Holland

From the shores of Lake Michigan to our award-winning downtown shopping district, Holland offers an array of exciting venues for you and your family to enjoy. Experience Michigan living at its very best. A community whose rich Dutch heritage and multi-cultural composition is reflected in our annual festivals, events, shops and special exhibits, and home to an amazing array of recreational opportunities, Holland attracts millions of visitors each year. Some come to see the beautiful fall colors that paint the Holland area landscape… to bike, walk or run on the endless miles of bike paths… or to cross-country ski or sled on snow covered slopes. Others come for the land… to climb the dunes… hike through hundreds of acres of parks… bird watch at Van Raalte Farm… visit cultural sites or spend an afternoon browsing through shops on our snow melted streets. Still others come to do business… because just like a well-maintained Dutch Windmill, Holland's economy keeps turning. Whatever you're looking for… Holland has it all. The highlight of the Holland community's cultural calendar is the annual Tulip Time festival held in early May. Tracing its roots to 1927, the event has grown to include wooden-shoe clad "klompen" dancers, an authentic Dutch street scrubbing parade, parade of bands, children's costume parade and a variety of other entertainment. Today, Tulip Time spans seven days, attracting almost a million visitors. Blessed with natural beauty and pulsing with economic vitality, the Holland area is one of the nation's most desirable locations to start a business and raise a family. A major contributor to the remarkable prosperity of the entire West Michigan economy, the Holland area continues to attract new businesses, while nurturing the retention and expansion of our existing businesses. Progressive local governments, working hand in hand with business and community leaders, have promoted well-planned growth, while fostering stewardship of the area's natural resources. With the generous support of residents, the area is home to excellent schools, hospitals, cultural organizations and civic groups. Welcome to the Holland area. We residents feel truly blessed to live amidst such natural beauty, cultural diversity and economic prosperity. We're sure you'll enjoy your stay with us, whether it be for a weekend, or a lifetime.

Zeeland

Zeeland is a beautiful area that shows pride in its historical background and its strong religious heritage. The city, named after the Province of Zeeland in the Netherlands, was settled in 1847 by a group of 457 courageous settlers who were seeking religious and political freedom. Now, with the development of many businesses with a global scope, the diversity of the area is expanding in a positive way. Today the population of Zeeland exceeds 6,000 within the city limits and over 22,000 within the 94 square mile school district. Each day the population of the city increases to over double its population, with twice as many people working in Zeeland as live here. A strong work ethic is evident in the quality work force in the area, and pride is apparent in the upkeep of homes and businesses. Noted for excellent schools, churches and a warm family environment, the Zeeland area strives to demonstrate a sense of growth through cooperative efforts with adjacent municipalities. Local units of government and regional planning organizations are actively working on building services and infrastructure to maintain an excellent quality of life while meeting the needs of a growing area. The location of the community allows for easy access to both local and regional recreational, intellectual and cultural opportunities. Zeeland is located five miles east of Holland and twenty miles west of Grand Rapids. It can be easily accessed from Exit 55 or Exit 52 off Interstate 196, the Gerald Ford Freeway.

Hamilton

Nestled in rolling farmland about 10 miles southeast of Holland, the first settlers arrived in Hamilton in the mid-1800s. Lumbering gave way to farming and milling, and the little town was a rail stop between Allegan and Holland. Today, Hamilton is home to about 2,000 residents. It remains largely a farming community, producing commodities such as eggs, celery and dog food. The Hamilton Farm Bureau is the area's largest employer. Conveniently located between Holland, Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids, many people choose to settle in Hamilton to accommodate jobs in these various cities.