Holland, Michigan is like a little slice of the old-world Netherlands broke off and landed along the western Michigan coastline. However, its Dutch historic and cultural connections aren’t the only thing going for it. There are also a lot of great places to go to be one with nature such a beach, park, or nature trail. If you’re looking for inspiration to plan your trip to West Michigan, here is a list of ten free things to do in Holland, Michigan!
Ten Free Things to do in Holland Map
1. Laketown Beach
The first free thing to do in Holland is visit Laketown Beach, one of my favorite beaches in all of Michigan. I found out about this beach through word of mouth from a coworker. While it’s beautiful to visit at any time of year, my favorite time to explore Laketown Beach is late winter/early spring. During late winter, you’re likely to be the only person on the beach. It’s also possible to walk a few miles along the waters edge without worrying about bumping into anyone else.
But beware! There are a lot of steps to climb or sand to traverse both to get to the beach and back.
2. Explore Downtown Holland
Check out a few of the over 100 unique and locally owned shops, restaurants, and galleries. And admire the unique, historic buildings in downtown Holland – named one of “America’s Prettiest Towns” by Forbes Magazine. While many towns along the Lake Michigan coast are mostly seasonal, downtown Holland is open year round!
Be sure to check out the giant wooden shoes outside the Visit Holland office! And if you’re visiting on a chilly day, warm up by the fire!
3. Mt. Pisgah Dune Climb
Climb up the stair system built into the dunes near Holland State Park. Once you reach the 157 foot peak, you’ll be able to enjoy the views of Lake Michigan, Lake Macatawa, Big Red Lighthouse, and all the nature below. Fall is an exceptionally beautiful time to visit to enjoy the fall colors from above.
Free parking is available across the street from the Mt. Pisgah entrance – look for the Black Lake Boardwalk East sign.
4. Windmill at Van Bragt Park
This small park is unique in that it houses a replica of W.K. Kellogg’s thatch roof windmill that was located at his Gull Lake estate. Another interesting historical tidbit about this park is its historic significance to the annual Tulip Time festival. For some years this park held a wintertime ‘blessing of the tulips’ prayer to pray for a successful spring crop.
Besides the windmill, there are paved trails, benches, and at the time, local artwork from area schools on display.
5. Centennial Park
This is my favorite park! Centennial Park in downtown Holland is designed to resemble a Victorian garden – complete with a lush garden that continues to transform from spring through fall. There’s also a Dutch fountain, fish pond, and statues. Learn more about this beautiful park in my post The Best Stroller Friendly Parks & Trails in West Michigan.
If you intend to visit Holland during Tulip time, consider visiting Centennial Park as this is a major location to check out tulips.
6. Holland Oz
Did you know author L. Frank Baum vacationed in the summer along Lake Macatawa in Holland? Holland inspired Baum to write his world famous novel The Wizard of Oz. Just outside the Herrick District Library, the characters of this book come to life with life sized broze statues of Dorothy, Toto, the cowardly lion, and more! Then cross the street back to Centennial Park to check out the ten by twelve foot book made entirely out of plants. This book is on display from spring through the end of October (weather permitting).
7. Window on the Waterfront
Also known as Riverview Park, the Window on the Waterfront has a beautiful boardwalk and walking/biking paths that extend over the marsh. From some of the viewing platforms, you can even see De Zwaan located on Windmill Island.
Like Centennial Park, the Window on the Waterfront is another popular location to view tulips during the spring tulip time celebration.
8. Van Raalte Farm Park
Van Raalte Farm Park is the site of other free things to do in Holland. The house that stands in the middle of the park was built in 1872 by Benjamin Van Raalte, son of the founder of Holland. At one point, the Van Raalte family owned an orchard, dairy cows, and peony field here. Then in 1983, the city of Holland purchased the 160 acre property. This park has hiking or cross country ski trails depending on the season. There’s also a sledding hill.
If you’d like to experience or be part of Civil War history, every summer the City of Holland puts together a Civil War muster! Find out more details here. Unfortunately the muster didn’t occur in 2020 due to Covid, but hopefully this is something we can count on next year?
9. Kollen Park
Once the site of a basket factory, Kollen Park is a 24 acre park located along much of the southern side of Lake Macatawa. There’s a large playground, picnic tables, and benches along the water. Within the park there’s a fountain given by Holland’s sister city Queretaro, Mexico, and The Immigrants statue, gifted to Holland by the people of Drenthe, the Netherlands.
Running through and beyond the park is the Heinz Waterfront Walkway, donated by the neighboring Heinz pickle plant. As you continue along the walkway, seemingly walking over Lake Macatawa, you’re bound to love this beautiful, scenic route.
10. Drive Through Castle Park
Finally, a true hidden gem – Castle Park! Castle Park is a private community located near Lake Michigan just south of Holland. The community is centered around the “castle” building, built in 1876 that now serves as the community’s gathering spot. One cool find here is the beautiful Greco-Roman amphitheater nestled in the community.
When we last explored this area during the late fall, the community was relatively quiet as most of the residences are occupied during the summer. If you’d like to check out the castle or amphitheater, I recommend stopping by between late fall to early spring. Also, if you’d like to check out another castle in Michigan, check out my day trip post on Mecosta County here.
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All in all, Holland, Michigan is a wonderful destination to visit no matter the season! During your time exploring, I hope you can make it to visit a couple of these free sights and one day, can make it back to experience all 10!
Have you already been visit to one or more of these locations? Which place is your favorite so far?
from Michigan with Love,
Jackie
Kindly Note: This article was originally published in October 2020. Revised April 2021.
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