Free
Mount Pisgah dune boardwalk
Stairs and boardwalk climb a big dune near the state park, with views of the lake and Big Red.
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West Michigan
Holland, Michigan
A Lake Michigan town with Dutch roots: a working windmill from the Netherlands, millions of tulips in May, dunes, and the much-loved Big Red lighthouse.
Photo: Holland Harbor Light, known as Big Red, Roland Arhelger, CC BY-SA 4.0
Dutch settlers founded Holland in 1847, and the town still wears it proudly. Windmill Island Gardens is home to De Zwaan, an authentic Dutch windmill moved here from the Netherlands, and the Tulip Time festival fills May with colour.
Out at the lake, Holland State Park's beach faces the channel and Holland Harbor Light, better known as 'Big Red'. Dune trails and Saugatuck are close by.
Outdoors and nature
Trails, lookouts, waterfalls, beaches and time on the water come first.
Free
Tunnel Park
A county park where a tunnel through a dune leads to the beach.
Free
Big Red lighthouse
Holland Harbor Light, the red lighthouse at the channel, seen across from Holland State Park.
Cheap
Holland State Park beach
A wide Lake Michigan beach at the channel, facing the Big Red lighthouse. Recreation Passport required for vehicles.
Cheap
Saugatuck Dunes State Park
Quiet dune trails to an undeveloped Lake Michigan beach, about 20 minutes south.
Sights and attractions
Museums, landmarks and the places people come here for.
Free
Downtown 8th Street
A lively main street of shops and cafés, with heated sidewalks in winter.
Paid
Windmill Island Gardens
Gardens, tulips and De Zwaan, an authentic 1700s Dutch windmill that still grinds flour.
Paid
Nelis' Dutch Village
A family attraction with Dutch dancing, wooden-shoe carving and rides.
Season Park open roughly April–Sept (check before you go).
Paid
Saugatuck Dune Rides
Open-air dune buggy tours through the sand hills near Saugatuck.
Season Open roughly early May–mid-Oct (check before you go).
Markets, shops and festivals
Main streets, markets and the dates worth planning around.
Free
Holland Farmers Market
A big outdoor market on Wednesdays and Saturdays in season.
Book a tour or activity
Cruises, tours and experiences people book here. Each one goes to the operator's official page, and you can still add it to your trip.
Star of Saugatuck boat cruises
Sternwheeler cruises on the Kalamazoo River to Lake Michigan.
Season Seasonal, check official site.
Also bookable, listed above
These are in the lists above, so we don't repeat them here.
- Windmill Island Gardens Tickets
- Nelis' Dutch Village Tickets
- Saugatuck Dune Rides Tour
Part of our West Michigan guides.
Make it a weekend
Why stay the night
- The beach, the dunes and the windmill don't fit into one afternoon.
- Lake Michigan sunsets at the state park are why people keep coming back.
- Saugatuck's dunes and galleries are just 20 minutes south.
Nearby and worth the drive
Saugatuckabout 20 min · Guide ↗
Dune rides, galleries and Oval Beach.
Traverse Cityabout 2 h 45 · Guide ↗Sleeping Bear Dunes and cherry country.
Indiana Dunesabout 2 h · Guide ↗A national park and a state park of dunes on Indiana's Lake Michigan shore, about two hours around the foot of the lake.
Ready-made trips with Holland, Michigan
4 days · Holland, Michigan → Traverse City
West Michigan dunes and lighthouses
Big Red and the Dutch windmill, then north to Sleeping Bear Dunes.
2 days · Saugatuck and Douglas → Holland, Michigan
Saugatuck and Holland
An art town's beach and dunes, then a Dutch windmill.
2 days · Indiana Dunes → Holland, Michigan
Indiana Dunes and Holland
Dunes and beaches on Indiana's Lake Michigan shore, and, about two hours around the foot of the lake, a lighthouse town with its own dunes.
Good to know
- Tourism: holland.org.
- State parks: A Michigan Recreation Passport is required for vehicles.
- We list only places we can check against an official source. Hours, seasons and prices change, so confirm before you go.
Photos on this page
Photo: Holland Harbor Light, known as Big Red, Roland Arhelger, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Shoreline and dunes at Saugatuck Dunes State Park, John Haberstroh, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: 8th Street, downtown Holland, GD333, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Aerial view of Windmill Island Gardens, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, photographer not specified or unknown, Public domain