Today we’re excited to feature Ada, Michigan, a township located directly east of Grand Rapids. Ada was founded in 1821 and is a small, quaint village. There are some amazing restaurants, an old-school hardware store, cool bike shops, and shopping. This area is also within walking distance of a lot of the local schools and is full of some amazing parks. We know you are going to love living in Ada, Michigan.

Living in Ada, Michigan

Ada Covered Bridge

Cruising over to the historical Ada Covered Bridge, which is going to give you a bit more sense of how Ada was founded and what this community has to offer. This historical landmark in West Michigan was built in 1867. At different times of the year, you’ll see people taking their wedding or family photos here as it’s definitely one of the most photographed places in West Michigan, but it’s a passageway over the Thornapple River, which heads north and south through Ada, and then out to the Grand River. It’s a really great place to walk and hang out, and there are even some fun events that take place on the bridge like the Beers on the Bridge event during the summer. 

Parks and Recreation

We have to get into parks and recreation because that’s one of the best parts and a big reason why people move to Ada. The Ada pathways, called Ada Connect, are over 30 miles of paved bike trails. People live here because they want to be close to their work, but they want to be in an active environment and the setting is absolutely amazing. There are some amazing parks in Ada like Legacy Park in downtown Ada, Ada Park, Seedman Park, just east of Ada, and Roselle Park, which is on Grand River Avenue. Ada is really a beautiful recreational place to be. 

Real Estate in Ada 

Obviously, this is our specialty so we have to mention the real estate in Ada when talking about living in Ada. In the village of Ada, you’ll see a lot of historical homes but there has also been a movement at finding some vacant lots and building out new construction. In the village itself, you’ll see a lot of new condos and townhouses that border the river. It’s a highly, highly desirable area now because everybody knows that the business district is now here, which it hasn’t always been that way. Now, as far as Ada township as a whole, you’ll see an average medium price range of about $565,000 spread out away from the village. You’ll see larger lot sizes with a little bit more of a country setting. It’s really an incredibly beautiful place to live with the Thornapple River running north and south, and a lot of riverfront properties. This is a highly desirable area in terms of real estate.

Ada, Michigan Schools

Ada sits right in the middle of the Forest Hills Public School district and there are also plenty of private schools in the area and plenty of elementary and private schools within walking distance of the village of Ada. Forest Hills is a very large geographical area as far as the school goes and Ada sits right in the center. We’ll connect much more on schools in the area, so stay tuned for that! 

Envisioning Ada 

There’s been a transition from the older village feel of historical Ada into the new village, which has taken shape since 2015, called Envisioning Ada, which has been a movement to bring new businesses and shopping to Ada. It’s probably safe to say that it’s quadrupled in size, the actual village of Ada. There are some great spots like Zeytin Turkish restaurant and the Ada Market, which is a large grocery store. There is also a new social district, where you can go from shop to shop, store to store, grab a drink, grab a glass of wine, and stroll the streets and enjoy the area. 

Amway 

We can’t talk about living in Ada, Michigan without talking about the Amway headquarters which is located here. Amway has been such a big part of this community with the flagship headquarters that have been here for years, and Ada and Amway have gone hand in hand over the decades. 

You will definitely enjoy the old village of Ada, strolling through the historic bridge, enjoying music on the lawn in the summers, and beers on the bridge. You can stroll the paved walk path in Legacy Park, walk right up the Thornapple River, and you can spend all day here enjoying all that Ada, Michigan has to offer.  You have to come to check out the Village of Ada; it’s a special place and we’d love for you to enjoy it.