Pella, Iowa
Located in America’s Heartland just 40 miles southeast of Des Moines, Pella is “America’s Dutch Treasure.”
Established in 1847 by Dutch immigrants, Pella is a close-knit, rural community with approximately 10,300 people.
Start your exploration at the Scholte House Museum, named after founder Dominie Hendrik Pieter Scholte, which features original antiques, furnishings, paintings and other artifacts.
Frontiersman Wyatt Earp, of “Gunfight at the OK Corral” fame, lived the first 13 years of his life here. His story is told at the Earp House by costumed re-enactors.
Pella’s iconic landmark is the Vermeer Mill. Reportedly the largest working grain mill in the United States, its special grain flour is used to bake specialties like the traditional Dutch letters — flaky, almond-filled pastries shaped like an “S.” The Mill sits next to the Historical Village Complex, a miniature Dutch Village made up of 100-plus structures that replicates villages in Holland.
Tantalizing authentic Dutch smoked meats like jerky and bratwurst are sold at Ulrich’s Meat Market, and In’t Veld’s Meat Market and Opa’s Deli invites groups to enjoy staples like the traditional Double Dutch, made with Pella’s famous bologna or dried beef, and Gouda cheese, served hot or cold on a raisin bread bun.
On the popular working farm tour of Frisian Farms Cheese Shop, you’ll see production of its artisan aged and flavored Gouda cheeses, like the classic Dutch Komijnekaas, made with cumin, sun-dried tomato and garlic.
According to Jill Vandevoort, director of the Pella Convention and Visitors Bureau, Pella Tulip Time is one of the best times to visit.
“Held the first Thursday through Saturday of May, Pella Tulip Time attracts over 150,000 visitors from across the country to enjoy our distinctive cultural heritage and community pride,” Vandevoort said. “We have authentic Dutch folk dances, two daily parades and floats some say could be entered into the [Pasadena] Rose Parade. The whole festival really comes together because of our shared community values.”
Annual events include the Lake Red Rock Balloon Fest in June and the Herfst Feest (Harvest Fest) in September. Next year, in a nod to the famous outdoor Christmas markets in the Netherlands, Pella will hold its inaugural Kerstmarkt of Pella. The event highlights Pella’s wealth of Dutch history and heritage, and will feature arts and crafts, gifts, culinary specialties, an ice-skating rink and other activities.
Holland, Michigan
Nestled along the shores of Lake Macatawa 150 miles from Chicago and 170 miles from Detroit, Holland, a city of 34,000, also exudes the authentic flavor and flair of the Netherlands.
Its largest event is the annual Tulip Time Festival. This eight-day celebration begins the first Saturday in May and features parades, traditional klompen (wooden shoe) dancing, an arts and crafts fair, carnival rides, concerts and more. The centerpiece is the breathtaking sea of millions of magnificent, brilliantly hued tulips adorning nearly every area of town, earning it accolades including “Best Small Town Festival” and “2016 Best Flower Festival.”
“One of Holland’s defining moments is when our 260-year-old Historic DeZwaan Windmill was brought over from the Netherlands 51 years ago,” said Sally Hallan Laukitis, executive director of the Holland Convention and Visitors Bureau. “It was totally reconstructed, is 125 feet tall from the ground to the blades and given to us with the understanding that it would stay as a working grinding mill. Visitors can take a tour up to the fifth floor, where the grindstones and gears are located.”
The structure sits adjacent to the Windmill Island Gardens, 36 picturesque acres of manicured gardens, canals, an antique hand-carved and painted wooden horse carousel and the DeZoete Haan Fudge Shop.
Groups can embark upon a Dutch Touch tour to experience the DeKlomp Wooden Shoe and Delft Factory, the only production Delftware — traditional blue-and-white porcelain pottery — factory in the United States; the Holland Bowl Mill, among only a handful of wooden bowl mills left in the country; and hands-on cooking classes at Nelis’ Dutch Village.
Holland’s walkable downtown features dozens of inviting shops, galleries and eateries. Among them is Candle-ology, with 100-plus fragrance options to make custom-scented soy candles, room diffusers, soaps and other items.
New Holland Brewery offers brewery and distillery tours, and Alpenrose Restaurant and Café serves tantalizing American and Bavarian specialties. Fresh Dutch pastries and deli items are sold in its adjoining bakery.
Don’t miss sampling the Saucjizeneroobje, a flaky pastry filled with sausage, or delicacies such as Dutch pea soup and Speculaas, spiced cookies usually formed in the shape of a windmill.
One of Holland’s most popular group activities is a dinner cruise aboard the Holland Princess. While sailing along Lake Macatawa, you’ll enjoy spectacular views of Big Red, the Dutch architecture lighthouse, one of the most photographed lighthouses in Michigan.
