[MinMI]

Originally Posted by Live 2 Love 2 Laugh

My search brought up your inquiry.....because I am also a stay-at-home mom with 2 kids, liking to know what it is like to live in Holland! Do you have any thing that you could share with me, I would appreciate even the smallest bits info!

It depends on what you are looking for and what you like to do. There are many parks, bike paths, nature centers with paths. Nature centers such as OUtdoor discovery and Degraph offer classes for children. There is a great Holland recreation program that offers a variety of activities year round for children and adults. You can find this info on the HOlland website. The beaches in the area are sometimes closed due to ecoli. I don't go as much. Great place if you are into water sports. Holland has a wonderful aquatic center with an area for tots, a slide, lap swimming, lessons. There are hills for sledding in the winter. Inner city is not the greatest. Not that it is bad or high crime just rentals that are not kept up. Areas around the schools are nice. Many home owners and area is kept up. IF you want something really nice, would go out side the city. As another poster said there are many township areas. If you are into the arts there is always something through HOPe College, Saugatuck and Grand Rapids. GR has the symphony and ballet. Many festivals in the summer. Also there is Fredrick Meijer Gardens and Sculpture park. They have a great educational area for children. There is better shopping in at the Grandville Mall. NOt sure what else i can say with out knowing what you want to know. Holland is very diverse from what it was when i was young. I appreciate the diversity but if you are someone that does not go to Saugatuck, Hamilton or Zeeland. We have school of choice so you could be in Holland but closer to another school system. Schools are not that bad but I am from Holland and considering Zeeland or West Ottawa. ONly because there has been some closings and restructuring over the last couple of years and my son has had to change schools 3 times. West Ottawa is north side of HOlland. Oh yea there is the farmers market on WEd. and Sat. They are always adding activities to that - demonstrations, kids activities.

[ILFate]

I relocated to Chicago from Seattle, WA. As you might guess this was for work, and I am not happy about living here. My wife and I with our 3 kids (twins girls 7, and 10yr boy) would like to live where we can enjoy the outdoors and still have a vibrant city activity. Holland seems to meet our needs. Among the many questions of school and location to pick a house, I have another pressing question. I will be working out of my house but will need to be in chicago at least 1 time a week, maybe twice. What would you say about the drive? Would you reccomend Saugutuck or another town? I have read some great comments on this forum, thank you all.

[joedekock]

Originally Posted by ILFate

I relocated to Chicago from Seattle, WA. As you might guess this was for work, and I am not happy about living here. My wife and I with our 3 kids (twins girls 7, and 10yr boy) would like to live where we can enjoy the outdoors and still have a vibrant city activity. Holland seems to meet our needs. Among the many questions of school and location to pick a house, I have another pressing question. I will be working out of my house but will need to be in chicago at least 1 time a week, maybe twice. What would you say about the drive? Would you reccomend Saugutuck or another town? I have read some great comments on this forum, thank you all.

Holland Public Schools are very bad. They have no money, they are closing buildings and re-consolidating. Teachers there never seem to be happy with their contract, so the moral is low. They are losing kids by the hundreds every year. This is from experience of my wife working in the district for one year three years ago, and it is getting worse.

West Ottawa Public Schools is going down the same track as Holland Public, although it is not quite there yet. They are losing kids as well, (although not as quickly as Holland), and have a high debt for new buildings. Teachers are not very good either. West Ottawa Public Schools covers the Northern side of Holland and the outlying townships of Park, West Olive, and some of Holland Township.

Zeeland Public Schools are some of the best in the entire state. My wife currently works there. The teacher morale is high, they have excellent teachers, and great facilities. Zeeland is only a few Miles east of Holland. It is much smaller, and much more conservative. Almost no lively of a downtown atmosphere if that is your cup of tea, but as I said before Holland is a mere 8 minuet drive. Zeeland is almost the opitamy of family friendly and is highly revered for raising you family.

We drive to Chicago a few times a year to visit family. It takes us 3.25 hours to get from our house to Downtown Chicago, and 3.5 hours to get to a western Suburb of Chicago.

