Tulip Time Festival in Holland, Michigan with Kids

It’s Tulip Time in Holland, Michigan! If you’re looking for a way to celebrate spring in the Midwest with a little bit of culture and a lot of great photo opportunities, look no further than Holland, MI.

Holland was settled by Dutch immigrants in the mid-1800s, and in the 1920s they celebrated the first Tulip Time festival when they planted tulip bulbs imported from the Netherlands. Over the years, the city’s strong Dutch heritage and beautiful tulip blooms attracted visitors from all over the world.

The Holland Tulip Festival 2021 is the 92nd annual celebration of its kind, and is one of the top tulip festivals in the USA!

I would highly recommend planning a spring road trip to see this tulip festival in Michigan with kids. It’s so educational with lots of opportunities to learn about and experience Dutch heritage. There are plenty of kid-friendly events and activities around the city, sweet treats to eat, and beautiful parks where kids can play.

Below I’ll share our top things to do at the Holland Michigan tulip festival!

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. That means if you click on a link and make a purchase I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Where is Holland Michigan?

Holland is located in the southwest region of the lower peninsula of Michigan. It’s a mere 15-minute drive from downtown Holland to the shores of Lake Michigan. It’s also 30 miles southwest of Grand Rapids.

Holland is an easy road trip from many large cities in the Midwest:

3 hours from Chicago
4 hours from Milwaukee
3.5 hours from Indianapolis
5.5 hours from Columbus
3 hours from Detroit
6 hours from Cincinnati
5 hours from Cleveland
AND just over 6 hours from Toronto!

Get some great road trip activity ideas here and here!

Grab my Travel Journal for Kids, too!

When do the tulips bloom in Holland, Michigan?

These spring blooms are at their most colorful at the end of April and beginning of May, but you can always check the Holland, MI tulip tracker for the most accurate prediction of peak bloom.

The 2021 Holland Tulip Time festival runs from May 1- May 9.

Where to See Tulips in Holland Michigan

Millions of tulips are planted all around the city, so you don’t have to go far to find them! Some of the best places to see these colorful perennial flowers during the festival are:

Nelis’ Dutch Village
Centennial Park (free)
Downtown Holland (free)
Windmill Island Gardens
Veldheer Tulip Farm
Window on the Waterfront (free)

What to Do at the Tulip Time Festival in Holland with Kids

I can scarcely think of a more family-friendly event or destination we’ve visited! The Tulip Festival in Holland has all sorts of activities that kids will love.

Downtown Holland Michigan

Kids in Downtown Holland MI tulip time.jpg

8th Street is the place to be if you want to experience the vivacious downtown area. We ended up spending a few hours wandering up and down the avenue ducking in and out of shops and admiring the tulips.

There are public restrooms available, which is a saving grace for parents of young children who only have moments to spare when nature calls.

Be sure to stop at the Holland Visitor’s Bureau or the Tulip Time Office to pick up a scavenger hunt your whole family can participate in!

This is also where many of the popular dining options are, but be aware that during the festival wait times are extremely long. So go early, put in your name, and wander around downtown while you wait for your designated time.

We enjoyed eating at Hops at 84th Street, a pub with American fare, and Crust 54, a pizza place with Chicago-style deep dish pizzas and stone fire pizzas.

Windmill Island Gardens

One must-visit spot is Windmill Island Gardens. Adjacent to Downtown Holland, the garden was a true taste of Dutch culture featuring the DeZwaan Windmill that was transported to Michigan from the Netherlands in the 1960s.

If you’re looking for the iconic windmill photo with tulips in the foreground, this is the spot to do it! There are hundreds of thousands of tulips in every color sprawled around the windmill, with neat rows to walk through (or, you know, tiptoe through the tulips).

I would highly recommend bringing some sort of camera for your kids. Mine loved photographing the tulips and the windmill. You may also consider bringing a tripod and a remote shutter to get a nice family photo here - or look around for a stranger with a fancy camera around their neck. Seriously - this is an amateur photographer’s paradise!

