Big Rapids is a college town with plenty of activities to do. During the summer months one of the best things to do is tubing down the Muskegon River. There are two ways to go about it, either through buying your own tube and arrange travel between your starting and ending points if you have the resources or through renting a tube through a local business. If you are uncertain about travelling arrangements your best bet is through rental. Most people who do not rent usually start off from Northend Riverside Park and end at Highbanks Park. On the river its a fairly relaxed/party like atmosphere with plenty of fun oppurtunities. Most people will bring alcohol but be forewarned that glass bottles and Styrofoam coolers are prohibited by being punishable by fines. Most starting points for tubing are on the north side of town on the eastern side of the river.
Another fun thing to do is Disc Golfing at Northend Riverside Park. It is quite majestic during the summer months but is really hard to retrieve discs in the undergrowth, best off to go during the spring/fall months. It is a 18 hole course through a woods with a few holes over open grassy areas.
If none of the above are for you, then maybe try fishing in the Muskegon River or on one of the Lakes near Big Rapids. Most notable is Chippewa Lake, which has plenty of fish and is the largest inland lake nearby, or Rogers Dam, which is just south of town. If you enjoy hunting, there is also the Haymarsh Lake State Game Area. It is usually quite crowded during deer hunting season, but apart from that, it is a great area to view Michigan's beautiful natural wildlife and go target shooting.
