Top Things to Do in Holland, Michigan
Dutch heritage provides this lakeside town with its name and many of its top attractions, including the annual Tulip Time Festival, Windmill Island Gardens and Veldheer Tulip Gardens.
Pandemic-related closures and restrictions may be in place. Please check destinations' websites before making travel plans.
DO
Holland shopping Boutiques, galleries, gift shops and cafes line 8th Street downtown. downtownholland.com
Holland State Park Eight miles west of Holland, this Lake Michigan park has an expansive beach and great views of nearby Big Red, a much-photographed lighthouse. A boardwalk and stairs access Mount Pisgah's towering sand dune. michigan.gov/dnr
Tulip Time Festival Parades, wooden shoe dancing and millions of tulips—plus concerts, fireworks, a quilt show and more—draw visitors to this annual event in May. (Expect pandemic adaptations in 2021.) tuliptime.com
Veldheer Tulip Gardens Stroll among 5 million tulips-as well as daffodils, hyacinths, Dutch lilies and more-at Holland's largest tulip farm. veldheer.com
Windmill Island Gardens In Holland, an 18th-century working windmill, with the only female Dutch-certified miller in North America, towers above a 36-acre island. A re-created 14th-century Dutch inn houses a museum. windmillisland.org
EAT
Butch's Restaurant Relax at downtown's restaurant-slash-wine shop. Dinner options include grilled Alaskan halibut with sticky rice. butchs.net
Boatwerks Waterfront Restaurant Overlook the lake while you dine on seafood and other specialties. boatwerksrestaurant.com
Coppercraft Tour groups get a glimpse of the distilling process. Afterward, try a cocktail: The ingredient list changes seasonally but always includes locally grown fruits and herbs. coppercraftdistillery.com
Crane's in the City In Holland's downtown, this small cafe serves panini, salads and fresh apple cider. But you're really here for pie from the family-owned orchard. cranesinthecity.com
DeBoer's Dutch Brothers Bakery Visitors stop into the bakery-restaurant combo in Holland to pick up fresh breads and buttery kraklingen cookies or to nosh on pigs-in-a-blanket and pea soup. deboerbakery.com
Lemonjello's Coffee Regional roasters provide the beans for Mood Lattes with flavors such as Buzzed (with local honey) and Indecisive (chocolate and white chocolate) in Holland. lemonjellos.com
New Holland Brewing Company After perfecting the art of brewing, it now distills spirits. A copper fermenter sits in the center of the Holland restaurant also known for its creative pizzas. newhollandbrew.com
STAY
CityFlatsHotel Splashes of green and orange speak to the styling of this Holland hotel. Bamboo sheets and cork flooring show the ecoconsciousness that garnered the lodging LEED certification. cityflatshotel.com
Haworth Inn A complete renovation is due to debut in May 2021. haworthinn.com
For more information: Holland Area Convention and Visitors Bureau holland.org