Things to Do Near the Lavender Farms of Holland, Saugatuck & Fennville, Michigan

The lavender farms

• Summerhouse Lavender FarmLavender farm · Fennville

  late June to early July

  Open Thursday–Sunday in season with free guided tours every half hour; festival weekends usually the first two weekends of July; mind and body sessions on first and third weekends.

• Lake Michigan LavenderLavender farm · Holland

Best time to visit

Spring belongs to Holland's tulips: at Windmill Island Gardens dozens of varieties usually bloom from late April through mid-May, and Tulip Time runs May 1–10 in 2026. Summerhouse Lavender Farm's Bloom Festival falls on the first two weekends of July. Summer also brings U-pick sweet cherries and freestone peaches at Crane Orchards and blueberries at Lakeshore Berry Farms (typically mid-July to mid-August). Beach season at Oval Beach and Tunnel Park runs Memorial Day to Labor Day, and Oval Beach is closed to dogs through September 30. In September and October the Fennville orchards turn to apples, pumpkins, hayrides and a new corn maze each year at Crane's, and Windmill Island Gardens stays open through October 11 in 2026. From October through April, leashed dogs are welcome back at Tunnel Park.

Places to see nearby parks, trails, beaches and landmarks

• Saugatuck Chain Ferry🌉 Landmark · Saugatuck · about 2 mi, 10 min drive

  A hand-cranked ferry, guided by a chain, that crosses the Kalamazoo River from downtown Saugatuck to the Mount Baldhead side; ferry service here dates to 1857. It leaves every 10 to 15 minutes and stops in high wind, fog or lightning.

  $3 ages 11 and up, $1 ages 10 and under; dogs, bikes and strollers ride free

• Mount Baldhead Park🏞️ Park · Saugatuck · about 3 mi, 10 min drive

  Climb 303 stairs up Saugatuck's tallest dune for the view, then follow the wooded paths down to Oval Beach. Stay on the trails and off the dune grass.

• Oval Beach🏖️ Beach · Saugatuck · about 4 mi, 10 min drive

  Saugatuck's Lake Michigan beach below the dunes, reachable by car or on foot over Mount Baldhead or the stair-free John Woollam Trail. The lot can fill for short stretches on peak summer afternoons.

  Beach hours 8 a.m.–10 p.m., Memorial Day to Labor Day weekend; no dogs Memorial Day through September 30

  $15 day parking pass (2026)

• Saugatuck Dunes State Park🌳 State park · Holland · about 6 mi, 15 min drive

  2.5 miles of undeveloped Lake Michigan shoreline and 13 miles of trails through wooded dunes, including the 300-acre Patty Birkholz Natural Area. The shortest way to the water is the 0.75-mile Beach Trail, and leashed dogs are allowed along the whole shoreline.

  Michigan Recreation Passport

• Fennville Farm Unit, Allegan State Game Area🌲 Preserve · Fennville · about 8 mi, 15 min drive

  About 4,000 acres of fields and wetlands managed for wildlife, where birders look for Canada geese, ducks, upland sandpipers and wild turkeys, with nature trail hiking. Waterfowl hunts take place on set mornings from October to February.

  free

• Holland State Park🌳 State park · Holland · about 12 mi, 25 min drive

  Beaches on both Lake Michigan and Lake Macatawa, each with a buoyed swim area, and a view across the channel to the Holland Harbor lighthouse, known as Big Red. Leashed dogs may use the designated dog beach on Lake Macatawa.

  Michigan Recreation Passport

• Windmill Island Gardens🌷 Garden · Holland · about 15 mi, 25 min drive

  City-run gardens planted with dozens of tulip varieties around De Zwaan, an 18th-century Dutch windmill bought from the Netherlands in the 1960s. Free parking for about 250 cars fills during Tulip Time.

