Let's start with the town itself. Holly, Michigan, has several distinct features, some of which mesh together nicely, others take more of a leap.

Let's restart with the widest net: Holly is home to a huge month-long Renaissance Festival held nearby close to the State Park. This is a high-level production with daily true-to-life jousting matches featuring everything but gore. Armored knights are knocked off racing horses. Stuntmen and WWF types populate the actors who are masters of medieval fighting arts. Daily live falconry exhibits happen next to the jousting. Hundreds of "players" stroll the grounds, both free agents and those highly involved in the show. Dozens of booths show crafts being made and/or sold. The smells of leather, roast meat and beer are in the air. Other booths get you even more into the carnival spirit, such as "throw tomatos at the jester." Archery and axes come into play as well. Old-time faire-rides. Fun for all.

The State Park itself is famous for its beauty and its trails. It's a mt-bike mecca that I've heard about but never ridden. There's a "ski bump" lift-served ski hill nearby.

But let's now go into town. It's a well-preserved small town near Fenton. OK, we'll wander wider again: Fenton is home to "Guns Galore," a great gun shop. It also has a nice little old-fashioned downtown, with quaint bookstore, arcitectural/relic hardware store, and 2 or 3 nicer restaurants and cafes all on one side of one block.

Back to Holly: I like to key off of the Holly Hotel. It's a well-preserved restaurant with tablecloths and waiters in aprons, zinc bar and ceiling fans. Nice, quiet, simple. It also surprised me years ago with its "all wines $18" list (or something like that,

http://gardenparkinc.com/