Touring Tulips: Holland Michigan Festival

My Bestie Krystle always finds the best new places to check out. She put me on to this Festival in Holland, Michigan which was no exception. It was about a three hour drive from Chicagoland area but it was worth it and we put in an excellent stop off to break it up as well. This small Michigan town hosts the festival every year to celebrate their history of Dutch heritage towards the beginning of May. They plant rows and rows of Tulips which make up the crowning glory of the festival and we were excited to check them out and hopefully take some beautiful photographs.

Virtue Cider

If you are driving up from the south like we did a great stop off is to Virtue Cider. We first tried them at a wine fest in the city and had been trying to track them down since. When my bestie Krystle realized they were en route to the Festival we had to make a stop. They have a lot of different flavors to try and a nice space to enjoy them. Our favorite is the Honey and I bought a case to bring home. They have a beautiful setting for tasting and also have a lot of land to explore, including some farm animals. It’s a fun stop off before or after a Holland, MI visit.

Downtown Holland

As soon as you get into town you know you are in the right place. There are planters of tulips all over the place. We found free local parking and started off in Centennial Park. This is the first place to stop for some great tulip photos. There are numerous large Flowerbeds of various colors of tulips, some colors I didn’t even realize Tulips came in. There is no cost to view the tulips in this area. Additionally, There were local performers in the park exhibiting traditional dutch attire and dance which was kinda cute. There are also some cute local shops and boutiques to check out in this area. I bought some cool prints for my home at the local art supplies shop.

Dutch Fun

During the Festival the area celebrates their Dutch heritage, one they have been celebrating for over ninety years. Along with all the Tulips, everything follows this theme, including Dutch Carnival food stands. Some people were even dressed up. They additionally have traditional carnival rides and stands down by the water. We didn’t have time but in addition to the festival they have a Dutch village that can be visited year round and presents the Netherlands of one hundred years ago.

Hopcat Bar & Grill

All the restaurants were very busy and had significant waits due to the increased guests in the area for the festival. We chose Hopcat which texts you when your table is ready which gave us the ability to continue to walk around in the meantime. The decor is mid-century and is such a fun vibe. I wish I had thought to take a photo so I could have shared it here but check their website to see what I mean. The food is pub fair and there is a good selection of drinks options as well. Try the fries, they are something special. If you are looking for something in line with the Holland theme, there are lots of Dutch style restaurants in the area as well.

Windmill Island Gardens

The main draw of the Festival is to visit the tulip fields on Windmill Island. Parking in this area is difficult and no matter where you park it is quite a walk to reach it so be prepared for this. Entering this area requires paying for entry. That said, the fields are absolutely beautiful and quite a unique experience. We took full advantage of the photo shoot opportunities. One can wait in line to go up on the windmill but we skipped it and walked the fields instead. There are also some shops on the island selling holland theme souvenirs to peruse, including the ability to buy tulips or tulip bulbs.

The Holland Tulip Festival was the perfect girls day out for my bestie and I. The tulips are beautiful and a great way to welcome in Spring in the Midwest. It had everything we could want; visiting a new place, trying new food and drinks, enjoying nature, shopping and lots of photos for the gram. If you can’t make it during the Festival, the Tulips can still be seen between Mid April and Mid May. I highly recommend a visit.