A Sweet Day Through Holland, Grand Haven and Oz to Muskegon

My Southwest Michigan trip with my friend, Lynn, had been going well. We were enjoying the waterfront along Lake Michigan, the Dutch heritage, and lots of tasty food. We were excited to explore even more places in the region, but first we had a couple more things to see and do in Holland.

We started with breakfast at Deboer Bakkerij. This popular spot has been a staple in Holland since the original owner came from Nederland in the 1950s. Five generations later, the authentic Dutch recipes are still being made.

Everything on the menu sounded delicious. Lynn had an omelet and I, as I typically do, leaned toward something sweeter with the Blueberry Bliss pancakes. It was the perfect choice. I did my best to finish them, but it wasn’t possible since the portion was so big.

When we were done, we headed to a spot I was looking forward to while planning the trip. It is a little-known fact that L. Frank Baum, author of the Wizard of Oz, was a frequent vacationer to Holland, Michigan. Rumors have swirled around the possibility that he actually wrote that infamous  book here. A tribute to that is the Wizard of Oz Sculpture Garden in downtown.

Although the brick isn’t quite yellow, we followed it through Centennial Park and across the street to the library. There we found bronze sculptures of all the main characters in Oz. It was a whimsical way to start our exit from this creative town.

First there was another attraction to see. Windmill Island Gardens is a beautiful display of Dutch heritage among a perfectly manicured landscaping of flowers and windmills. I found it to be a picturesque site that was accessible for me to easily wheel through.

We didn’t have a tight schedule and decided to take advantage of the spare time to stop at Grand Haven State Beach after leaving Holland. It was another warm summer day along Lake Michigan. Lyn
n walked the beach looking for shells, stones, and gems. The heat was getting to me, and I decided to enjoy the scene while staying in a shady area.

It was already into the afternoon, and we stopped at my favorite Michigan chain, Grand Traverse Pie Company, for lunch. I could never get enough of their food, and I was excited about the stop. I had made a habit of visiting one of their locations whenever I was in the state.

Grand Traverse Pie Company has a Combo special that can’t be beat. It includes a pot pie or slice of quiche, salad or soup, and slice of pie. We both decided on the Chicken Pot Pie,  Chicken Noodle Soup, and Cherry Ganache Pie. It was all as good as I remembered. I couldn’t finish it all and saved the soup for later.

We were only a half hour from our next stop, Muskegon, where we would spend the next two nights at the Delta Hotel. It was a huge property in this small town, which offered a different atmosphere, though still on the lake.

By the time we got settled in the room, we were exhausted. We decided to skip going out to dinner and stayed in to rest. It turned out to be the ideal night to do it as we had an incredible sunset right outside our window.