What To Do In Holland Michigan (when it’s not tulip season)
Just before labor day weekend, Alan and I went on a short trip to Holland Michigan! The only things I knew before going was that it was a charming town, not too far from Chicago, and pretty during the tulip season! Although tulip season had already passed we decided to still make the trip to experience the charm of a new Midwest town.
About Holland, Michigan
Holland was quite an interesting town! The blend of it’s Dutch history, lively downtown, and countless outdoor adventures made us feel like we had so many options to explore and not enough time. There were many cute shops, restaurants, and breweries in it’s very walkable downtown area.
When it came to the outdoors, there was a lot to see. Scenic hikes, beaches, gardens, water-sports, fishing, and more! It’s well known for its tulip festivals in May and the celebrations of its rich Dutch history. Something else I hadn’t realized was that it’s also home to Hope college. With school starting again we saw lots of college students and it gave us a slight college town feel.
Where Is Holland?
Holland is located in southwestern Michigan, a coast town on Lake Michigan. It was about a 2.5 hour drive from Chicago but depends on traffic and roadwork. From Detroit it’s about 3 hours and from Grand Rapids about 30 minutes.
Where We Stayed
We booked this trip pretty last minute and didn’t have many options. We wound up staying at Haworth Hotel at Hope College which was within walking distance to downtown Holland. The hotel was beautiful and you could tell a lot of attention and detail went into the furnishings and fixtures. The room itself felt comfortable and very clean!
What To Do In Holland, Michigan
Downtown Holland Shopping District
8th street was lined with shops and food! If you’re staying at a hotel near the downtown area, it’s super easy to walk to everything.
Holland Clock Company was one of my favorite shops. There were so many intricate and pretty clocks to look at. My grandparents had a cuckoo clock that I remember fondly. Something about the wood smell and gentle ticking sounds felt like nostalgia. We wished they all went off at the same time but they were set to different times. That probably would have been so loud. 😆
We went to Cherry Republic, Michigan’s all things cherry themed store. There was wine, jams, hot sauces, pancake mix, sweets, you name it! They had free samples of candy, chocolate, crackers, and jams! I bought some little bags of the sour cherry gummies to gift and then I had to get a bag for me! Who else loves sour candy!?
Windmill Gardens
I’m sure during tulip season Windmill Gardens is a beautiful place to walk around (and I heard it gets very crowded). We were lucky that there was hardly anyone there when we went (2 hours before closing). It was a beautiful garden to walk around and worth it even without the tulips. They had gorgeous flowers including a small sunflower field, areas to sit and take in the view, and I got to see my first gopher. 😁
The windmill was open to walk up each level and explore its history. My fear of heights had my legs feeling shaky up on the wrap around balcony but I’m glad I went up! We also got to explore a community garden, see horses, and the colorful replica buildings. There was a little wooden lookout area near the parking lot where we got to see a different view of the windmill!
Other places that celebrate the tulip season:
See The Sunset At Tunnel Park
After some research I learned that the sunsets on this side of the lake are beautiful. I love the sunsets over on the Illinois side, but there really was something beautiful about this one at Tunnel Park. There’s a small tunnel to walk through, and opens to a beautiful view of Lake Michigan. I swear it looked like an ocean! Every time the sky changed I had to take a picture because the lighting was so pretty!
Holland State Park
Holland State Park has a great view of the big red lighthouse! An iconic lighthouse that has a rich history! You can visit the beach, rent water sport equipment, and walk trails! I wish we had more time to explore this area.
Get Tickets To A Mercantile Market
On a whim, I bought us tickets to an antique market hosted right in Holland at the Ottawa County Fairgrounds Campground. It was hosted by The Found Cottage and it was easy to find, park, and enter! This was our first antique market and it was a great experience. We spent a good two hours browsing through all of the tents and learned that they’ll be hosting another market next year!
Miniature Golf
Alan and I are pro miniature golfers 😆 Just kidding, but we enjoy playing! We love to find new mini golf courses and we were pleasantly surprised at how fun Pirates Landing Mini Golf was! It was a simple course but it was clean and felt brand new. Plus, next door is an ice cream shop that had so many flavors to choose from!
Visit A Brewery
Big Lake Brewing was so welcoming! We had stopped here for dinner and a drink on our first night. Alan got a beer and I went with a cucumber gin lemonade. The food was tasty, the vibe relaxed, and it was a beautiful day to sit outside!
Other breweries that we would like to visit next time are New Holland Brewing and HopCat Holland.
Restaurants To Try In Holland, Michigan
Bowerman’s on 8th
Bowerman’s was a delicious spot where everything was blueberry themed. You could purchase jams, candies, shirts, and more gift-y items. We had brunch and split a blueberry donut that was so good! There were lot’s of baked goods options and I wish I could have tried them all. I did have a refreshing blueberry lavender iced tea and got to enjoy the view of 8th street.
The Curragh Irish Pub
The Curragh Irish Pub had great bar food and a laid back vibe. I got a reuben sandwich and Alan got a burger and both were very tasty! I do love a reuben sandwich. Plus, the menu had more traditional Irish foods and a good amount of beer selections.
The Good Earth Cafe
Before we left Holland, I had a recommendation to stop at The Good Earth Cafe, which serves breakfast and lunch. It was hard to find at first until we finally realized you had to walk through the parking garage of an office building. At that point, I wasn’t sure what to expect! The bagel sandwiches turned out to be the perfect thing to eat on the road back to home!
Other Recommendations
There was a lot to try and not enough time! I got recommendations for these other highly reviewed places.
Windmill Restaurant – A super popular diner serving breakfast and lunch. Both days we walked by and the line to wait was out the door!
Mizu Sushi – A highly rated contemporary spot for sushi, noodles and more! There was outdoor seating.
Crane’s In The City – Crane’s is well known for their delicious pies. This location in downtown Holland serves salads, sandwiches, and their homemade baked goods! Next time I’d love to get a slice of pie and take it with us to watch a sunset.
Beechwood Grill – A restaurant known for its grilling options and cabin theme with a great atmosphere!
The Biscuit – This one was recommended to us by a local and we wished we had time to try! A more relaxed down home restaurant that serves breakfast and lunch. The menu offered interesting breakfast options/flavors compared to other breakfast spots.
The 205 Coffee Bar – An aesthetic cafe (plants everywhere) that serves coffee and delicious waffles!
Holland had so much to offer and we had a lovely time!
