I Love This Place: Holland, MI

This past weekend, our family had an entire summer evening without any plans, no schedule, and nowhere we had to be. It was a beautiful day with cooler temperatures, so we wanted to sit outside somewhere for dinner. We decided to take a drive south to Holland and try a (new to us) place for dinner on the water. The town of Holland always seems to surprise me with new things I discover each time I go and that it really is so much larger than I what I think it is, even though it has a great small town town feel. I’ve always explored the downtown area shops and restaurants (my products are carried at Home and Co) and the campus of Hope College is beautiful to walk through. But today we were headed to the lake.

The views of Lake Macatawa from the Boatwerks Restaurant didn’t disappoint. There were plenty of people out playing, fishing and picnicking at nearby Kollen Park. After dinner we drove out to historic Ottawa Beach and decided we really need to spend more time here. The ice cream places all had lines as did the quaint general store. It made for a lovely drive past the historic cottages and marinas full of sail boats. Of course we had to drive through the state park and see Big Red. Our kids had never been to this beach since we usually bike to our own. But it’s good to play tourist in another town, even if it is one that is just 30 minutes away.

I think this fall my husband and I will be back to explore more areas of Holland. What town near you can you be a tourist in and make some new discoveries?