Enjoyable visit. Went a few months after the tulip festival, and tickets were 13 dollars per person. The windmill is surrounded by pretty gardens and a range of small houses/buildings/cottages with dioramas and shops. There is also a carousel (only for children), and an organ (with periodic demonstrations). The windmill was imported several decades ago from the Netherlands - the history was narrated to us by a staff member in a Dutch costume. She was exceptionally friendly and answered our questions with wit and humour. The mechanics of the windmill were fascinating, and one could go up five storeys (each floor had its own equipment and explanations), though not right up to the top. The windmill is surrounded by beautiful gardens with a variety of flowers. It was fun to stroll around the gardens and visit the gift shop. The blue and white jewellery at the gift shop was particularly stunning. There is also free cheese available- some of the varieties were quite unusual. Four stars because while the windmill itself was interesting and the gardens lovely, there is nothing much to really do. Overall a pleasant experience but not sure if I will visit again. read more

Windmill Island Gardens - Windmill Gardens area - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Holland, Michigan

I loved our afternoon walking around this beautiful spacious park. Everything was well kept. It was so lovely seeing the features that were offered like the row house with the Dutch exhibit. The pond and walkways were so nice. You can walk all the way around the island if you like. The small bridge was a perfect spot for photos. Of course the main attraction is the windmill. The ladies working the bottom were so sweet and friendly. We walked up to the top. Each floor had something to offer. Once at the top, we went out on the balcony to enjoy a gorgeous view. Our last stop was the huge musical machine. It added such whimsy. We really enjoyed our visit. read more

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Oh my Gosh, 5 Stars all the way! I'm so happy we came here during Tulip Festival! Was it kinda pricey at $20 a person to get in, and crazy busy, yes to both! but would I do it again, yes for sure! We walked up and saw you could catch a big ol school bus to shuttle you up to the entrance for free, we hoped on and went in. I was very excited to see de Zwaan the famous Windmill imported from the Netherlands! The only one in the US, I think! It was SO beautiful! I got some great shots of the tulips and the windmill that I thought were just so pretty! Loved going up in the windmill and walking thru the tulip fields. Also don't miss walking thru the shops with authentic goods for sale including a whole cheese wall! With samples! You know some Dutch Gouda had to come home with me! read more

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Affiliated with Nellis' Dutch Village, this attraction is well worth a visit! You'll see and learn all about an authentic working windmill that was dismantled and brought over from The Netherlands. It is really amazing to see and go inside it. There is a lot of information and docents are there to answer questions. In addition to the windmill are gardens (we weren't there at the time the tulips were blooming but I bet they're gorgeous!), a beautiful working street organ, a carousel for children, a Little Netherlands display, a drawbridge, some walking trails and a gift shop. The real star is the windmill and for that alone, the visit is worth it! read more

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My husband and I went to Windmill Island Gardens to see their giant windmill. This windmill was built in Holland, deconstructed, shipped to the United States, and rebuilt in Holland, Michigan. This was the last windmill brough to the United States in this manner. We got lucky and visited on a day when the windmill was in operation. We got to climb to the top of the windmill and witness its operation firsthand. There are guides stationed throughout to explain what is going on and to answer questions that you may have. There is also a garden and walking path that you can visit. There are also shops, amusements, a visitor's center, and plenty of places to take pictures. This is a great place to take the whole family. I highly recommend Windmill Island Gardens! read more

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I'm sure it's worth it if you are going with the tulips are blooming otherwise it's a little expensive to walk around a garden. read more

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Little disappointing if you're not visiting for the Tulip Festival. We came about a month afterwards and the gardens were bare. The windmill was kind of neat, but there wasn't much else for us to do. We got a little lost in the wet grass as I saw a bridge on the map and thought it showed walking paths nearby, but there definitely weren't. Wasn't worth the ticket price to us. read more

