Holland

Albertus van Raalte led a group of Dutch separatists here in 1847, fleeing religious restriction, and the settlement kept its language and church structure for generations. De Zwaan, the windmill on Windmill Island, is the genuine article: built in the Netherlands in 1761, damaged in the Second World War, and sold to Holland in 1964 under an export licence the Dutch government has not granted since, making it the last authentic Dutch windmill exported to the United States. It still grinds flour. Tulip Time runs for about a week in early May with several million bulbs planted across the town, and the timing is a gamble - a warm April can open them before the festival.

What you actually see

• De Zwaan - a genuine 1761 Dutch windmill, still grinding.
• A settlement of 1847 - Dutch separatists fleeing restriction.
• Several million tulips - planted across the town for May.
• Lake Michigan beaches - a short drive west.

When to go

Early May for Tulip Time; the bloom date moves with the spring. Half a day.

Honest expectations

Tulip timing is unpredictable - a warm spring opens and finishes the bloom early. Festival week fills accommodation and roads. Outside May the town is quiet. The windmill has limited winter hours.

Nearby

Lake Michigan beaches are west; Grand Rapids is east.