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    Big Red Lighthouse

    4.3 (15 reviews)
    Closed 9:00 am - 6:00 pm

    Big Red Lighthouse Photos

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    Diane B.

    Just beautiful area just went to look next year would love to stay a few days and enjoy the beach - light house is on private property so you can only photograph not tour

    Big Red Lighthouse
    Lauren Z.

    I knew from the pictures of Holland that my cousin and I had to go see the Big Red Lighthouse! It was a cold day but I'm so glad we went. It is absolutely beautiful!

    Jeannette T.

    Super cool! Totally wish we could have gone closer! Unfortunately to get close you have to go into a private area. I read people say it's possible to get there. We had a difficult time.

    Don't know where the 4th order Fresnel Lens went.
    Brian S.

    Big Red The Holland Harbor Light is on the channel that separates Lake Michigan to Lake Mactawa. It's big and red and therefore frequently goes by the name Big Red. For some reason a lot of the Lake Michigan lighthouse are painted red, never seen one all red anywhere else. The need for a lighthouse here was realized back in the early 1800s and even though a whole lot of discussion and arguing took place about the need of a lighthouse, they didn't get around to building one until 1872. This was a small and pretty crummy lighthouse but was better than nothing. In 1907 the present 32 foot high lighthouse was constructed and a 4th order Fresnel Lens installed. The light served well and was automated in 1932. By 1970 more modern and effective means of navigation were routine and the light discontinued. The coast guard wanted to pull it down but concerned and wise people objected and the lighthouse was restored and put on the preserved list of historic lighthouses in 2007. It's a striking and unique lighthouse that is best seen from the Holland State Park. A very cool and relaxing place to watch the boats leaving and entering the channel, the waves crashing against the lighthouse in heavy weather or just reflect on how things use when Big Red was still saving boats and lives.

    Ginger M.

    Lovely views here on the shoreline. As another review mentions, GPS will take you to the side that offers views but no access to the lighthouse. So we were only able to see it from afar. I do not know if there is a way for tourists to go inside the lighthouse or not, but if you access from the other side you could get much closer than we did. On a cool and windy day we didn't spend a ton of time here and preferred viewing it from Mt. Pisgah, if I'm honest. They have rudimentary restroom facilities available and a very nice playground area for kids. There's ample parking here and it seems to be a place where people like to park in their cars and think, smoke, eat, etc. I liked it.

    Mateo W.

    Went here on the off season to have a look at what was so special about the Lighthouse and the Holland State Park. The lighthouse was smaller than I expected but still fun to look at and to look out at the waves. This place was really quiet when I visited and served as an awesome place for self-reflection. I would assume this place is busy during the summer nights. Overall the visit was pleasant and memorable.

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Great beach and light house viewing area. Would definitely come back again if in the area again.

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    6 years ago

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    4 years ago

    it's quaint and pretty but you can't get to it because snooty billionaires block access; pretty to view from across the channel, however

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    6 years ago

    The most photographed lighthouse in Michigan! A wonderful setting which is located in Macatawa Park on the Channel. Beautiful!!

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    Review Highlights - Big Red Lighthouse

    Went here on the off season to have a look at what was so special about the Lighthouse and the Holland State Park.

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    New Richmond Bridge Park

