There is nothing more magical than walking through a sea of vibrant colored tulips. Visiting Holland, MI during their annual Tulip Time festival has been a bucket list item. To be completely honest, this town has so much to offer you could visit anytime of the year and make incredible memories. Here are some must-do’s when planning your trip:

Attractions

Windmill Island

This beautiful garden has a 250-year-old windmill, DeZwaan, that was imported from the Netherlands, and is the only authentic Dutch windmill operating in the United States. Plus, you can actually go inside of the structure and climb to the top; perfect view of all the tulip gardens. In addition, the gardens have an organ house, carousel and several informational plaques and viewing areas to learn more. During the spring season there are over 100,000 tulips on the island.

Nelis’ Dutch Village

This attraction started out as a learning experience to walk guests through historical Dutch culture. Over the years Nelis’ Dutch Village has become a family fun center, full of hands-on learning and plenty of fun. I’m so grateful I had the opportunity to speak to Joe, President of Nelis’ Dutch Village, and learn about how his family’s intended tulip farm evolved into this entertainment center. He shared incredible history and information about the Dutch culture. Check out his segment on Small Town Charm at 5:47 here:

Tulip Time

This annual event is packed with so much, it’s no wonder why it is a week long. Celebrating the blossoming of the thousands of tulips throughout the area, Tulip Time began in 1929. In addition to the many tulip fields and traditional festival finds (rides, food vendors and parades), Tulip Time also offers events and show cases that highlight the Dutch culture. From traditional clothes, dances and even shoe making; there is so much to learn.

Holland Museum

If you are looking for more history on the town or just love viewing art, the Holland Museum is a great stop. The museum is located by Centennial Park and is just a short walk from downtown. They also have the Cappon House and the Settlers House you can tour.

Centennial Park/Holland Oz

If you are a fan of Frank Baum’s book “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” I highly encourage you see this for yourself. Among the tulip gardens is a yellow brick road and statues of the beloved fairytale characters. The author was known to vacation near Holland, MI and it has been suggested that part of his children’s book “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” was written while in the area.

Restaurants

New Holland Brewing Co.

Getting a tip that New Holland Brewing Co. had great pizza, I had to check it out for lunch. The space is open with a little bit of a vintage industrial vibe. Their patio is heated and a great way to enjoy the sunshine even though it was a little cold. I went with the dixie luau pizza. Overall it was delicious. The sauce was on the spicey side (for me) but was a great compliment to the pineapple.

Craft Beer

I went with a flight so I could sample a few of their brews.

Passion Blaster – This was my favorite. It was fruity but not so much that it resembled a cider or wine.

Pineapple Marshmallow IPA - The pineapple wasn’t as potent as I had hoped but the beer was smooth.

Watermelon Spritz - This was a good, light, yet flavorful beer. This was my second favorite from my flight.

Light Point – This was my least favorite. It is true to the name and tasted like a light beer. I was anticipating a little more of a wheat taste; again my expectations were a little high. If you are looking for a refreshing light beer, this is a great option.

Oliebollen/Fat Balls

I overheard that the one thing locals look forward to during Tulip Time are Oliebollens. So, I had to try it. It is a Dutch doughnut - a large fried dough ball, sliced and filled with of your choice apple, cherry or chocolate. I was advised to try apple. It was a lot more bread than I was anticipating and heavier than the doughnuts I’m used to. The dough was complimentary to the sweet filling.

Shopping

There are so many shops in the downtown area. I was blown away by all the options. There was one that stood out to me most:

Jean Marie

This fashion boutique has a wide range of clothing, accessories, home and gift items. The store feels like it goes on for days and I could have easily bought everything. What stood out to me was their commitment to bringing their shopping experience to customers shopping online.

In their app you can watch videos of their employees modeling their clothes and all you have to do is tap the screen to bring up all the items the model is wearing. How Cool Is That?! It’s like the home shopping network but with your favorite local boutique.

Whether you choose to visit for the day or the whole weekend, Holland, MI is full of things to see and do. While I couldn’t make it to all the must-do’s I hope this serves you as a starting point for planning your trip.

Holland, Michigan During Tulip Time | Small Town Charm