After two eventful days in Chicago, we now start our road trip through the Midwest of the USA. Our first destination was the city of Cadillac in the state of Michigan. On the way we visited the biggest tulip festival in Holland. What else we visited, you will find out in the following article.
After a leisurely breakfast at the Hilton Chicago (our hotel reviewWe packed our suitcases, retrieved the car from the parking garage, and stowed everything in the trunk. We left Chicago via Interstate 94 heading east. The highway, which is partially six lanes wide, was quite busy at that time of day. Although I had set the cruise control in our rental car 5 mph (about 8 km/h) higher than the speed limit, we were overtaken on both sides by cars and trucks. Being surrounded by two large trucks is not a very pleasant feeling!
Tulip Festival in Holland
After a brief stop at the Michigan Welcome Center on Interstate 94, we continued on to our first destination of the day: Holland. Holland? Yes, we were still in the USA – more precisely, in the state of Michigan. The small town of Holland was founded in 1847 by European settlers from the Netherlands. This European influence was evident in various parts of the town. For example, there was a restaurant called Alpenrose and shops with German names.
The day before our arrival, the annual Tulip Festival took place in Holland. Celebrated every May since 1929, when 250,000 tulips were planted, there are now 6 million blooming throughout the city. Flower lovers can admire the flowerbeds along the streets, in city parks, and in front of public buildings free of charge.
We parked our rental car on a side street near Centennial Park. The variety of tulips was astonishing, and everything was blooming in a multitude of colors. Truly unique! Afterward, we walked two blocks to the main shopping street. We couldn't resist a fudge store and bought a piece of salted caramel fudge. It was really delicious and typical of the Midwest.
Windmill Island Gardens
Refreshed and energized, we drove to Windmill Island Gardens. There was indeed a typical windmill there, the kind you might have found in a Dutch village. To see it up close, however, adults have to pay $10. We saved ourselves the money and just admired it from a distance. After all, windmills aren't anything particularly special for us Western Europeans.
After a 1.5-hour drive north on US-131, we arrived in Cadillac. We had chosen this small town as our destination for the day. After checking into the Hampton Inn Cadillac, we picked up two pizzas from Domino's. We completely misjudged the size we ordered, so unfortunately, we had a lot left over.
USA Road Trip (Midwest) – Route Details
| day | In total | |
| Kilometers: | 289.3 mi (465.58 km) | 343.5 mi (552.81 km) |
| Travel time: | 05:32:57 | 09:02:58 |
| Consumption: | 31.8 mpg | 29.5 mpg |
| Travel expenses: | $42.03 | $42.03 |
| Accommodation: | Hampton Inn Cadillac – 75 USD (bookable at Hilton*) |
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