    New Richmond Bridge Park

    4.0(3 reviews)
    9.9 mi

    ,My COVID-19 story. It is still going on. Time line is based on my Sister Darlene and Linda. As…read morewell my Friends Peggy and Karen. : The first 10 days were spent in a very dark place. I was not alone, my Mom and son were there with me. (For those that know me well, Mom and Eric have been gone for sometime. I don't know how I got water or got to the bath room. I did not eat for 2 weeks.(I guess) I don't remember talking to anyone. No one was allowed in my house. Daexy 10 or 11 Medics showed up and wanted me to go to hospital. I wouldn't go. I could only think of all those people that went in and didn't come out. Slowly slowly I began to come out of it. I am still very tire, my stamina is very low. However, I do eat peanut butter and toast, Few crackers. It takes me a while to form a sentence, so take me a while to write.: Still coughing, and rubber legs with an occasional headache. I can not get tested again until 2 weeks have past from my last symptoms. This is what I would like to say to those who still think that masks don't work. 70% is better than nothing and it is half that if only on wears the mask, For those that think it is no different than standard flu, so get it and some don't but all are carriers. I have one word for you that still think that way FOOLS! For those that think that their rights are being violated. WHAT ABOUT MINE? I BELIEVE THAT I HAVE HEARD THAT ENOUGH TIME AND AT THIS POINT EARNED THE RIGHT TO SAY "FUCK YOU" (a little harsh, but I am so frustrated about all the folks that lost loveones so needlessly) and for those lovely supportive people that are doing all that they can. LOVE YOU, HUGS AND BE SAFE. This disease really doesn't care. Don't know why some folks don't make it, why some do. I am grateful, but still scared. LOVE YOU. Out of steam. Thanks for reading my rant.

    This is a nice park located on the Kalamazoo River in the tiny little village of New Richmond…read more They have a lot to offer here. The one thing they don't have that I would have thought would be there that keeps me from giving a 5 star review is there is no playground equipment for children to play on. Now what they do have is a pedestrian only bridge across the Kalamazoo River. At the park there is a boat launch but there is a drop box where you need to deposit your fee for use of the boat launch. Along the river they also have 2 fishing docks on the side of the river where the parking lot is located and a few more on the other side of the river. Of course there is fishing that can be done from the shore or from a boat if you bring one. Also, for emergencies there is an outhouse which although not a great place is always kept cleaner than other outhouses I've seen in other parks. Overall it's a really nice place to go enjoy the river for a while.

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    New Richmond Bridge Park
    New Richmond Bridge Park
    New Richmond Bridge Park

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    Windmill Island Gardens - August 2025

    Windmill Island Gardens

    3.9(155 reviews)
    6.3 mi

    Oh my Gosh, 5 Stars all the way! I'm so happy we came here during Tulip Festival! Was it kinda…read morepricey 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!

    Back in July I went to De Zaanse Schans in the Netherlands and then in August I came here to…read moreWindmill 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

    Photos
    Windmill Island Gardens - Welcomed in heritage costume

    Welcomed in heritage costume

    Windmill Island Gardens - August 2025

    August 2025

    Windmill Island Gardens

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    MAX Macatawa Area Express - MAX Transit provides fixed-route and reserved ride bus service to the Holland/Zeeland MI community!

    MAX Macatawa Area Express

    3.3(3 reviews)
    6.0 mi

    The only grip I have is this heavy set driver he doesn't pull up enough close too the curb it's a…read moregap climbing up on the bus especially for a senior if you're not careful you could hurt yourself stepping up into the gap and I mean he's normally quite apart from the curb this should be looked into he's one of the morning drivers before 12 other than that no complaints

    I don't use the MAX busses on a regular basis, but I do use them from time to time. Coming from…read moreChicago I'm not thrilled with the Holland bus system, but realistically they do the best they can for a small town with limited public interest in using public transportation. Over the last 5 years or so MAX has certainly improved by adding more fixed bus routes and I thank them for that. My only gripe would be that a couple of times the drivers have seemed very insistent that nobody could be standing while the bus is moving. I understand they don't want anybody to get hurt during sudden stops, but come on in major cities all over the U.S. people do stand on moving busses every day and survive just fine. I'm not opposed to sitting on a bus, but if I (I'm not the smallest person around) have a choice or standing and having a bit of breathing room or sitting and being crammed in next to another person I'll choose standing everyday. TIP: If you have a red, white and blue medicare card showing you receive Medicare benefits you can ride the fixed route busses for free so that's a nice money saver. Just show the bus driver your red, white and blue medicare card and ride to your destination for free. I know this is the case on the fixed route busses, but I do not know if it's the same on the reserved MAX busses or not.

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    MAX Macatawa Area Express

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    Big Red Lighthouse - landmarks - Updated May 2026

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