10 Fun Things to Do in Holland, MI | Top Things to Do in Holland, MI

Holland is located on the banks of two lakes, Michigan and Macatawa. From the historic center to the spectacular May tulip festival, the city’s ethnic and cultural character is heavily influenced by its Dutch past.

Holland’s architecture is spectacular, with many gorgeous mid-century modern residences erected during the country’s affluent agricultural history.

Holland also has some excellent museums, including the Rahr-West Art Museum, the Zeeland Historical Museum, and the Village of West Michigan History Center.

Whether you are traveling to Holland for the first time or seeking for more to discover, this list is a microcosm of all the fantastic activities one can do here and meet the city up close.

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The Top 10 Things to Do in Holland, Michigan

Windmill Island Gardens are a must-see.

+161635510301 Holland’s Lincoln Avenue

Windmill Island, located in the charming hamlet of Holland, Michigan, is part destination, half theme park, and all fun! Its primary draw is the only operational Dutch windmill in the United States.

Windmill Island Gardens, located between two forks of the Holland Parkway, is home to over 200 different species of tulips. It has amazing lake views as well as spectacular views of Holland.

During the year, Windmill Island Gardens organizes a variety of events, including the annual Dutch Tulip Time Festival. This one-of-a-kind event takes place during the final two weeks of May and includes windmill tours, flower displays, performances, cuisine, and fun for the whole family!

The grounds have a genuine Dutch windmill, which alone takes my breath away, as well as several other touches that exude that distinct Dutch spirit that we all adore about the Netherlands. Such good fortune to discover such a unique location in Michigan!

Relax on the beach at Holland State Park.

Holland, +161639993902398 Ottawa Beach Rd

In Lake Michigan and Lake Macatawa, Holland State Park has a big sandy beach. The park is one of the most well-known sites called Holland City Park.

Two spacious campsites with picnic tables, grills, horseshoe pits, sand volleyball courts, and fire pits lead to the beach. From the parking lot near the tennis courts, a sand dune boardwalk leads to the beach.

There are also restrooms on-site. Holland State Park also features the Grand Island Trails, which are accessible by a wooden boardwalk and are ideal for wandering along the beach while enjoying nature.

Holland State Park is ideal for family holidays or day trips with friends! Cool down with some water sports, ride your bike along the designated riding routes, or take a trip on one of the miles of walking trails.

If you are hungry, there are picnic tables with grills located around the park. You are invited to bring your own food if you so like! Since there are no businesses or restaurants in the park, pack a cooler and ice for any food or drinks you wish to enjoy while at the beach.

Boardwalk on the Mount Pisgah Dune

Park Township, United States of America.

There are several outdoor activities around Holland that will enable you to appreciate the magnificent environment. Mount Pisgah is a dune that rises 157 feet above the shores of Lake Michigan and is the highest point of a landmass that extends into Lake Macatawa. This Holland State Park branch is ideal for families and couples wishing to spend some time together while admiring the scenery.

The park has bike routes that go through it. Visitors may also go fishing from the park’s 400-foot pier. There are picnic tables and two hiking trails at the summit.

Mount Pisgah is one of the top attractions in the park because of its spectacular vistas and architecture.

It is covered with walkways with interpretative signage on the flora and wildlife you may see on your journey. This park has something for everyone, no matter what age they are.

Take a stroll around the Veldheer Tulip Garden.

+1616399190012755 Quincy St, Amsterdam

Veldheer Tulip Garden, Holland’s sole tulip farm, has a tulip farm and a perennial garden. The park is home to millions of tulips. Apart from the beauty of the flowers in the garden, you may purchase bulbs and bouquets to take home and decorate your gardens.

The Veldheer Tulip Garden started as a tiny hobby farm in the early 1950s. Together with Holland State Park and the Dutch Village, it is now one of Holland’s most popular spring attractions.

Every year, an estimated half a million tourists from all across the nation visit the tulip garden to admire the magnificent tulips.

The Veldheer Tulip Garden is a four-acre parcel of land surrounded by a twenty-foot stone wall in a residential neighborhood. There’s a pond, an amphitheater, picnic tables, and a garden store with 10 rooms.

Veldheer Tulip Garden looks to be blanketed in many colors of crimson as spring progresses. They have almost 5 million tulips planted in their gardens! It really is a wonderful spot to visit.

DePree Art Center and Gallery is a great place to see art.

+16163957500160 E 12th St, Amsterdam

If you are in Holland, you should visit the De Pree Gallery at Hope College’s Department of Art and Art History. The gallery exhibits student work in addition to foreign artists.

Moreover, visiting artists are routinely exhibited at the gallery, and non-residents are regularly treated to workshops, critiques, and lectures during their stay in Holland.

It is no secret that the Hope College Department of Art and Art History conducts a variety of art activities in its De Pree Gallery throughout the year, thus this is a year-round draw.

The gallery is open all year, and the grounds are so lovely that there is no need to come at a certain season.

I recommend spending a few minutes outdoors before entering the gallery to explore the surroundings. The setting surrounding the museum was gorgeous, from sculpture gardens to lovely courtyards and ponds, and it added to the experience of appreciating art.

Pay a visit to Laketown Beach.

