I most definitely feel the need to highlight Holland now that Robin did not receive a rose on tonight's episode of the Bachelor. It might be the travel-enthusiast in me, but I was seriously anxious to see the adventures of Matt and Robin in a town I usually only go to for the Gap Outlet and the Tulip Time Festival!
So let's start with the Tulip Time Festival. Tulips are my favorite flower! I went back and forth on whether I should have a spring wedding in order to have THE BEST tulips or a fall wedding which is what I have always wanted. I decided on the fall wedding but I will probably try to sneak some tulips in there some where!
Tulip Time takes place in early May and provokes the streets of Holland to come out of hibernation. This year the festival is May 3-10 and the live concert series features local celebrities Pop Evil. The festival is a tribute to tulips and the Dutch with street performances by Klompen dancers, the Tulip Time Run, multiple parades and fireworks. I particularly like the arts and crafts festival because people are just so darn talented!
Since tulips only last for a brief moment of the year, you're probably wondering what else is in Holland. Well, CityFlats, one of the first certified "green" hotels in the United States has just opened and the resident restaurant has received fabulous inaugural reviews. I must also mention the local offerings situated on the quaint streets of downtown Holland...too many to list here but always exciting to explore.
A visit to Holland just wouldn't be complete without seeing the sun settle into Lake Michigan. Holland's beautiful beaches offer a perfect place for a picnic and blankets of sand to sink into while soaking up the sun.
What were you thinking, Matt? Holland is a great place to visit and I am sure Robin's parents are bloody lovely!