Hope's hometown continues to earn national acclaim. Forbes has included Holland as just one of 15 communities on its list of “America’s Prettiest Towns.”
Hope's hometown continues to earn national acclaim. Forbes has included Holland as just one of 15 communities on its list of “America’s Prettiest Towns.”
The listing recognizes “towns seemingly custom-designed for soaking in the sights, with charming main streets, a variety of activities and beautiful vistas.” In addition to citing the annual May Tulip Festival and Windmill Island Gardens specifically, Forbes’s description of Holland notes that “Holland attracts visitors year-round with wide beaches, a lively arts scene, shops that celebrate Dutch culture, and even a sidewalk snowmelt system that keeps downtown’s streets dry during those cold, wet Lake Michigan winter days.”
In addition to Holland, the communities on the list are: New Iberia, La.; Camden, Maine; Anna Maria, Fla.; Decorah, Iowa; Breckenridge, Colo.; Fort Benton, Mont.; Athens, Ga.; Lambertville, N.J.; Kapa’a, Hawaii; Edgartown, Mass.; Asheville, N.C.; Leavenworth, Wash.; Galena, Ill.; and Fish Creek, Wash.
Holland has earned accolades from multiple organizations and on a variety of measures through the years, including recognition as one of the country’s “happiest” and “tidiest” communities, as well as inclusion among the “smartest” cities based on education and as a “distinctive destination.” Holland has also received multiple honors in the national America in Bloom competition, including the top spot in the 25,000-50,000 population category in both 2011 and 2012 (this year’s winners have not yet been announced) and induction into the “Circle of Champions.”