The City Adventures of Jacob and Madeline | Community Spirit

By Jacob and Madeline Schulz

Jacob and Madeline Schulz explored Downtown Grand Rapids and the Uptown neighborhood during their 2012 summer vacation. They were “free range” -- without parents -- traveling by foot, bike and bus. They live in the Heritage Hill neighborhood. Their dad owns/operates Cherry Deli in East Hills, and their mom is the City Planner. Jacob and Madeline are familiar with urban living. Their parents faced a dilemma this summer. Their “tweens," ages 12 and 10 respectively, were getting too old for summer care and they had been there/done that with nannies. After great debate, the decision was made to let them create adventures of their own choosing and discover what Grand Rapids had to offer. The following is an account of their thoughts about the experience.

Our parents let us explore the city this summer. It is not hard for kids to navigate Downtown, even though it may seem like a big place. It is very well organized. There are a lot of great places to eat and shop. It is also fun to watch all of the different kinds of people. We were given some spending money so that we could do things. Here is a list of places to go and what you can expect:

• Big-O’s - their pizza is delicious and reasonably priced; the service is excellent and family-friendly. We learned how to order off of a menu and to tip our server.
• Central District Cyclery - if you need to get your bike fixed, go see Nate Phelps.
• Ryerson Library - the staff is really nice and the books are awesome.
• Kilwin’s - high-quality treats that are good for a party or a special occasion.
• Biggby Coffee - conveniently located near to Rosa Parks Circle.
• Schuler’s Books - we like this store, but not a good selection of Judy Blume books.
• Grand Central Market - if you need a little snack, this is a good...

...Read more at RapidGrowthMedia.com