Holland, Michigan- 2026

Holland, Michigan:

On Labor Day weekend this year we felt like going for a little drive. Now that our son is 5 months and we are pretty experienced with him and road trips, what was stopping us from going further into the mid west? A four-day Midwest road trip started in the cutest little place that honestly felt like we had stepped out of the United States and into the Netherlands!

We chose Holland as our first stop because of its Dutch heritage. It was something different and we weren’t feeling the standard site seeing of Grand Rapids or Detroit….and it did not disappoint. Between the tulips, windmills, wooden clogs, Dutch food, and charming little village streets, it was such a fun way to kick off our trip.

Nelis’ Dutch Village

Greeted by a giant windmill our first big stop was Nelis’ Dutch Village, a Dutch-themed family park that recreates the feeling of a traditional Dutch village.

The park is just under 10 acres and is filled with gardens, canals, brick walkways, Dutch-style buildings, rides, cultural demonstrations, shops, and even a petting farm. It really is one of those places where there is something to look at around every corner.

©️victoriaam

And, of course, the giant tulips were one of my favorite parts! They made the perfect backdrop for photos and really added to the whole Dutch experience. Next to the giant tulips was this large interactive tulip ride. I couldn’t quite tell what it did since it wasn’t your standard rollercoaster or swing ride but it looked fun.

One of the buildings in the village was a clog and ceramic shop. A pair of klompen, which are traditional Dutch wooden shoes, were hand made, painted and hung for anyone to try on our buy.

We had fun trying them on and, honestly, I don’t know how people walk around in those all day! But the trick is that you have to wear multiple pairs of socks! The shop demonstrations where visitors can learn about how traditional wooden shoes are made.

©️victoriaam

One of the highlights of our visit was getting to watch a live klompendans performance.

“Klompendans” refers to Dutch clog dancing. The dancers wear traditional Dutch clothing and wooden shoes while performing folk dances to traditional music. At Nelis’ Dutch Village, the dancers perform in costume and visitors can even learn a few simple Dutch dance steps themselves. This interactive performance was fun to watch and included the crowd.

Watching the dancers stomp and move in their wooden shoes was such a fun cultural experience and was definitely something I hadn’t expected to see on a Midwest road trip! They danced along in traditional clothing and in front of the organ shaped instrument. I don’t remember what it was called however it was beautiful and apparently the largest one to ever exist in the United Stated out of Holland. (Real Holland).

©️victoriaam

There are classic family rides, including a carousel, a Dutch chair swing, the giant wooden shoe slide, Tractor Time, and Harry’s Windmill Ride, which is a Ferris wheel designed to look like a windmill.

One thing I really enjoyed was how stroller friendly it was. Not just toddler friendly but very infant friendly. We had absolutely no issues walking around!

After walking around and taking everything in, we had to stop for some Dutch food! The village had chocolate exhibits, cheese exhibits and a small cafe with Dutch food.

Holland was such a fun first stop on our four-day Midwest adventure. It was colorful, unique, family-friendly, and completely different from the places we normally visit.

Highly recommend this place! It was so fun!