Located on the scenic eastern shore of Lake Michigan, lies a true traveler's paradise: scenic boat cruises and dune rides,
museums, Dutch theme parks, Dutch attractions, vast wine vinyards, galleries and shops, and beautiful white sand beaches.A clanging brass bell raises the excitement along the cobblestone sidewalks to full force. "Hear ye! Hear ye! The streets
are dirty and they must be scrubbed," the town crier calls in Dutch, then English.With splashes from water buckets, swishes of brooms, and clacks of the klompen (wooden shoes) echoing along the streets,
Holland's annual Tulip Time Festival begins. In Holland, Michigan, that is.You don't need a passport to enjoy this city along Lake Michigan's sandy shores that celebrates its Dutch heritage.
Winner of the national "Main Street America" award and the "All-America City" award, Holland's downtown is listed on the
National Register of Historic Places. Klompen dancers extend the welkom.Much had changed in the 150 years since Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte led his small band of Dutch settlers to the shores of Lake Macatawa,
but tulips, windmills, canals, wooden shoe factories, and lovely ladies in lace-trimmed bonnets painting delicate blue and white patterns on
Delft porcelain are still part of the Holland of today.
Holland is best known for the seven-day Tulip Time Festival in early May, just in time for spring
to coax showy blossoms from thousands of tulips they march in every direction through gardens and
parks, and along city streets. Festival activities can keep you busy for at least three days.
There are parades with flower-decked floats and Dutch klompen dancers in long skirts
kicking their heels to music as their escorts in balloon pants tip their black caps to the crowds.
Special events include musical shows and nationally known performers in concert.
For a perfect ending to a colorful summer fun-filled day, follow Ottawa Beach Road along the
north side of Lake Macatawa to Holland State Park for a good view of Big Red,
the Nationally famous lighthouse at the channel mouth. Stroll along the mile-long sugar sand,
then take a front row seat to nature's show of evening sun dropping like a fireball into Lake Michigan.
In winter, the town is even more magical, with heated sidewalks that keep the walkways free of snow and ice. Music, piped in through a public
address system, provides a soundtrack for holiday shopping. Sinterklaas (the Dutch St. Nicholas), resplendent in red robes and tall mitre hat,
leads the children in a lantern parade, which signals the opening of WinterFest and Kerstmarkt, and open-air Christmas market.
Decorative booths built from centuries-old plans offer European gifts, hot drinks, and food during the two weeks of this festival.Holland CVB
Let us help you find a room, over 1,300 to choose from! Check out our website for event, attraction, and shopping information, as well as lodging specials. Call or stop by our office in downtown Holland for a free Visitor Guide. (Group packages available. Call for information.)
Open 8:00am - 5:00pm
Monday through Friday
Open 10:00am - 3:30pm
mid-April through mid-OctoberHolland Area Convention and Visitors Bureau
76 East 8th Street
Holland, Michigan 49423
Phone: 1-800-506-1299
