Welkom to Holland, Michigan

The sign when you pass the Burger King on South Washington Avenue says, "Welkom To Holland." That was no typo. "Welkom" is the Dutch spelling for "welcome." Holland is indeed a city that capitalizes on its Dutch heritage. It was founded in 1847 by the Rev. Albertus Van Raalte. Van Raalte and his group were fed up with the religious and political liberalism of their native Netherlands and set sail for North America. Today, Holland remains religiously conservative as well as a bastion of conservative Republican politics where the Christian Reformed Church, the church of Van Raalte's settlers, continues to have an influence on daily life in spite of the diversification of this town.

The city of Holland is home to roughly 35,000 people, however the surrounding townships and cities (Holland Township, Park Township, Laketown Township, Fillmore Township) make the population of what is considered "Holland" by the locals about 95,000. Holland is best described as being a "small city" overall. In spite of its size there are plenty of things to do.

Holland has a certain Midwestern charm and retains an old fashioned "Norman Rockwell" feeling. It was recently rated the second happiest city in America and this is no joke in a place where people have good manners and the crime is very low. The worst areas of Holland could only be described as "slightly seedy" at worst and there are few places it isn't safe to walk, even at night. In spite of the quintessential Midwestern idyll of the place the downtown area exudes a European charm with architecture that resembles that of Amsterdam. Dutch architecture is also found at Dutch Village, a Dutch themed park, as well as Windmill Island which actually features a 200 year old Dutch windmill that was disassembled and imported to the United States.

Holland is best known in popular culture for its Tulip Time festival, which occurs every year in May and draws visitors from around the world. It is the time when Holland is most hopping. The best places to see tulips during this festival are downtown, Windmill Island, as well as Veldheer's Tulip Farm north of town. Even so, tulips are planted all over the cities and women wearing wooden shoes and traditional Dutch costumes dance in the streets. It is actually a school tradition of all schoolchildren K-5 to don Dutch costumes and march through the streets on Tulip Time.

Even if Holland is known as a "Dutch town" it is also known for having a vibrant Hispanic community. The city of Holland itself is over one quarter Hispanic and contains many Hispanic groceries and restaurants. A smaller southeast Asian community also calls this city home.

Excellent restaurants in the Holland area include downtown favorites Windmill Restaurant and 84 East, two absolute "must stops" on your Holland visit. The best dishes to order are the two eateries' signature dishes which are hash brown omelets (Windmill Restaurant) and baked spaghetti pie (84 East).

Some attractions to be found in the area outside of those previously mentioned are to be found near the shore. Two state parks are within ten miles of Holland, Holland State Park located in western Park Township and Saugatuck Dunes State Park located in southern Laketown Township. Holland State Park is packed on summer afternoons and features the most easily accessed beach in the area. It is also home to the Big Red lighthouse, a historic lighthouse so named because of its size and color. It can be found near the channel leading into Lake Macatawa, which is surrounded by the mansions of the wealthy residents of Holland. The other state park is by far the most spectacular. Saugatuck Dunes requires a hike to get to the beach, but at many points during the day it can seem as if you literally have your own private beach. The hiking trails are in and of themselves excellent and contain many miles of scenery ranging from forests to sand dunes to fields. Saugatuck Dunes is also near the historic Felt Mansion, a former industrialist's home that turned into a monastery, later a prison, and finally resurrected as a venue and historic site.

Side trips to the small cities of Zeeland and Saugatuck are recommended. Zeeland exudes the classic Midwestern small town feel and in many ways is said to be "more Hollandy than Holland." It is essentially a smaller Holland fifty years ago; more conservative, more Calvinist dominated, and less diverse. In spite of this it has a certain charm. Saugatuck is the polar opposite and is the summer playground of Chicagoans. It has a very liberal atmosphere that is compounded by the areas gay community. Saugatuck is in many ways the culinary and artistic capital of West Michigan as well, and has many fine restaurants and galleries.

If you wish to visit Holland note the following. Holland's Tulip City airport is primarily an executive airport, therefore a better bet for air travel would be Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids. Rail travel is limited to the Amtrak line that runs between Grand Rapids and Chicago. Holland is located along Lake Michigan off US 31. It is about a half hour to an hour drive from Grand Rapids and two to three hours north of Chicago as well as over three hours west of Detroit.