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Back in July I went to De Zaanse Schans in the Netherlands and then in August I came here to Windmill Island Gardens - so I feel like I have a good way to compare the parks. The windmill is identical to what is in the Netherlands. The only difference between this windmill and the ones in the Netherlands is that each level of this windmill has different types of jobs that were done that relied on windmill power such as clog carving and flour milling. I feel like the people in costume don't really want to chat or start a discussion around the park except for one woman at the very top of the windmill who was giving out stickers and one doing the pipe organ demonstration - everyone else in costume were either chatting with each other or kind of zoned out. Outside of the windmill, there's not much to do - we watched the short informative film and the pipe organ demonstration, but that's it for activities. We were told that the park had horses in the pasture but we walked the entire park and all the paddocks were empty. There is a carousel for kids and there is a gift shop selling the exact same stuff as all of the gift shops in Amsterdam. Even though we were in Holland, Michigan, everything just says "Holland" on it - I even saw the exact clog magnet I purchased in Amsterdam for sale here! Even the paper shopping bags for small items are identical to what is available in the gift shops in Amsterdam. (The cheese is local though.) One that that was pretty cool was looking at this big miniature town that they have on display from the 1930's. If you have never been to Windmill Island Gardens, then you'll have no idea of the significance of the miniature town in Nicole Kidman's basement in the film "Holland" that she starred in. It is set in Holland Michigan and features many shots of this particular windmill. My husband and I watched it after we stumbled upon it after our visit and having been here was kind of cool while watching. Overall, I'd say you can do absolutely everything in 2 hours here, including walking the entire loop around the fields. It was fine but I'd definitely like more of the employees doing talks discussing Dutch culture, crafts, architecture, whatever. Visited: August 2025 read more

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Tulip festival visit We wanted to pick one of the touristy style pay to enter tulip areas. We decided on the windmill island. It will take you about 2 hours to explore. In the front you start with walking through some pretty gardens. They have a street musical machine you can listen to, a video about the windmill, shops to check out. When you walk across the bridge that is the best part of the property. A beautiful view of the windmill and tulips. You can walk inside the windmill, stroll through the tulips and enjoy the walking trail. Bring your camera to get awesome pictures! read more

Windmill Island Gardens - Miniature village - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Holland, Michigan

It's been about 12-15 years since I last visited Windmill Island Gardens. It's even better than I remembered - and very kid friendly for this chapter of life. From the windmill itself (which you can climb four stories to explore inside and out), to the stunning tulip fields in the spring to the playground, Dutch Morgan performances, carousel and mini Dutch village recreation, there's plenty to explore for a couple of hours. It's located a little over a mile from downtown Holland. Parking is easy ahd free. Highly recommend getting there right when they open during Tulip Time season to beat the crowds. read more

This park was neat! I enjoyed walking around the loop and looking at the gardens. The windmill is the highlight of this location but the organ was cool too. I'm sure during peak tulip season this place is very busy. It wasn't busy on our visit. The workers were very friendly and informative. The walking loop was about a mile. It is paved and flat. I also saw people walking their dogs so there is that. Overall I would recommend this place at least once. read more

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It's a windmill, had some people on the inside that explained how it worked. Interesting

Recently came here with my wife as our first Pit Stop on our wonderful vacation. This place was very cool just because I enjoy culture whenever I can and people embracing their origins. It was fairly price for what it was worth. Staff here was incredibly friendly and knowledgeable about everything. I did feel like some of the exhibits are not really well taken care of while some parts of the garden are underdeveloped. The main attraction was the windmill and I thought I was absolutely beautiful. The Landscaping was very well maintained as well. But besides the shops there really wasn't too much to explore even parts of the walking trail were blocked off construction purposes as beautiful as this place was I did feel like I laughed a bit disappointed. They have a little Overlook outside of the gardens and it's just over looks a swampy area. read more

Absolutely amazing. While there isn't a ton here, what is is so nicely curated, beautiful and just a lovely space to spend a few hours. I wanted to see the windmill - which was very cool - you could go up and investigate all sorts of little spots while inside. Also, interesting history and even volunteers inside who can answer questions. Then there are lovely gardens (and I wasn't even there during tulip season!). You can walk around in a loop from the windmill to a very cute line of historic looking buildings with various historical models and information inside. Music on one side, carousel on the other... all surrounded by beauty. Snacks were somewhat lacking unless you wanted a bag of cookies or licorice but nice options for take home treats. Carousel was a big draw. It runs at regular intervals. And a play space right behind it - perfect while waiting! Definitely worth a visit. What a gem. read more

This was a fun stop on our trip from Chicago to Michigan. You can go into the windmill, and they have a few other buildings to visit. One had a model of Dutch town in the 19th century that was built in the 1930s. It was very detailed and fun to look at. The gift shop has lots of different types of cheese to purchase, and you can sample first. I wish they had flour from their mill for sale, I would have bought some. read more

Windmill Island Gardens - Decor - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Holland, Michigan

