(HOLLAND, MICHIGAN) — If you liked reading my recent South Haven itinerary, hopefully you’ll enjoy this Holland day-trip idea!
Holland has a special place in our hearts, as Rachel and I visited here nearly 4 years ago for our babymoon. Rachel was 7 months pregnant with Bennett, and we went during the summer months. Going in March this year was much different to Rachel and I’s visit in July, but both were great experiences. (See our Know-Before-You-Go tips here).
South Haven is just 30 minutes south of Holland. Both are wonderful towns with a lot to offer for traveling families. While our trip was based in SOHA, we did manage to take a day trip up to Holland. Here’s what we did!
What to do:
One of my favorite things about Holland is that it has the best of both worlds. Holland has a wonderful downtown, filled with shops, eateries, the farmer’s market and more, as well as the beach and wonderful parks alongside Lake Michigan. We started our day downtown Holland, so let’s start this article there!
Grab a coffee & pastry at Bowerman’s on 8th
If you’ve been to Holland, you likely know the name Bowerman’s. Their farm store & market boasts a blueberry farm outside, and a market with all kinds of souvenirs and treats inside. They’ve opened up a downtown location called Bowerman’s on 8th, serving coffees, pastries, breakfast items and more. Stock up on frozen blueberries and blueberry treats before heading out the door.
Enjoy a wine tasting and shop at Cherry Republic
I do want to preface that I’m a Cherry Republic “Cherry Enthusiast”, so you may see some promotional posts on my social media pages from time to time. However, this wasn’t our first rodeo in the Michigan-based store, and it certainly won’t be our last. It’s always a fun time visiting the downtown Holland location. Throughout the store they have sample stations where you can try their salsas, BBQ sauces, jams and more. Visiting with your kids? You’ll love the coloring corner they have towards the back of the store. This was a great way for our kids to enjoy a fun activity, while mom and dad took their turns shopping. You can also enjoy a wine tasting in-store. The Late Harvest Riesling was both my dad and my favorite.
Visit Tunnel Park
This is one of those places you want to prepare for ahead of your trip. As we mentioned, we visited Southwest Michigan in the off-season. So what does that mean for Tunnel Park? Well, it means that the park bathrooms are closed. The signs said they open on April 15th. While that portion of the visit was unfortunate, the rest was fantastic! There’s an awesome playground at the lower section of the park your kids will enjoy. It’s called Tunnel Park for a reason. Take a stroll through the tunnel to get amazing views of Lake Michigan and the beach.
Up for a challenge? Walk up the sand dune and get even better views of the beach and lake. Learn the history of the area through different displays up at the top. I’ve climbed that sand dune many times. This time was the first where I had to carry a toddler the entire way up. But it was all worth it. This park and beach get pretty busy in the summertime! So it was cool to see the beach without all the people. In-season it does cost to access Tunnel Park, so make sure to plan ahead and have the right amount of money on you to access. Learn more here.
Visit Holland State Park and see “Big Red”
The Big Red Lighthouse is known as one of the most photographed lighthouses in Michigan. It’s called Big Red for a reason, and is located just across the channel from the beach at Holland State Park. Enjoy the beach and playground here, and see a spectacular sunset over Lake Michigan. This is another location where in-season you have to pay to get access. For Michigan residents, there are no day passes-only annual passports that cost $17 and can be purchased at the park. Out-of-state folks like us can get daily admission for $10 or an annual passport for $36 (as of May 2026). More info here.
The off-season blues
Unfortunately, visiting in late March meant that Nelis’ Dutch Village (local amusement park) and the Windmill Island Gardens were still closed for the season. Both of these were thoroughly enjoyed the last time Rachel and I were in town.
Over the years, my family and I have always loved visiting Boatwerks Waterfront Restaurant. It’s a beautiful, boat-themed spot right on the water, and we’ve had some great meals there in the past.
Unfortunately, this visit didn’t quite live up to those expectations.
We started with the crab-filled shrimp, which lacked the flavor we were hoping for. For my entrée, I ordered the walleye sandwich—it was decent, but nothing particularly memorable. The biggest miss for me was the side salad, which tasted off enough that I sent it back. The staff handled that well and removed it from the bill, which I appreciated.
On a positive note, my mom’s French dip was excellent and definitely a highlight of the meal.
I don’t enjoy sharing negative experiences, especially at places we’ve liked before, but I also want to be honest about our visit. That said, every experience can vary, and I truly hope this was just an off day—because it’s a spot with a great location and a track record we’ve enjoyed in the past.
Due to kids falling asleep in the car and the bitter cold weather we had that day, our day trip to Holland ended in the early afternoon and we headed back to South Haven.
Hopefully if you’re planning an adventure to Holland this spring, summer or fall, you have an amazing time. Comment below your favorite things about Holland, and what we should do next time!
Matt Sheehan Official 