Lake Michigan Beach Town Tour: Holland

I am so excited to kick this summer off with a fun, new series: our Lake Michigan Beach Town Tour. Let’s jump right into Holland, Michigan! Your first thought is probably wooden shoes, Dutch heritage, windmills, and tulips… but there is SO much more to this fun town. But I do have a whole blog post about hitting Holland’s Tulip Festival, and you can view that here! 

Lake Michigan Beach Town Tour: Holland, Mi

Holland is a quiet little town, sitting on a gorgeous stretch of sandy, Lake Michigan beach. There’s a little something for everyone in Holland. From trails and dunes to climb and hike, to a busy main street, packed with cute shops, to the laid-back beaches, and plenty of parks/shaded areas, and hidden gardens! Holland will not disappoint.

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Here are a few fun ways to spend an afternoon in Holland!

Shopping

Holland has some killer shopping. Most of the shops are located along the main stretch, on 8th Street. There’s a public lot on 9th and College that is right in the center of all the fun. If that’s full, no worries! Holland has free parking, and LOTS of it.

My favorite place to stop in Holland is Cherry Republic. Shocker 😉 Here you will find assortment of cherry-based products, like: salsa, dressings, candies, wines, sauces, and sodas! Pro tip: the dark chocolate covered cherries are the best thing you’ll ever eat, and no, one bag is not enough 😉

Another favorite is Canterbury Cottage! I love the beachy/lake-inspired vibe of the home decor. This is where I find some of my favorite home decor!

If you ask my girls, they’ll tell you Tip Toes is the best (with SandCastle for Kids being a close second!) Tip Toes carries an awesome variety of books, clothing, toys, crafts, accessories, and baby gear. I love seeing some of our favorite brands in stock there, like Tea Collection, Babiators, EEBOO, Mila & Rose, and more!

Dining

There are a TON of places to eat in Holland, complete with Jimmy John’s and Biggby Coffee, but I love hitting the local restaurants when in-town!

I almost always end up at New Holland Brewing Co (and I am not a big fan of beer)! The atmosphere is so inviting and friendly, the food is great, and it’s location makes it super easy to grab a bite between shopping, or on your way back to the car!

Kilwin’s is another must-stop for us! You smell that “ice cream shoppe” scent the minute the door opens. I highly recommend the Key Lime ice cream. Take your ice cream outside, and sit on the little concrete wall out front, or walk about half a block, and you’ll find a cute little splash pad/fountain area for the kids to play in. This is also where the public bathrooms are, and that is VALUABLE information to have!

Exploring

Holland is kind of separated into the shopping.dining area, the beach, and then the tulip gardens. All of which are worth the visit!

Tulips

I mentioned above that Holland is home to the Tulip Festival, and that I did a whole blog post about it (read it here). The best time to hit that for peak color is early May. Windmill Island Gardens, however, is amazing year-round. Veldheer Farms is one of my favorite stops to make in late April through early June. You will find rows and rows and rows and rows of tulips. Every variety, color, and shape that you can imagine!

The kids always have an absolute blast. Here you will find the original De Zwaan windmill that was brought over in 1964! There are playgrounds, picnic areas, overlooks, a carousel, gorgeous flowers, and cute shops. You could spend an hour here, or all day!

Holland Beaches

Holland State Park is home to 2 gorgeous beaches and a campsite. It also offers amazing views of the iconic “Big Red” Lighthouse! The sunsets are gorgeous, as are the beaches!

Tunnel Park is so unique, and you definitely have to go at least once, but the State Park will always be my pick between the two. To get to Lake Michigan, you trek through an actual tunnel through the sand dunes. (Most Lake Michigan Beaches require a little hike up a dune or down a bluff, which makes this super unique!).

 

 

Have you visited Holland, Mi? It is one of my favorite beach towns on Lake Michigan!