Gangsters, Candy, and Tulips: A Holland, Michigan Walking Tour

People come from all over the world to see Holland’s Tulip Time Festival each May and often miss the city’s year-round peaceful beauty. On this walking tour, you’ll visit Downtown Holland’s prettiest locations that are often overlooked by visitors, with some unexpected historical details! If you like local history, insider locations, and beautiful flowers, this is the walk for you!

The tour starts at the city’s former fire station, known today as the Holland City Hall & Firehouse No. 2 Historical Marker, built in response to the devastating city-wide fire of 1871. As you make your way to Hope College’s historic campus and the elegantly maintained grounds of Centennial Park, you’ll hear about the multiple fires that nearly destroyed Holland. I’ll also tell you how a successful bank heist erupted into gunfire on 8th Street where, today, you’ll find thriving locally-owned shops and restaurants.

No tour of Holland would be complete without seeing several Veneklasen Brick homes, built with the area's distinctive orange-red brick. The tour comes to a sweet conclusion at The Holland Peanut Store, home of Fabiano hand-dipped chocolates and Fabiano Famous Nutty Paddle Pops!

Along the way, you’ll have a chance to:

• Discover the city’s unique snowmelt system of heated streets and sidewalks
• Find out how the Holland Tower and Clock’s lighted face helped men get to work on time at night
• Stop for a pint of Dragon’s Milk at New Holland Brewing’s Brewpub
• Hear the story of how the original owner of The Knickerbocker Theater died just before opening day
• See the connection between Holland and The Wizard of Oz at the Oz Book, a sculpture garden that pays tribute to the childhood classic
• Relive the day Depression-era bank robber Eddie Bentz and his gang shot up Holland
• Admire the white columns of Pillar Church, one of the few buildings to survive the devastating fire of 1871

Whether it’s your first time in Holland or you’re curious about the city’s stories, this tour is a valuable introduction to Holland’s downtown history. Having lived in Holland all my life, I’ll share stories that amuse the locals and surprise the visitors!

Allow 45 minutes to an hour for this walk. There are plenty of coffee shops, restaurants, breweries, and churches all along the route for a quick (or lengthy) stop.

This tour is fully accessible and ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compatible.