Things to Do in Norton Shores

After slinging itself onto the Michigan art scene in 1996, The Mud Room has since spun into a hub of creativity for artists of all ages and artistic experience. Under the direction of the studio's in-house teachers, small groups learn to wield everything from paintbrushes to pottery wheels during four types of classes, which teach such skills as fusing colored glass tiles into kaleidoscopic works or hand-forming ceramics to recreate ancient casseroles. Customers can also stop in to paint pre-made ceramics themselves. The pieces come in various shapes and sizes, which patrons can adorn with colored glaze before handing their artwork over to the professionals to be fired and finished. The studio also offers group pottery classes for parties including girls' nights out, birthdays, and kids' celebrations. In keeping with its safety-first approach, The Mud Room features only nontoxic, lead-free products, ensuring the finished pieces are safe to use with food.

Not only does the staff at Gamer Doc of Grand Rapids know how to unite the Triforce and rescue Princess Zelda, turn the tide of the Covenant invasion, or defend against a Zergling Rush as Protoss, they share the exultation of these triumphs with others. The gaming experts equip players with both retro Nintendo favorites and the latest games. They rent thousands of games, in addition to selling and buying new and used games. Technicians can also repair injured gaming consoles, including XBox 360s, Sony PlayStations, and Nintendo Wiis, in addition to cell phones and laptops suffering from cholera.

Adjacent to the store’s main room, a group gaming room sprawls out over 1,100 square feet, where combatants recline in black leather chairs during parties and tournaments. The room boasts nine networked gaming consoles and a 10-foot high-definition projector that reveals even Princess Peach gets zits on occasion.

Susan Molnar’s world is made of glass. As the owner of Glass House Designs, she oversees the facility’s three divisions: the gallery, the classroom, and the artist’s studio. In the gallery, Susan showcases her work alongside the pieces of more than 50 other local, regional, and national artists. For visitors hoping to create glass masterpieces of their own, Susan offers classes in fusing, mosaics, lampworking, and stained glass, and guest instructors offer classes in other artistic disciplines.

At Alpine Ridge Farms, riding instructor Rebecca Bradley designs lessons to help students learn and progress at a comfortable pace. Certified by both the United States Hunter Jumper Association and the American Riding Instructor Association, Rebecca aims to instill confidence in her students, boosting their self-esteem and deepening their appreciation for animals. During lessons, Rebecca gives students a solid foundation of riding and horsemanship, and also encourages them to compete. Alpine Ridge Farms' large indoor riding arena allows the instructor to host lessons year-round by providing firm, dry ground in the event that horses refuse to put on their snowshoes.

Of the many 5K events held in western Michigan, only one requires runners to sully themselves slipping down a 60-foot mudslide. The annual Grand Rapids Mud Run sends thousands of runners through a grueling and characteristically muddy 5K landscape. This year, the hosts have devised a new, one-lap course replete with slippery hill climbs, cargo nets, and fields of tires to challenge runners' endurance and grit. As adult participants––some donning costumes––sprint and stumble through the course, child runners can test their mettle in the Kids Mini Mud Run, in which competitors 12 and younger traipse through a smaller, 1-mile course. After concluding the race, runners rinse off at the course's wash station and can describe their thrilling journeys to fellow racers and earthworms they befriended during their muddy plunge.