What’s the first thing that comes to mind when picturing Holland, Mich.? A serene spot for a couples weekend getaway? The perfect location for a group of retired friends to soak up some sun on the beach? A place that celebrates tulips and the Dutch culture?

Holland may be all of those things, but Colleen Kelly also wanted to put the southwest Michigan town on the map for being a child- and family-friendly vacation spot that’s only about a two-hour drive from Chicago.

“At first I thought it was more of a place for couples or for older people,” said Kelly, a Roosevelt alumna. “But once I went there, I found it to be great for families. That was a real surprise for me. There’s a lot to do there.”

So in the first season of her public television program, Family Travel with Colleen Kelly, Kelly showcased Holland and all it had to offer – from windmills and candy shops to paddle boarding and fishing.

The first stop Kelly highlighted on the show was Nelis’ Dutch Village, a theme park designed to celebrate the history and culture of the Netherlands. There, Kelly, her husband and their two daughters were able to view a cheese-making demonstration, walk a goat and watch wooden shoes known as Klompen being carved.

“I had never heard of Holland, Mich. Who knew?” said Lori Strong, a public television viewer from Austin, Texas. “Now my daughter wants to get wooden shoes. The show goes to places a lot of people haven’t been to.”

While in Holland, Kelly also visited Windmill Island, a location at the edge of town that features a 250-year-old Dutch windmill brought over from the Netherlands in 1964. Visitors can tour inside the windmill, learn how the wind powers each of its 600-pound blades and see where wheat is ground into flour.

A trip to Holland wouldn’t be complete without a visit to one of its beaches. Kelly’s family packed a picnic lunch filled with easy-to-grab items like pita pocket sandwiches and fruit skewers. They also played a game of sand tag that Kelly found on Pinterest. In addition, Kelly’s family spent some time fishing off of a boardwalk.

Kelly’s crew also met up with a family of five learning to paddle board on Lake Macatawa. A guide showed the proper way to hold the paddle with the curved part away from the body and how to start out on your knees before standing.

Michigan is a major producer of apples so Kelly set out to find local shops and restaurants in Holland that used apples in their food. Her girls helped make doughnuts using apple cider at a local shop called Crane’s In The City. They also checked out the Holland Peanut Store, which is known for homemade peanuts and candy. Filled with large bins of fresh roasted nuts and jars of sweet treats, the shop has been in business for more than 100 years and run by five generations of the Fabiano family.

The episode ended with a glimpse into the town’s street performers and artists that included hula hoopers, jugglers and caricature sketchers.

“We like to go to tourist places and hidden gems and unusual places on the show,” Kelly said. “Holland was great because there is so much to do. It might be small, but it has great restaurants for the parents and it’s also good for the grandparents because it’s easy to get around.”