a beautiful one day trip

Memorial day was coming, I had a Family Session booked for Saturday on that weekend, therefore we didn't have the full weekend for a mini vacay, but still we didn't want to stay home. So, what did we do? Started googling trying to find nice and close places to go in Michigan. What did we find? Holland. A beautiful place with a cool beachy vibe, just 2 hours away from Kendallville, Indiana.


I totally recommend this place. My husband and I immediately started making a list of nice places to go, we selected the camera equipment we wanted to take with us (you know, a trip is always good for the Gram!), and we went to Old Navy to buy few summer and colorful pieces to make sure we were ready for the pics.


Here two recommendations for when visiting Holland, MI:

1. DRESS COMFORTABLY BUT CUTE:

You know you would like to make TONS of pictures to later remember your trip, so make sure you choose pretty clothing appropriate for the weather and that make you feel awesome. You don't have to buy new or expensive clothing. Just be intentional with what you decide to wear.

My green dress and stripes shirt are from Old Navy.

2. PLAN AHEAD WHERE TO GO:

Check hours of operations, location and entrance fee. The places we went are:

- Windmill island Gardens:

In this place you will find the only authentic Dutch windmill operating in the United States, grinding locally-grown wheat into flour, which is available for purchase in their beautiful little store. Here you will find tons of spots to create beautiful pictures.

https://cityofholland.com/471/Windmill-Island-Gardens

- Neli's Dutch Village:

This is a beautiful Dutch theme park, perfect for the family, with different activities available: they have dance presentations, rides, a cute petting farm where, stores and a Dutch restaurant as well. #nelisdutchvillage

https://www.dutchvillage.com/

- Downtown:

I totally LOVED downtown! The vibe, the pretty stores with high quality clothing, the restaurants! Everything is beautiful there.

- The Holland Harbor Red Lakehouse:

This is a Most. We went to the beach at Holland State Park to take some pictures from this side. The red color is the perfect contrast with beautiful blue in the sky.

My plan was to swim at the lake beach but it was too cold for my Caribbean hart.

Person posing playfully in front of historic Dutch windmills on a green lawn.

IMAGES AT WINDMILL ISLAND GARDENS

White picket fence lines a brick building path on a sunny spring day.
Person walking down a paved garden path wearing a sun hat and casual summer outfit.
Traditional windmill stands tall in a green pastoral landscape.
Person in a hat resting against wooden fence posts in a sunny meadow.
Person exploring outside historic green buildings with red trim on a brick walkway.
Person in casual attire playing near a riverbank on a bright sunny day.
Historic brick buildings with green siding and red doors along a cobblestone path.


During Spring, Holland has the Tulip Time Festival. It is a Festival where they celebrate tulips, their Dutch Heritage and the Holland, Michigan community. The festival is an eight-day experience like none other with over six million tulips blooming throughout the city and area attractions. Unfortunately, we were not lucky to know about Holland soon enough, but for sure, we will visit again next year during this Festival.


Historic brick buildings line a charming small town main street with trees and storefronts.

Downtown Holland, MI

Red lighthouse structure on Lake Michigan with wooden pier extending into blue waters.

Holland Harbor Red Lakehouse

Classic white church with columns and cupola stands on manicured grounds with brick pathway.

Carlos saying Hi to someone in Downtown, Holland

Scenic waterfront path with lush green plants and wooden railing along the shoreline.

Nelli's Dutch Village

Bright red lighthouse stands in calm waters against blue sky on Lake Michigan.

The Holland Harbor Red Lakehouse

Brick sidewalk with storefronts and American flags in a quaint downtown area.

Carlos in Downtown Holland

Iron gates and brick pillars frame a tree-lined walkway entrance.

Entrance to a private residential area in Downtown Holland