Things To Do In Holland
I am excited to tell all of you more about my hometown of Holland, Michigan. Holland is a little beach town in West Michigan. Holland is best known for beautiful beaches, the tulip time festival, and Hope College. These are 10 of my favorite things to do in Holland.
Go to the Beach
Going to the beach is one of the best things to do in Holland. Holland State Park is probably the most popular beach in Holland. It is right next to the ice cream shops, dune dogs, and the campground. At the Holland State Park beach, there is a pier, ice cream shop, gift shop, and a large picnic and grill area. You can also see Holland’s lighthouse Big Red from the state park beach. Tunnel Park is another very popular beach in Holland. This beach tends to be less busy compared to the state park. Tunnel Park is known for its tunnel through the dunes to get to the beach. There are also stairs to climb up the dunes instead of walking through the tunnel. This beach is great for family events because there is a playground and many covered table areas for picnics. The beaches are open all year so you can visit them even if you come in the winter. Lake Michigan freezes over in the winter so check out the ice formations and walk out onto the lake if you have time during your visit.
Eat Ice Cream or Frozen Yogurt
Eating ice cream is one of my favorite things to do in Holland. We have lots of great ice cream shops in Holland. My favorite place to get ice cream in Holland is Captain Sundae. They have over 30 different sundaes to pick from. My favorite thing to get is the chocolate marshmallow sundae. If you don’t want a sundae they also have soft serve ice cream, hard ice cream, and flurries, shakes, malts, floats, and glaciers. Captain Sundae has 3 locations. My favorite location is on the north side of Holland. Another great place to get ice cream is the Ottawa Beach General Store. It is located right next to the Holland State Park so it is great for walking to the beach with your ice cream. The General Store serves over 40 flavors of hard ice cream and has 24 flavors of soft serve. They also have sundaes flurries, shakes, malts, floats and glaciers. The General Store is only open during the summer time.
There are also 2 frozen yogurt shops downtown Holland. Peachwave and Orange Leaf both have great frozen yogurts and lots of toppings. These shops are open all year which makes a great frozen treat during the winter time when the ice cream shops are closed.
Go to Dune Dogs
Dune dogs is one of my favorite places to go in the summer. They have amazing hot dogs made with vienna beef and they also have great ice cream. The best part about Dune Dogs is that is it less than a mile away from the Holland State Park Beach. It is only open in the summer.
Visit The Local Coffee Shops
Lemonjello's is a very well known coffee shop in West Michigan. It is also known as a popular hangout spot for Hope College students. They also serve gluten-free, vegan, and organic products. My two favorite drinks are the mellow latte (caramel and vanilla) and the buzzed latte (honey and vanilla). They also have good seasonal lattes. There is also a new coffee shop in downtown Holland called the 205 coffee bar. I just recently went to the 205 for the first time a few weeks ago. I got the caramel latte and it was really good. They have a cute flower mural on the outside and in the summertime, they have a huge open window.
Climb Mt. Pisgah
If seeing a great view of both Lake Michigan and Lake Macatawa is one ofthen Mt. Pisgah is the place to go. With an outlook point at 157 feet above the lakes it provides a great view. To get to the top there are 239 stairs. If you get tired along the way there are boardwalks and benches to rest at.
Go Shopping On 8th Street
There are a lot of great places to go shopping on 8th street in downtown Holland. There are clothing stores, gift shops, and home decor stores all on 8th street. One of my favorite clothing stores in downtown Holland is Glick's. They have a lot of cute dresses and accessories. I also love the Peanut Store for candy and chocolate. Another great store is the Bridge that has unique items from around the world. Some of my other favorite stores are Karla’s Place, the Apothecary Gift Shop, and Teermans.
Visit the Trails and Parks
Visiting the local trails and parks is one of the best things to do in Holland if you are wanting to have an outdoor adventure. Riley Trails is a great place to visit if you enjoy walking, running or mountain biking. They have over 300 acres of trails. If you are here in the winter Riley trails also has ungroomed cross-country ski trails. Kollen Park is 24-acre waterfront walkway. This park has a playground, band shell, water fountain, picking tables, grills, and fishing areas. Kollen Park also has 3950 feet of boardwalk along Lake Macatawa. Stu Visser Trails is another nice trail in Holland. It is a short boardwalk over some wetlands. Centennial Park is a beautiful park located near downtown Holland. There is a really pretty gazebo right in the center
Go Blueberry Picking
Blueberry picking is one my favorite things to do in Holland in the summertime. I really enjoy blueberry picking because I think that it is something unique to do in Holland. During the summer at Bowerman Blueberries Farm Market, you can pick your own blueberries. Inside their market they also sell ice cream, pies, pastries, jellies, fruit, and other produce. Bowerman Blueberries is known for their homemade blueberry donuts.
Go the the farmers market
Every Wednesday and Saturday from 8AM to 3PM is the Holland farmers market on 8th street. This a fun place to go if you enjoy shopping and trying the food. You can find produce, baked goods and plants for sale. Sometimes you can also find dairy and meat products. There are also local food trucks at the market if you want to eat lunch while you’re there.
Play Mini Golf
Captain sundae just opened a new mini golf called Pirates Landing at their north side location.This is a fun place to go while you are enjoying your ice cream. Sundae Sundae Golf Golf is another cute mini golf course in Holland. They also serve ice cream to enjoy while you play. Craig's Cruisers is another place with a great mini golf course. If you are looking for something fun to do they also have go-karts, bumper boats, and an arcade. Lost City also has indoor mini golf, laser tag, and an arcade. This would be a fun place to go on a rainy day.
More information on Holland
Visiting Holland during Tulip Time? Check out my guide to Tulip Time.
Have you ever been to Holland? What are your favorite things to do when visiting Holland? I would love to hear about your experiences.
Planning a visit a Holland? Comment or message me with any questions you have about Holland and I would be happy to answer.