  2026: April 13 through October 11, daily 9:30–5

  Adults $13, ages 3–15 $6 (higher during Tulip Time)

• Holland Museum🏛️ Museum · Holland · about 15 mi, 25 min drive

  Holland's history museum on West 10th Street downtown, which recently told the story of how De Zwaan was brought from the Netherlands. Admission is free on the evening of each second Monday.

  Thursday–Friday 11–4, Saturday 10–4, Sunday noon–4

  Adults $10, seniors $8, students and ages 6–18 $5

• Tunnel Park🏖️ Beach · Holland · about 16 mi, 30 min drive

  An Ottawa County park where a trail runs through a tunnel in the dune to the beach, with a dune climb for kids and a stairway with lake views. There are no lifeguards.

  April 1 until first snowfall, 7 a.m.–10 p.m.; dogs allowed October 1–April 30

  Vehicle permit required Memorial Day–Labor Day

Where to stop: farms, food and stays

• Crane's Pie Pantry, Restaurant & WineryBakery · Fennville

  A family restaurant and bakery since 1972 on the Crane fruit farm, known for fruit pies, with hard cider and fruit wine.

• Crane OrchardsApple orchard · Fennville

  U-pick sweet cherries, freestone peaches and many apple varieties, plus fall pumpkins, hayrides and a new corn maze each year.

• Evergreen Lane Farm & CreameryIce cream or creamery · Fennville

  An on-farm creamery making goat's-milk and cow's-milk cheeses, with a tasting room and animals to meet.

• Lakeshore Berry FarmsBlueberry farm · Fennville

  Casual blueberry U-pick, typically mid-July to mid-August, with baked goods, jam and ice cream in the store.

• Pleasant Hill FarmBlueberry farm · Fennville

  A certified organic farm with U-pick blueberries and strawberries, homemade maple syrup and an early-summer poppy and wildflower field.

• Glenn Star FarmBlueberry farm · Fennville

  A family-friendly blueberry U-pick on Blue Star Highway, open Tuesday through Sunday.

A one-day plan

1. 10:00 AM
   Summerhouse Lavender Farm

   Walk the lavender rows and gardens; on the first two July weekends, catch the Bloom Festival's artists and music. About an hour.

2. 11:15 AM
   Crane's Pie Pantry · about 10 min drive

   Early lunch and a slice of fruit pie, then pick whatever fruit is in season at Crane Orchards next door. About 1.5 hours.

3. 12:55 PM
   Evergreen Lane Farm & Creamery · about 10 min drive

   Taste the farm's goat and cow cheeses and meet the animals. About 45 minutes.

4. 2:05 PM
   Saugatuck Dunes State Park · about 25 min drive

   Take the 0.75-mile Beach Trail through the dunes to a quiet stretch of Lake Michigan. About 1.5 hours.

5. 3:50 PM
   Saugatuck Chain Ferry and Mount Baldhead · about 10 min drive

   Park downtown, ride the chain ferry across the river and climb the 303 stairs up Mount Baldhead. About an hour.

6. 5:00 PM
   Oval Beach

   Walk down the dune paths from Mount Baldhead for a late-afternoon swim, then ride the ferry back. About 1.5 hours.

7. 7:00 PM
   Holland State Park · about 30 min drive

   End with the sunset over Lake Michigan and a view of Big Red across the channel.

🗺️ Plan this trip in the trip planner

Tips

• Oval Beach's lot can fill on summer afternoons; parking downtown and taking the chain ferry and Mount Baldhead trail is a good workaround.
• Dog rules vary: leashed dogs are welcome along the whole Saugatuck Dunes shoreline and at Holland State Park's Lake Macatawa dog beach, but not at Oval Beach before October or at Tunnel Park before October 1.
• Bring a Michigan Recreation Passport for Saugatuck Dunes and Holland State Park; Oval Beach and Tunnel Park charge their own summer parking fees.
• During Tulip Time, Windmill Island Gardens has lines and higher prices; weekday mornings are calmer, and overflow parking is about a mile away downtown.
• The chain ferry stops in high winds, fog, lightning or heavy rain, so have a backup plan for stormy days.