+161633530506710 142nd Ave, Amsterdam

This is now one of Michigan’s most gorgeous beaches. This hidden treasure in Holland, located along Lake Michigan, delivers the surprise of a lengthy stretch of pure white sand dunes on its shores. The beach is a short walk from downtown Holland and has a beach house that acts as a community caf for guests to enjoy snacks and drinks on hot summer days. In addition, four boat docks are available for hire, allowing you to launch kayaks and fishing boats into Lake Michigan for water sports activities.

Visitors to Lilydale Road may see that there aren’t many significant companies or stores nearby, just a few private residences.

This is the sole indication that a beach exists. So you may spend your time observing Lake Michigan, relaxing on the beach, and exploring the woods to really get away from it all.

It’s a quiet beach on top of a sand dune. You will get a magnificent view of Lake Michigan from the top, and on the beach, you will discover an almost secluded refuge for them to enjoy a day in the sun.

It’s a little off the beaten path, but getting there is half the adventure: you’ll have to climb the steps on a sand dune at the end of a dead-end road.

In the Outdoor Exploration Center, you may learn about nature.

+161639394534214 56th St, Amsterdam

The Outdoor Exploration Center was founded in 1999 by a group of local environmental enthusiasts who wanted to make nature accessible to everyone. The creators of the center envisioned a location where adults and children could engage in hands-on activities with nature.

The Outdoor Discovery Center has evolved into an internationally known resource for outdoor education programs that encourage environmental stewardship via sustainable outdoor recreation since its founding.

The Center’s team did an amazing job of creating a setting that makes you feel like you’re in the middle of nature. The park is spread over forty acres of organically landscaped property, complete with streams, ponds, and more than 10 miles of paths.

The Outdoor Exploration Center also provides outdoor leisure programs that are appropriate for any season. The facility is open all year, and there is something to do in each of the four seasons.

Kayak Central, mushroom hunts, and the Spring Trout Derby are all popular springtime activities.

The fourteen-acre Outdoor Exploration Center is situated just outside of Amsterdam, providing everyone a taste of the natural world.

If you are above the age of four, you are considered a person. One of my favorite aspects of the center is that almost all of their events, seminars, camps, naturalist-guided walks, and courses are free! I went to the front desk as soon as I got at the facility to pay, which was just $5.

Knickerbocker Theater is a must-see.

E 8th St #3504, Holland, +1616395789086

The Knickerbocker Theater is a historical monument, which explains why so many couples and families visit the theater in search of romantic date ideas.

The architecture of this lovely facility is traditional and lovely, with French-style doors and ceiling tiles in the auditorium. Even if it’s just for a night at the theater, the setting transports you back in time.

For almost a century, the Knickerbocker Theater in Holland, Michigan, has been a vital part of the community. The theater, which first opened in 1913, quickly became an important component of Holland’s thriving social scene.

It was sometimes referred to as “people’s theater” since entry fees were as cheap as $10 per person!

The Knickerbocker, Michigan’s sole historic vaudeville theater, is much more than a performance venue. In this magnificent monument, visitors may experience great movies, dramas, musicals, and ballets.

Take a Sip at Coppercraft Distillery

+16167968274184 120th Ave, Amsterdam

Coppercraft Distillery is a tiny, artisan distillery in Holland, Michigan. Despite its small size, Holland has had micro-distilleries since before the turn of the century. Since Holland was formerly a Dutch territory, Coppercraft honors the Dutch heritage of distilled drinks. They value distilling’s art and science, as well as its history and culture.

The distillation takes place in their cutting-edge still room. Grain is milled, mashed, and fermented before being passed three times through the still to produce alcohol.

Grain is distilled at various temperatures depending on the kind of alcohol being produced and the desired taste and fragrance. Coppercraft is noted for its award-winning rum and whiskey and Dutch-style gin Genever.

After a tour of the facility, see the actual distillation of the current batch of whiskey. You may then sample some small-batch Michigan distilled spirits in their Speakeasy bar. Lastly, if viewing the site has got you hungry, stop by their cafeteria for some tasty sandwiches and traditional Dutch fare.

Pay a visit to the Saugatuck Dunes State Park.

+126963727886575 Holland 138th Ave

The Saugatuck Dunes State Park is a lesser-known natural site near Holland, West Michigan. Yet, because of its location, this park is worth considering while planning your next Michigan trip.

Hiking, bicycling, birdwatching, horseback riding, and camping are just a few of the activities available in the park. Hikers and bikers may also enjoy a 2.7-mile track through the dunes that leads to the lake.

After you’ve had your fill of admiring the scenery, you may either continue along the beach or return to your vehicle. Don’t forget to stop by the visitor center, which is not far from the park’s entrance. Exhibitions emphasize the marine heritage of Saugatuck Dunes and the adjacent regions, including Hollands Shipwreck Coast.

The Top 10 Things to Do in Holland, Michigan

Holland is quickly becoming one of Michigan’s most popular tourist destinations. It is currently one of the most popular tourist spots in the country.

There are several activities available to visitors to this city. Moreover, there are other activities accessible throughout the year. As a result, regardless of the season, Holland is an ideal place for exploration or leisure.

Whether it’s racing through the tulip fields with the kids, checking out the nearby golf courses, tasting one of the wonderful restaurants, or exploring Grant Street, no visitor to Holand will ever be bored.