Holland
Holland is a city of about 30,000 in West Michigan, on the shore of Lake Michigan.
Understand
It is best known locally for its popular beaches and more widely for its Dutch immigrant heritage, showcased each spring in Tulip Time, a festival featuring countless flowers lining the city's streets.
Get in
By road
Holland is best accessed by car, as it has limited public transportation. It sits along US-31 and I-196, making it a convenient trip from Chicago (I-94 to US-31) or Detroit (I-96 to I-196).
By train
Holland also has daily train service from the Amtrak Pere Marquette line between Grand Rapids and Chicago.
Get around
By bus
- Max, Macatawa Area Express (616 355-1010) Serves Holland and surrounding areas. All buses stop at the Train station on Lincoln Ave and Business Route 31 (E 7th Street). Daylight services runs from Monday through Friday from 6 AM to 7 PM and Saturdays from 8 am to 7 pm. Between 7 PM and 10 PM, use the Twilight Route 9 to travel around the city center and to/from the Amtrak train station. Fares for single trips cost $1.00. A daily bus pass costs $2.00 and is good for unlimited trips for one day.
See
- Windmill Island, 7th St. Located at Lincoln Avenue, by the Macatawa River. Features an antique carousel, an Amsterdam street organ, acres of gardens (with, of course, tulips) and the 240-year-old working De Zwaan windmill, the last to be dismantled and moved out of the Netherlands.
- 1 Veldheer Tulip Gardens, 12755 Quincy Avenue. Adjacent to the DeKlomp Factory. Open from April to mid-October. Along with over four million tulips, the gardens also feature daffodils, hyacinths and other spring flowers. Bulbs and perennials are offered for sale. Admission to the gardens is $6.
- 2 DeGraaf Nature Center, 600 Graafschap Road. The. An 18-acre botanical preserve with an interpretive center and lots of trails to explore.
- 3 Graafschap Heritage Center, 5973 Church Street. A historic church houses displays on the immigration, the colonization and the pioneer days of Holland.
- Lake Michigan, with its popular white sand beaches and tall dunes, is a short drive to the west. Holland State Park is on the north shore of Lake Macatawa and can be reached by Douglas Avenue / Ottawa Beach Road. Big Red Lighthouse, however, is on the South shore of Lake Macatawa, and although it can be easily viewed from the state park, can not be reached directly.
- 4 Holland Museum and Dutch Galleries, 31 West 10th Street. Fall hours: Fridays and Saturdays, 12:00-4:00 PM. Collection of Dutch cultural items and paintings. Also operates the Cappon House, Settlers House Museum, and the Holland Armory. Free.
- 5 Cappon House Museum, 228 West 9th Street (The #3 bus stops at West 8th Street and Maple Ave, walk south on Maple Ave, then one block west on West 9th Street.). Fall hours: Fridays and Saturdays, 12:00-4:00 PM. Restored historic home of Holland's first mayor. Free.
- Settlers House Museum, 190 W. 9th St.
- The Holland Armory, 16 W. 9th St.
Do
- 1 Dutch Village. The theme park, 12350 James Street. Comprises a number of Dutch-style buildings (including a windmill) housing souvenir and gift shops, restaurants, a wooden shoe factory and a costume museum, reached by meandering paths that wind through formal gardens and over a small stream.
- In May, the week-long Tulip Time Festival celebrates the region's Dutch heritage with a community street-cleaning parade, a children's traditional-costume parade, a music parade, over 1,500 teenagers dancing in wooden shoes, and lots of activities for the entire family.
- In December, the two-week Dutch Winter Fest includes a children's lantern parade and a visit by Sinterklaas. Visitors can browse the Kerstmarkt, an open-air Christmas market of decorative booths featuring handcrafted souvenirs and local food, open for three consecutive weekends at the Eighth Street Market Place. For one day, the market is also host to an ice-sculpting contest in which local teams attack 150-pound ice blocks armed with chainsaws, hot irons and delicate crafting tools, and visitors can vote on their favorite sculpture.
- 2 Craigs Cruisers Family Fun Centers - Holland.
