Hundreds of planes arrive at and depart from Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids each day, and for those not flying there is a great park to watch these airplanes of all sizes from. The Airport Viewing Park is located just south of the airport, and offers more than a hundred parking spaces that face the airport terminal and runway. This is a popular spot to bring a lunch and sit in the car and watch the planes, or to get out and walk around.

The Airport Viewing Park is open from 7:30 a.m. until dusk each day. In 2017 the park received several upgrades, including more parking, site beautification, and the installation of a viewing pavilion. The pavilion offers a covered area with picnic tables and restrooms. Other picnic tables can be found spread throughout the park. The park rules are posted and are pretty simple: no alcohol, no grills, no open fires, don’t feed the birds.

From the viewing area you have a great view of the runways and the airport. For the next three years you can watch the progress as a $135 million project expands the terminal and upgrades the flying experience for travelers. In the distance you can see the FedEx terminal, which almost always has at least one large plane outside.

Airlines that fly to and from the Ford International Airport include American Airlines, Delta Airlines, Allegiant, United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and Frontier Airlines. Many smaller companies use the airport as well. A real-time flight tracker can be found on the Gerald R. Ford International Airport website, which can be helpful if you’re hoping to watch a loved one land before driving over to pick them up! We love this park and think it is a great spot for the entire family.

The Airport Viewing Park is located at 4910 Kraft Ave. From the airport, take Patterson Rd. south to 52nd St. then head east. Turn left at the stop sign at Kraft, and follow it to the end of the road where you will see this sign.