I took a day trip to Holland to see the tulip fields and was directed to Windmill Island Gardens. The grounds are spacious but beautiful and charming. (The Tulip Time festival was the week before, so flowers were not at their 'peak' bloom time but still gorgeous.) As you walk in there are staff in traditional Dutch apparel directing you to key points to see while walking amongst beautiful tulips and greenery. A Welcome Center has facilities, a video to watch & small gallery of photos and historical items. Nearby is a small number of shops for souvenir items, pottery, clothing, garden decor, snacks and treats. A carousel for children only (darn it) and a small conservatory/ greenhouse which I think sells plants? I did walk in but there were a number of people exiting so I quickly glanced around and left. I had no need for or desire buying at that time, just browsing around. There is a large windmill near the tulips fields that you have to walk to, along a paved pathway next to a canal and bridge depicting a Dutch town feel. Along the way there are displays for photo opportunities and a few benches to rest if needed. I did see people with mobility aids (walkers with seat, canes) while there so it's accessible. I did not see everything but I believe the map said the entire way around was less than 1 mile. It was a nice visit and I liked that they had signs with tulips names on them, for ordering I suppose, but I don't know if you can from this place. I was glad the sun peeked out several times while there. It was a cloudy, overcast 3 hour drive. read more

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It's a beautiful place to go. There's no question about that. Would I go back? Probably not. For our family there just isn't enough to do to make it worthwhile read more

Windmill Island Gardens - The windmill - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Holland, Michigan

Came here with family the Friday prior to Tulip Time. Entry is free for Holland residents and $13 for adults, no discount for seniors. Although most of the tulips were behind fences they had a good amount already bloomed near the front of the gardens. If you want to avoid crowds and traffic, highly recommend coming to Holland, MI the week before Tulip Time ideally on a weekday. You can actually take pictures without so many other people in your frame and have time to enjoy the gardens and the windmill on the property. read more

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We visited for the first time during the tulip festival, and the gardens were beautiful as we happened to visit when the tulips were at their peak. It was very crowded though, and some visitors were carelessly trampling tulips, even lying down in tulip beds to take selfies. Some were even picking tulips to take with them instead of leaving them for all to enjoy. So rude. Definitely park employees are needed to keep visitors on the paths and out of the tulip beds. Of course this should be common sense but some visitors had no respect for the beautiful tulip beds. We came back during Fall Fest weekend to participate in planting the tulip bulbs. Planning to return in the spring to see "our" tulip bed. read more

Windmill Island Gardens - Planting tulips - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Holland, Michigan

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A wonderful place to be on a weekday when the crowds are diminished. The windmill was actually spinning and lots of history here. Staff are friendly and helpful. Great gift shop. We'lll be back for the tulip festival. read more

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May 6, 2024 We were told that the tulips were in full bloom last week and due to the heavy rains most of the tulips have died/lost their petals. The island is beautiful. Very lush and clean. As you can see from my photos some tulips survived the early bloom and heavy rains. The ones that survived were breathtaking. I love the fields of tulips by the windmill. It made the perfect photo. Soon as we entered we watched a film on the windmill and how it's still an active mill today. Fascinating, I'm glad we took the time to watch the short film. It made the tour of the windmill more meaningful. It was sad that most of the tulips were spent, but I'm still happy I got to go and get the pictures I wanted of the tulips with the windmill in the background. read more

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My family and I were so excited to finally visit the Windmill Island Gardens during the first day of the Tulip Time Festival on May 4, 2024. Unfortunately, it was a major disappointment. Unless you have money to burn, spend it elsewhere. The city was not prepared for the influx of out-of-town visitors. Due to traffic, it took us nearly an hour to go past four miles. It then took us 45 minutes to find parking, 30 minutes to walk to the Gardens, and then another 30 minutes of waiting in line to enter the grounds. I can see the vision management was going for, but the grounds weren't maintained. It was bad enough that most flowers were already shrived but on top of that, so many kids were plucking flowers and visitors were stomping on tulip beds just to get photos of themselves - absolutely horrible! There should be signs or at least employees restricting people from doing this because it ruins the experience for everyone. The windmill itself was nice but there's not much to see from the top. My family and I do not plan on ever returning to the Gardens. read more

Windmill Island Gardens - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Holland, Michigan

Pictures do not do this place justice. They open at 9am we arrived at 8am in opening day and they started letting people in at 8:30amnon this day we were able to park in the parking lot purchase or three tickets eith a credit card and access the island. Because it wasn't crowded yet were ran around the property like crazy people lol. It was epic. Main stop was the windmill so you can learn about history and get a great view of the gardens. The watch was perfym tulips like cooler temps so they were just perfect. So many variations of tulips displayed with love in mind. There are rows in between you can walk through to find that perfect picture opportunity. It really is breathtaking. Opened more than just for tulip time so if you are in th area drop in to enjoy the authentic gift shop and the wonders of the Dutch culter. read more