Buy
Downtown Holland, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, includes eight blocks of more than 100 shops and restaurants housed in Victorian buildings. The sidewalks are heated by underground hot-water pipes, making shopping a pleasant experience even in winter. Most shops are open until 9PM during the week.
Two characteristically Dutch handicrafts can be purchased at the DeKlomp Wooden Shoe and Delft Factory, 12755 Quincy Avenue, the only factory of its kind in the United States. You can watch the artists producing both delftware, a traditional blue-and-white pottery originally produced around the town of Delft in the Netherlands, and wooden shoes, on machines that were imported from the Netherlands.
Eat
When visiting a town that emphasizes its Dutch heritage, you may naturally wish to sample some Dutch food. Perhaps unfortunately, there aren't a lot of restaurants that capitalize on this interest. The only one with a relatively broad selection of Dutch food is the Hungry Dutchman Cafe in the Dutch Village theme park; be aware, however, that it isn't open year-round, so if you visit outside the tourist season, you may be out of luck.
There are several places in town where you can purchase Dutch confections, including the acquired taste of double-salt (dubbel zoute) licorice.
- 1 Downtown Holland. There are lots of great options available in downtown Holland to eat. Including an Irish Pub, tons of craft breweries with great food and The Windmill for breakfast food all day.
- 2 Boatwerks Waterfront Restaurant, 216 Van Raalte Ave, ☏ +1-616-396-0600, info@boatwerksrestaurant.com. A fairly spacious restaurant on the water serving American food and drinks. Sandwiches, pizza and burgers are available, and so are many other various options.
- 3 Margarita's, 495 W 17th St, ☏ +1-616-394-3069. A Mexican restaurant with great food and basic decor. They have great menudo on the weekends. Sunday hours shift with the season.
- 4 El Huarache, 517 Butternut Dr, ☏ +1-616-786-3739. A small Mexican restaurant with outdoor seating when in season. Typical Mexican cuisine plus some dishes from Oaxaca and a full selection of ice cream. Indoor seating is limited.
- 5 Goog's Pub & Grub, 667 Hastings Ave, ☏ +1-616-546-3422, googspub@sbcglobal.net. An American pub with a large menu and an especially large selection of great burgers. It can be busy, but the burgers are worth the wait.
- 6 Russ', 361 E 8th St, ☏ +1-616-396-2348. A local diner that spawned a small chain, this is the original location. Started in the 1930s, Russ' has been serving good food at decent prices for decades.
Drink
Prior to elections in 2008, beer and wine were not legal for sale on Sundays in Holland. This has since changed, however, and spirits may be purchased any day of the week.
- 1 Our Brewing Company, 76 E 8th St, Holland, MI 49423, ☏ +1-616-994-8417. A microbrewery with a constantly changing menu of what's on tap. It's a fairly relaxed place and there's no food menu. Popcorn is available.
- 2 Brewery 4 Two 4, 321 Douglas Ave #120, ☏ +1-616-377-7773. A microbrewery with a line of beers along with some ciders and wines. Bring your own food.
- New Holland Brewpub, 66 E. 8th St, ☏ +1 616 355-6422. Holland is the home of New Holland Brewery, a micro brewery with a pub.
Sleep
- Haworth Inn and Conference Center (Haworth), 225 College Avenue, ☏ +1 616-395-7200, toll-free: 800-903-9142, haworth@hope.edu. Located conveniently near Hope College and Downtown Holland. This hotel has great accommodations and a free breakfast.
- Bonnie's Parsonage 1908, 6 East 24th St, ☏ +1 616 396-1316. A historic bed and breakfast venue with antiques and three available rooms. Known for their pancakes.
Go next
- Allegan, southeast on State Route 40.
- Saugatuck, about 15 minutes south on I-196.
- Grand Rapids, about 30 minutes east on I-196.
- Muskegon, about 45 minutes north on US-31.
| Routes through Holland |
| END ← Grand Rapids ← | N  S |
→ St. Joseph → Chicago |
| Benton Harbor-Saint Joseph ← Saugatuck ← | S  E |
→ Jenison → Grand Rapids |
Muskegon ← Grand Haven ← Jct  E ← |
N  S |
→ Saugatuck → South Bend |