Tulip Time in Holland, Michigan- A Can’t Miss Festival!
Did you know an entire Dutch town exists on the west side of Michigan? The town of Holland is home to the Tulip Time Festival, excellent restaurants and surrounded by wineries. Holland, Michigan is a great place for a spring time weekend getaway!
Where is Holland, Michigan?
Tulip Time in Michigan
Where to Eat in Holland, Michigan
More to do in Holland
Where is Holland, Michigan?
Holland is located about 150 miles east of Chicago or 180 miles west of Detroit near the west coast of Michigan. A gorgeous little town, it is perfect for a romantic getaway or a weekend with the entire family. Some links may be affiliate links. By clicking on them and/or making a purchase, I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you!
Tulip Time in Michigan
Remember that opening scene in Wicked with the wide shot of the fields of flowers? That field in England showed 9 million tulips. Holland, Michigan gets pretty close to that number with over 6 million planted at Veldheer Tulip Garden each year!
What:
The Tulip Time Festival runs each spring in early May. The 2025 dates are May 2-11th. The Festival’s website is www.tuliptime.com. There are concerts, historical walks, Dutch dance lessons, VIP tulip tours, a carvnival and more. The last weekend of the event usually has a parade and fireworks.
Some events (such as the wine and cheese class) require advance tickets and will sell out early.
TIP: If you are only interested in seeing the tulips and would like to avoid the crowds the festival brings, visit on the shoulder weekends before or after the event! Read on to see what Holland has to offer with or without the extra festivities.
Veldheer Tulip Garden
The Tulip Garden is where to visit if you have hopes of seeing the famous rows and rows of tulips. Also on the property is the De Klomp Wooden Shoe Factory and the Delft Factory. The Delft Factory is the only Dutch pottery manufacturer in North America.
While entry to the factories is free, there is a fee to enter the garden itself. It is recommended to purchase your tickets online ahead of your arrival to avoid the crowds and lines. The Garden is located at
12755 Quincy St.
Holland, MI 49424
The gardens have plenty of parking for cars, buses and RVs.
What to Expect at the Gardens
Upon your entry, you are free to wander the paths of flowers at your leisure. There are plenty of places to stop and take a photo as well as plenty of benches and adirondack chairs to relax.
There are over 850 different varities of tulips planted at Veldheer’s. As you tiptoe through them, you will notice markers within the gardens.
The numbered signs are so that you are able to start your order form! That’s right, you can purchase all of the tulips that you see. Once you are done enjoying the garden (and possibly spying on the bison that are nearby) you enter the shop.
If you know what tulips you would like to order, you can head straight to the check-out counter. If you’d like to review the choices, feel free to wander the aisles where photos of the varities are posted. There is also a small gift shop area with tulip themed shirts, mugs, totes and more.
The tulips you purchase in the spring will be delivered in bulb form to your home that following fall. (In case you didn’t know, tulip bulbs are to be planted in the fall, to bloom the following spring.) We purchased our bulbs in late April and they arrived in November. We planted them and they bloomed beautifully! Interested in purchasing bulbs, but can’t make it to the farm this year? Order direct from www.veldheerstore.com
When to Visit the Gardens
As I mentioned above, some of the best times to visit the gardens are on the shoulder weekends of the Tulip Time Festival. You should be able to see both Veldheer Gardens and the rest of the town of Holland in full bloom with less crowds. The Veldheer website, www.veldheer.com has up to date information on current hours and peak color estimates.
Where to Eat in or near Holland, Michigan
After your shopping is done, you’ll probably be ready for a meal or perhaps a cold glass of local wine or beer. Here are the places I visited on my last weekend to the area:
Salt & Pepper Savory Grill and Pub
11539 E Lakewood Blvd STE 50, Holland, MI 49424
Situated in an unassuming strip mall, this little pub is bigger than it looks and has both indoor and outdoor seating. I would feel very comfortable bringing the whole family here.
We ordered The Naughty Prime Rib Dip Sandwich and The Heights Vineyard Salad
New Holland Brewing Company
66 E 8th St,
Holland, MI 49423
Since we had just had lunch at Salt & Pepper, we opted to belly up to the bar for a couple of drinks. There are a few different New Holland locations within the state, but this one does offer a full menu. Note: They do not take reservations during the Tulip Time Festival.
221 Main
221 Main St
St Joseph, MI 49085
If you’re looking for an upscale restaurant during a romantic weekend getaway, this is a winner. This steakhouse has an extensive whiskey menu in addition to its wine and cocktail list. We ordered steaks and they were wonderful!
Wineries near Holland, Michigan
During our weekend stay on the west side of the state, we chose to have our home base be in St. Joseph. A small town along Lake Michigan, it serves as a great place to venture out and visit some of the local wineries. Please check each website as not all of the wineries are appropriate for those under the legal drinking age of 21.
Karma Vista Vineyards Filkins Vineyards
6991 Ryno Rd, Coloma, Michigan 49038
Karma Vista is no more, as it was recently purchased by OneRepublic band member Zach Filkins. Snacks and charcuterie are available for purchase in addition to individual tastings or flights. Parties larger than 7 should make reservations.
Vineyard 2121
4110 Red Arrow Highway, Benton Harbor, Michigan 49022
As you can see from the above photo- we ordered an entire flight at Vineyard 2121…and proceded to purchase a few bottles…which netted us some new wine glasses wrapped up on the brown paper on the table. We also ordered charcuterie here and it was so un-exciting that I didn’t even take a photo of the board! We would return for the wine, but not the food. Special events happen often, so be sure to check the website before you go.
12 Corners Vineyards
1201 N Benton Center Rd, Benton Harbor, MI 49022
The last of the wineries we visited, 12 Corners has a beautiful tasting room and bar, as well as an outdoor patio area. They do not serve food and do have certain guidlines for large groups which are available on their website.
More to do in Holland
After you’ve perused the tulips, eaten and drank to your belly’s content, how else should you spend the rest of your time in the Holland area?
Downtown Holland is full of adorable shops, including the Holland Peanut Store….which actually sells candy! An old-fashioned shop that sells candy by the pound makes for a great souvenir.
If you did bring the kids with you, you must check out Nelis’ Dutch Village and Wooden Shoe Factory. A full write up of this experience is coming soon!
Last, but not least is Windmill Island Gardens. Home to a historical windmill from the Netherlands as well as more beautiful gardens, you will find this place on every list of “Things to do in Holland”. The Gardens also have historical replicas of what life was like in 1840s Holland (the country, not the city!), a carousel and an educational film.
Differing from the Veldheer Garden I wrote about above, this Garden doesn’t reach peak bloom until July. Hours vary depending on the time of year and admission rates are slightly more expensive during the Tulip Time Festival. Please see their website for details.
Visiting Holland, Michigan during peak tulip time is something to add to your USA travel bucketlist! Read my other posts for more wonderful places to visit in this country. For a state-by-state guide click here.
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