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According to everyone, this was the thing to do while in Holland, Michigan. I arrived on the second week of tulip season. It seems like this year it was too hot for the tulips and they didn't last that long. I still got to see a few of them, but the fields were pretty much empty. You can come here to enjoy part of Holland history. They have a huge windmill that you can go into. On the different levels of the windmill, you'll get some history. The workers will also answer any questions you have. I love that the workers are dressed in period clothing. There is a carousel for children. It is included in the ticket price. It only runs twice a one hour. Adults can go on with the children, but cannot sit on the horses. There's also a playground for children to keep entertained The grounds are beautiful and well taken care of. The gift shop was so cute. I loved it. It is my understanding that they have events throughout the year. Parking is available on site and there's plenty of it. read more

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A touristy place but was enjoyable. The gardens are beautiful. I'd Ben before and now took my sister and her husband. Really fun! read more

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This was my favorite activity on our trip to this area, it was so incredibly peaceful and serene. I felt like I was in another country altogether. We came when the tulips were gone, but there is still so much floral beauty to enjoy and the The Swan Windmill was more than I anticipated - significantly larger than I pictured and the history was phenomenal to learn about. You can walk all the way to the top, and it's really a thrilling experience to be that close to the windmill turning. All the staff were friendly and knowledgeable, it was great to learn from them. This is the one and only authentic and still operating Dutch Windmill in the US! Don't miss out on the gift shop and cheese tasting on your way out! read more

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Fun little tourist attraction! Would love to see it when the Tulips are bloomed or when Nicole Kidman is here! Nice walking trails and information on this places history! Staff was very friendly as well! read more

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It is so peaceful to walk around and enjoy the activities. Here you are taken back to another time and place. We went in the early fall the flowers are still beautiful but I have heard the spring time is a once in a lifetime experience with the Tulips no matter spring or fall it's worth it read more

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We visited here on Wednesday May 08 during Holland's 2024 Tulip Time Festival Week, May 04 through May 12 this year.  This year, due to warm weather, the tulips bloomed a bit early so we missed the most colorful period.  It was still a delightful day trip for us on a delightful weather day.  For a modest $12 adult admission, you could enjoy a pleasant walk around the grounds, climb through the 3 story authentic Dutch windmill which was relocated from the Netherlands, mill about the shops, enjoy a Dutch street organ demonstration, watch a short video about the gardens and the windmill, and enjoy what tulip colors still remained. At mid-day, their parking lot was filled, and traffic was diverted towards downtown Holland.  You could either park and walk about a mile across the causeway to the island, or just kill some time and wait for the lot to re-open once enough cars have left.  We waited just 15 minutes and got in on a nice close parking spot.  We've never bothered over the years with visiting Holland to see the tulips, and stopping by here made for a nice day trip indeed.  We deliberately avoided Thursday and Saturday as those are the parade days, and the town and the various tulip venues get very over-crowded apparently on parade days and the weekends.  So the pro-tip is to make the trip during a weekday if at all possible, set the bar right for your expectations, and if the weather is beautiful, expect an appropriately bigger crowd.  You can have a 5 star experience here or a 1 star experience (as many reviewers have), so pick the timing of your visit carefully! read more

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Whether someone is a history nerd, or a master gardener, has an interest in engineering, or just wants to see something new, there is something here for them. This is a windmill, hundreds of years old, that was moved from the Netherlands, to Holland, MI. There's also a 10:1 replica that was made by the same person that moved it. The gardens are stunning, starting with tulips in the spring, and progressing through perennials over the summer. The windmill is a functional one, open to the public, and it's really impressive to see the technology available 250 years ago. There are cute shops, informational videos, and plenty of walking trails. A great place to spend a few hours. read more

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This is a beautiful place during Tulip Time Festival. This was our first time to this popular event. I heard that it can get pretty crowded so we opted to go during the week. So, with the smaller crowd and the gorgeous weather, it was a perfect day to see the tulips. The Gardens are pretty large and the tulips are all in full bloom. There were so many colors and different types of tulips. It was pretty neat to go to the top of the windmill and see the 360° views. This will definitely be a new tradition for our family to enjoy each year. It is a great way to kick off springtime in Michigan! read more

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We were brought here on the VIP tour we were on. We had a great time. There's a couple shops, food truck, windmill and great grounds. The gardens were said to be designed by the same gardener that did the grand hotel. Definitely worth a visit if in town. read more