Saugatuck is known as one of the biggest "homosexual cities" in the country. I am not saying that in a derogatory way, just a factual one. It is a beautiful downtown, but if you do not like to mingle with homosexual people you will want to avoid it in the summer especially.

I hope this all helps!

[ILFate]

Joedekock, this is what I was looking for. thanks. I was not sure on the drive time. We are going to make the drive in two weeks to check out the place. I have to say I am surprised to hear the bad news on the school system and the increase in gang/crime activity. We have been sending our kids to catholic schools here. We might be continuing with that from the sounds of it. I like the idea of Zeeland. My wife works in the medical community so it might be likely she finds a job in Grand Rapids, and Zeeland sounds like it might make for an easier communte. Maybe a little. Any comments on the idea of catholic schools. It does sound like the area is sliding backwards with the significant issues; schools, teachers, crime. Would you still put this area Holland as well as surrounding towns like Zeeland as a place that will show family stability as well as a sound investment on housing? Thanks for your thoughts.

[deslok]

http://www.city-data.com/forum/michi...t-holland.html

I'd check out this section of the forums for more information. Note the difference in those that have lived in Holland for 5 generations, vs. those that have not. Also note the guy that swore at me. Generally the city can make you feel like a bit of an outsider if you haven't grown up in the area, or are just visiting.
As far as commute to Chicago, Amtrak has a straight shot on trains 370 and 371 going from Holland to Chicago. (stops in Bangor, New Buffalo before Chicago) I think it is 2 and half 3 hours or so, and usually inexpensive.

[15 years W. Mich]

Originally Posted by joedekock

Holland Public Schools are very bad. They have no money, they are closing buildings and re-consolidating. Teachers there never seem to be happy with their contract, so the moral is low. They are losing kids by the hundreds every year. This is from experience of my wife working in the district for one year three years ago, and it is getting worse.

West Ottawa Public Schools is going down the same track as Holland Public, although it is not quite there yet. They are losing kids as well, (although not as quickly as Holland), and have a high debt for new buildings. Teachers are not very good either. West Ottawa Public Schools covers the Northern side of Holland and the outlying townships of Park, West Olive, and some of Holland Township.

Zeeland Public Schools are some of the best in the entire state. My wife currently works there. The teacher morale is high, they have excellent teachers, and great facilities. Zeeland is only a few Miles east of Holland. It is much smaller, and much more conservative. Almost no lively of a downtown atmosphere if that is your cup of tea, but as I said before Holland is a mere 8 minuet drive. Zeeland is almost the opitamy of family friendly and is highly revered for raising you family.

We drive to Chicago a few times a year to visit family. It takes us 3.25 hours to get from our house to Downtown Chicago, and 3.5 hours to get to a western Suburb of Chicago.

Saugatuck is known as one of the biggest "homosexual cities" in the country. I am not saying that in a derogatory way, just a factual one. It is a beautiful downtown, but if you do not like to mingle with homosexual people you will want to avoid it in the summer especially.

I hope this all helps!

You are correct that Zeeland is a very good school system, but you are pretty uninformed about the other area districts. It's obvious you have 'some skin in the game' since your wife teaches in Zeeland. The way Michigan schools are funded, each kid has about a $7300 price on their head. If you badmouth other local schools (without back up data) it may be good for Zeeland and therefore your wife's job security. Please site relevant data that supports Holland being bad and West Ottawa going down the same track. Advice to parents looking at schools in the greater Holland area: They are all very strong. Whether your choice is public or private, or traditional or charter your child can get a wonderful education. Do your research, don't rely on message board with anedotes and no data. Go to buildings, talk to teachers and parents.

[69buick]

I live near the state park, the most beautiful lake in the U.S. its very affortable living in a quaint subdivision near the marina, would not want to live anywhere else, we can get are small boat in the water within 5 minutes! come home for lunch and go out again. In the evening I walk to the state park for a swim in the fresh clear lake of Michigan. Winters are just as beautiful, bike paths surround us for miles and they are plowed out in the winter for walking, lake breezes are to die for in the hot summer months, calm crisp snow in the winter, just plain heaven, I love Holland Mi.