Once your kids get sick of tulips, you can climb the stairs to the top of the windmill for an aerial view of the gardens.

Next, make your way over to the Antique Dutch Carousel which the operator informed us is over 100 years old! For this reason, adults are not allowed to sit on the horses, but if you want to ride with a baby, toddler, or preschooler, there are benches you can sit on with them, or you can stand beside their horse.

Afterward, let your kids get their wiggles out on the playground, while the adults take turns browsing the gift shop. This is your chance to stock up on Stroopwafel or windmill-shaped cookie molds.

>> Tip for visiting: Since they are limiting the number of visitors allowed at one time, you will definitely want to make this your first stop of the day and get there right when it opens. This will ensure that you get a close parking spot and you won’t have to wait in line. (Especially if you’re visiting on a weekend).

Our first attempt at visiting was on Saturday afternoon, the first day of the festival, and it took us at least 30 minutes to find parking. We then had to walk a half mile to the entrance of the bridge to get to Windmill Island. The workers at that point told us that it was another half mile walk AND the wait to get in was currently an hour and a half. We decided to ditch that plan and come the next morning.

It opened at 9 on Sunday morning and we arrived at about 9:15. Any later and we wouldn’t have made it into the parking lot. As it was, we had no line to get in and very close parking.

Nelis’ Dutch Village

If we had to pick a favorite part of our trip to Holland, Michigan, it would hands-down be Nelis’ Dutch Village.

There are over 35,000 tulips planted around the village to celebrate Tulip Time, and Dutch Village is open for extra hours during the festival.

Bearing that in mind, your best bet is to arrive right when the park opens to ensure you get good parking and don’t have to wait in line to get in.

We were there when the park opened on Saturday, May 1, the first day of the festival. The parking lot was only half-full, and there were no lines. It was very cold and windy, so I think a lot of people were waiting for the warmer afternoon weather to come, but that meant longer lines and wait times.

We got to see the first performance of the wooden shoe dancers, and at the end they invite you to join and learn a dance!

Next, we let the kids play for a little bit on the giant wooden shoe slide before walking over to the petting zoo to feed the baby goats.

Our two oldest kids (ages 7 and 5) enjoyed the Zweefmolen - Dutch Chair Swing Ride. (Our 4-year-old could have done it, but decided he didn’t want to). I went on with my daughter, and it was an absolute blast! Just make sure to bring motion sickness medicine if that bothers you.

There is a classic carousel for younger kids, too, so don’t worry if you’re not a fan of high speed spinning. The Ferris wheel was out of order during our visit, which the kids were a little disappointed about.

There are plenty of places to stop for an authentic Dutch snack, and you better believe we filled up on Stroopwafel (syrup waffle cookies) and banket, a homemade traditional Dutch almond pastry. We also stocked up at De Kaaswinkel - Imported Dutch Cheese Shop. If you want something more hearty and filling, try the Hungry Dutchman Cafe.

All rides and experiences are included in the price of admission, with the exception of face painting. I “splurged” and let the kids get their faces painting, and the artist was incredibly quick and talented.

Adult: $14
Child (3-15): $12
(save $1 on ticket prices by purchasing online ahead of time)

Centennial Park

Centennial Park is just a few blocks’ walk from 8th Street in the downtown area, and it was the perfect respite from the hustle and bustle of the shops and restaurants.

We found ourselves with some time to kill before our dinner reservation, and the kids were complaining that they were absolutely starving, so when we found a food truck on our way to Centennial Park, we were overjoyed and promptly bought two giant warm pretzels and had a picnic in the park.

It was nice for our 1-year-old to be able to crawl around in the grass while the older kids ran around and did cartwheels and the adults admired more tulips.

There are walking paths, a traditional Dutch fountain, wide stretches of grass, and, of course, hundreds of tulips.

