games and more, with restaurants on-site after the fun.
Outdoor attractions in Lansing for fresh-air fun
Potter Park Zoo: Other than visiting the adorable animals at Potter Park Zoo, there are also special events like Night at the Living Museum and Party for the Planet lined up this spring.
Fenner Nature Center: This environmental center has 134 acres of explorable green space for a calm family stroll, along with educational exhibits at the visitor center.
A Day at Lake Lansing: Despite the cooler temperatures, there is a sandy beach at Lake Lansing, along with sports courts, fishing and hiking trails.
Sensory-friendly activities designed for every family member
The Lansing region prides itself on its increase in sensory-friendly and other accommodating options over the years, named as one of the top destinations for autistic families in the U.S. by Accessible Journeys Magazine.
If not holistically made for family members in need of safer spaces, several locations offer set hours and days for sensory-friendly play.
Sensory-friendly dates to know this spring
- Potter Park Zoo Falconers: Sensory-friendly events once a month, outlined on their website.
- Abrams Planetarium: Events on the third Sunday of every month, at 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.
- Impression 5 Science Center: Select Sundays and Wednesdays, outlined on their website.
- High Caliber Karting & Entertainment: Events on the first Sunday of every month, from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
- Launch Lansing: Events on the first Wednesday of every month with reduced pricing, from 4-8 p.m.
- MSU Community Music School: Sensory-friendly Spartan Concerts on April 14.
- Sensory-friendly movie showings:
- Neighborhood Cinema Group: Select dates outlined on website
- Celebration Cinema: Select dates outlined on website
Family-friendly restaurants in Lansing
Families can wind down after a long day of playing indoors or outdoors with a meal at one of the many family-friendly restaurants in Greater Lansing.
The Fleetwood Diner, known for its red booths and checkered floors, is a great option for all meals of the day. Yelp reviewers love the hippie hash and french toast. For easy Italian eats, Pizza House has Chicago-style deep dish pizza, as well as delicious pastas and sandwiches.
Other than these classic options, many restaurants in Lansing offer discounts for kids at select times during the day.
Kids-eat-free and budget-friendly dining nights
- Lansing Shuffle: free one hour shuffle board on Sundays from 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
- HopCat East Lansing: kids eat free for weekend brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
- The Cosmos: kids eat free on Sundays.
- Gravity Smoke House: kids eat free on Thursdays.
- Pins & Pints: kids eat free on Thursdays.
- Old Nation Brewing Co – 50% off kid’s menu on Saturdays from 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
- Art & Jake’s: 50% off kid’s menu on Tuesdays.
Comfortable and inclusive hotels in Lansing
The best thing about visiting the Lansing area is its proximity to Metro Detroit. However, it may be hard to cover all of these attractions in just one day.
Staying in Lansing can be affordable and often accommodates every family member’s needs. Along with the sights and activities above, many hotels are equipped with training materials and toolkits to improve stay experiences for neurodiverse guests.
Additionally, there are plenty of hotels with pools in the Lansing region to really make it feel like spring break. Paired with family-friendly entertainment and eats, staying in Lansing for a few days over spring break offers a simpler alternative to long-distance travel that can be just as fun as taking a tropical vacation.