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The Windmill Gardens was definitely on my bucket list for this area. We have lived in Europe for some yrs and traveled to Holland several times to see the famous gardens! Don't miss them if your ever in Holland in the spring time. Now on to this review in Michigan. There is plenty of free parking, want crowed when we visited a few yrs ago. The entrance fee was reasonable priced, ask for a brochure map. The gardens aren't that big, but a map is a great keepsake. Walk around and just take in the beautiful flowers and views, everyone runs to the Windmill located in the far back field. We took our time, and enjoyed all the history. They have food, gifts shops, seating areas thru out and lot of space to spread out. You will learn alot, especially if you have never been to Holland. The windmill was brought over from Holland in pieces, climb up and catch the nice views of the property. Yes you will have to climb up, I didnt see a elevator. I really feel like Michigan did a really nice job of the gardens, again if you wanna see the real deal goooooo to Europe! If not enjoy the USA and its overpriced tourism spots, Lol! Yes I do recommend the Windmill Gardens and make sure you wander a bit downtown, the town is really cute to see. ~Dani she on to the next adventure~ read more

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We visited the gardens in September while vacationing in the area. It was a dreary weekday but it was phenomenal!! We were there with our pup and we had an amazing time. We walked, enjoyed, learned. Hugo sniffed and explored. It was a terrific afternoon spent on beautiful land. read more

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Windmill island gardens Our first time coming here. Not how I envision it but good. People glorify the images but in reality it's a tame environment. I was expecting a magnificent display of tulips all over. In reality, they are planted in sections and in limited quantities. The windmill is huge! The area is surround by a small stream which must be used for watering the tulips. The bathrooms are located in the main building which is nice. No outhouses or porta potty. No need for extra smells to ruin the smell of tulips. They do have ONE food stand which serves a decent amount of different foods. I strongly suggest you come before the festival, because when it arrives, there is basically no parking spot available. Come and enjoy the tulips. Highly recommended read more

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their was only two windmills. it is not even a island! the windmill was pretty cool. but everything else was boring. DO NOT GO TO WINDMILL "ISLAND" read more

What a treasure! Tour the windmill that was brought to the US after WWII and assembled as restored. They have many gardens to tour, a field to fly a kite and more. A relaxing way to send an afternoon. read more

Windmill Island Gardens - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Holland, Michigan

Overall one of the major places to visit when you are in Holland, MI. However, I was not very intrigued by this. Entry tickets are damn cheap and I was surprised by that. It is a nice picturous location and has great photo opportunities. A big area with tons of greenery all over. It was a joy to walk here. Nice holland style building and small museums. A cute botanical garden and a merry-go-round swing too. A great place for a family with kids. The only complaint we have is that there were no good food options. They should really have a restaurant inside with some hot food options. read more

Windmill Island Gardens - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Holland, Michigan

Tulip time is TRULY the best time at Windmill Island Gardens. This place is so incredible and I absolutely love how beautiful they have created this whole area of gardens. It truly feels like its own little town and at any point inside the gardens, you can look up and see the iconic windmill standing proud in the distance or not-so-distant distance. There are...dare I say...thousands if not MILLIONS (?!) of tulips throughout these gardens and everything feels alive with color whenever I'm here. Granted, I haven't been here in the "off season" times when it's not tulip time, but I'm sure it's equally fun and beautiful. I definitely recommend coming here for tulip time if you want the best experience ever! I also recommend you coming here before they say they're "open for business" each day. If you don't want to be surrounded by people while you appreciate the gardens, I'd get there around sunrise up to even right at open, and you'll be able to view the tulip fields uninterrupted and take incredible pictures while you're at it. I absolutely love it here. Thanks for being so dog-friendly as well, Windmill Island Gardens. I love nothing more than being able to appreciate the tulips with my dog and many other tulip spots in the Holland area during tulip time aren't necessarily dog-friendly the way these gardens are. So this is TRULY the best! :) read more

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my mom and I had the most wonderful experience at Windmill Island on 5/8. our amazing experience began with parking. it was free and the parking attendant offered row 2 parking for us as my mom is elderly but doesn't have a handicap permit. Row two had several spots available for us to choose from. The attendant also recommended stopping in the Post House to borrow a wheelchair. Easy, easy, easy! There would've been no way my mom could've have enjoyed the gardens without that wheelchair! Thank you for making the grounds not only gorgeous but also accessibl! read more

Windmill Island Gardens - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Holland, Michigan