The Wooden Shoes in Holland Michigan

Naturally, wooden shoes are a souvenir in high demand in Holland. But did you know you could climb in a pair of giant wooden shoes for a photo opportunity?

We found one at Nelis’ Dutch Village, but I’ve read there are also some outside the Holland Visitor Information center.

There is usually a Klompen Garden display of giant wooden clogs as well, but it won’t be making in an appearance in 2021. Maybe next year!

Window on the Waterfront

This is a free park and walkway along the the waterfront with lovely trails and lots of tulips. This is another great place to see some tulips, take some photos, or have a peaceful stroll if you need a break from downtown.

There is lots of parking at both entrances to the park, which we happened to stumble upon on our way back from Windmill Island Garden.

There are also viewing decks overlooking the marsh, which wasn’t the best view, but you could see the windmill from Windmill Island off in the distance.

The park is located at:

95 College Avenue
Holland, MI 49423

Dutch Costume Exhibit and Market

While we didn’t get a chance to visit the Dutch Costume Exhibit and Market, it would make a great educational experience for families with older children.

Visitors can go to learn about the different Dutch Dance Costumes worn in each province of the Netherlands, along with artifacts, posters, and educational displays.

There are timed ticket entrances, so make sure to plan ahead for this activity!

Carnival

While we were strolling downtown we noticed a carnival with rides and food located in the Civic Center Lot on 8th Street.

The carnival midway features kiddie rides like a Merry-Go-Round and spinning teacups, carnival games, and concession stands with contactless ordering and designated dining areas.

You can buy tickets ahead of time to make sure you get a time slot for the rides.

3-Day Itinerary For Tulip Time with Kids

Day 1

Road Trip to Holland

Arrive at Lodging

Do some shopping on 8th Street.

Get a pizza from Crust 54 and have a picnic in Centennial Park.

Day 2

Breakfast at your hotel or Airbnb OR grab breakfast and coffee at Lemonjellos.

9 a.m. - Nelis’ Dutch Village

12 p.m. - eat lunch at Nelis’ Dutch Village before heading to Window on the Waterfront for a nice walk.

3 p.m. - go make reservations for dinner somewhere downtown. While you’re waiting go enjoy the Carnival midway or the Dutch Costume Exhibit

5 p.m. - dinner downtown

Day 3

9 a.m. - Windmill Island Gardens

11 a.m. - Grab some lunch at deBoer Bakkerij & Dutch Brothers Restaurant

12 p.m. - Quick hike up Mt. Pisgah sand dune at Holland State Park

Drive Home!

Hotels near Tulip Festival in Holland, Michigan

Just be aware if you’re looking for properties in Holland, Michigan last minute you won’t find much. Look in nearby communities like Kentwood, Grand Rapids, and Saugatuck. If you’re booking far in advance for next year’s festival, then definitely check out the first property I have listed:

Courtyard by Marriott Holland Downtown

This place is within walking distance of almost anything you want to visit during Tulip Time! It’s right on 8th Street where all the action is, which is nice if you have little ones and want to take them back to the hotel for a nap midday.

>>Check out current prices here.

Staybridge Suites

This all suite hotel has a more residential feel for families, offers complimentary breakfast, and is close to Nelis’ Dutch Village.

If the one in Holland is unavailable, be sure to check out the Staybridge Suites in Grand Rapids just a 30 minute drive away.

Best Western Saugatuck

I’ve also included a Best Western in nearby Saugatuck near Lake Michigan. It’s a 15 minute drive away, and we’ve always had great experiences with Best Western hotels - nothing fancy but there’s always free breakfast and a pool, which is basically all you need with kids!

Vacation Rental Home

We got an Airbnb 30 minutes out of town in Kentwood. It was perfect with plenty of room for the kids to do their own thing after the baby went to bed, a fully stocked kitchen, smart tv, and yard.