This post is part of a collaborative project by 19 family travel bloggers. Justin Mussler of the Great Family Escape blog came up with the brilliant idea of linking local expertise to global visibility. 19 traveling families have launched a blog post with their local Top 5 of places to explore with kids. On this blog you can read my own Top 5 for families that want to visit The Netherlands. There’s a big bonus as well. Below this post you will find links to all the other Top 5 lists! So without further ado, here is my Top 5:
1. De Haar Castle in Utrecht
Knights and princesses, kings and queens, which child has not fantasized about living in a real medieval castle? De Haar Castle is situated in the center of the country and dates back to the 14th century. It has been completely restored some years ago and it offers daily tours. In weekends and during holidays there are special tours for kids guided by a baroness. You can also wander around the 135 acres of French-style and English castle gardens.
2. Amsterdam
A visit to the Netherlands would be nothing without a visit to Amsterdam. Kids will love the canal tours that provide a view of the city from a totally different angle: the water. They will be surprised by the vast number of living boats (of which some own gardens and terraces). There are even boats that act as shelters for stray cats and boats that have turned into bicycle storage platforms.
The Nemo science museum is great for younger kids. If you travel with older kids, don’t miss out on the Scheepvaartmuseum, Rijksmuseum or the Anne Frank House.
Amsterdam is one big open air museum. The historic buildings and narrow streets offer a peek into history (although some alleys might be crowded with tourists). For a relaxing view of history, please go to the Begijnhof, a small hidden square in typical old Dutch style, founded as a religious community back in 1150.
3. Rotterdam, Madurodam and the beach
Rotterdam actually is the largest city of the Netherlands but lacks the historical buildings and atmosphere that you encounter in Amsterdam. The reason is tragic as Rotterdam was bombed heavily during World War II. Being completely destroyed however, it did ignite entrepreneurship and the strong will to reconstruct the city. And that sense of craftsmanship never disappeared. Today, Rotterdam is known as the city of modern architecture and building design. Next to that it owns the second largest harbor in the world (after Singapore) which is a great activity with your kids. You can book various boat trips that will take you into the heart of the harbor activity. For sure you will encounter some huge container ships!
Another nice activity is to go up the Euromast, a 185 meter high tower that offers beautiful views of Rotterdam and the harbor. The top part is exciting where you twirl around the tower up in the sky. Through glass floor parts you can actually look down (quite scary for some!).
Close to Rotterdam you must visit the miniature city of Madurodam. Madurodam is Holland in the smallest possible way. They have rebuild all the major and famous parts of the country, in miniature style.
Close to Madurodam you can drive to the beach to end a wonderful day out. Dutch beaches are famous for being very wide and clean. You will also find sand dunes that offer wonderful hiking opportunities.
4. Hoge Veluwe
We now move away from the busy Western part of the Netherlands into the more rural areas. First stop is the Hoge Veluwe. This is the biggest national park in the country and great for a day trip. Next to the beautiful landscapes, the impressive Jachthuis estate and the famous art museum (including a large garden with outdoor art objects), you and your kids can borrow the well-known white bicycles to get around and have some fun. At each entrance of the park you can find hundreds of white bicycles. Just pick one for free and start biking! There are tours available in different lengths. At some point you will take a rest in one of the restaurants or visit the museum. Just park your bicycle but don’t be surprised if someone else took it when you return! You cannot lock the bicycles as they don’t have an owner. The great thing is that you just pick whatever white bicycle you can find to continue your trip. The park offers special kids activities in school holiday periods.
Picture courtesy VisitVeluwe.com
Picture courtesy VisitVeluwe.com
Go to VisitVeluwe.com to find more activities in the area! There is so much to do and explore in this region, too much to mention in this post only. On the homepage of VisitVeluw, click on ‘View Map’, pick a town or city and read about castles, historic towns, museums, sports activities, and more.
5. Giethoorn
How typical Dutch can you go? Next stop: Giethoorn . Giethoorn is an unique place, a small village crossed by canals. Not like in Amsterdam, but more in a typical rural style. You can rent so-called whisper boats (electric boats that hardly make any sound) and navigate whatever route you like. Don’t worry if you get lost in the networks of canals, there are many people out there to help you.
You will pass cows in meadows, beautiful farm houses, bars and restaurants and one big lake. Try to stay during the evening when most of the tourists have left the village. Have dinner on one of the terraces and enjoy the relaxing evening atmosphere. Curious how to get to Giethoorn? Check the extensive descriptions on transport via the official Giethoorn website.
Netherlands with kids: more tips!
I could have picked a dozen more great family trips in the Netherlands: the enchanting Efteling amusement park, the traditional Open Air Museum in Arnhem, the UNESCO protected Wadden islands in the North, the surreal Radio Kootwijk, the city of Leiden with the amazing Naturalis museum (Netherlands Centre for Biodiversity; check the picture below) and the close-by Noordwijk Space Expo (Europe’s first permanent space exhibition). Or what about the famous Dutch tulips? Our country is not that big (I refrain from using the word small…) and many trips can be done within a day. Don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any specific questions about visiting The Netherlands. Another option is to visit this Dutch site offering guides to all major cities.
Hope you liked the shortlist! Now that you have discovered great places in The Netherlands, start clicking on the links below to read about other fabulous Kids Travel tips from around the globe!
Europe & the Middle East
5 Things to do with kids in London – Theodora Sutcliffe – Travels with a Nine Year Old
5 Activities for kids in Fethiye, Turkey – Renee – ramblecrunch
Asia-Pacific
5 Things to do with kids in Brisbane, Australia – Tracy – OurTravelLifestyle
Chiang Mai for toddlers, Northern Thailand – Barbara – The Dropout Diaries
Central Australia for families – Jarrad Page – Wandering Photographer
North-America
Our New York City family favorites, USA – Diya Luke – A Minor Diversion
5 Favorite places to visit with kids in Washington, D.C. U.S.A. -Susan Verbeeck – Grow in Grace Life
5 Favorite places for kids in Seattle, WA, USA- Keryn Means- Walkingon Travels
5 Favorite places for kids in Sunset Coast, Michigan, USA – Jessie Voigts – WanderingEducators.com
5 favorite winter activities for families in Vancouver, B.C. Canada-Jess Farrugia – With 2 Kids In Tow
5 Favorite places in Kingston, Ontario, Canada-Jennifer Miller- EdventureProject.com
Latin-America
5 Best places for kids in Costa Rica- Mary-Bohemian Travelers
5 Great activities for kids in Lake Chapala, Mexico – Alisa – Living Outside of the Box
Fun kids outings in Antigua, Guatemala -Lainie Liberti – Raising Miro
Activities for kids on Ambergris Caye, Belize – A King’s Life
81 comments
Thank you for including all the details. Your above information will definitely helpful for all the travelers. I really enjoyed your post. You include all the points and I really agree with them.
Nice post. These 5 places are awesome but my favorite is Utrecht. Most tourists love to visit these places again and again with their families. There is something in Netherlands which increases the yearly growth rate of worldwide tourists.
I just moved to The Netherlands and my daughter is about to turn 4. She has not made any friends yet so I thought we would take her someplace really fun for her birthday. Any suggestions?
I think she will love the Efteling. It’s a place for all ages.
hello. I want to got to Holland with my kids (6 and 8), but also my parents who have mobility issues. So that is the tough part. We want to arrive by ferry from UK (so we have the mobility scooters with us). But I need to find a place to stay and then make day trips from there which will suit very active kids and very not mobile grandparents who do not want to be left in the hotel. HELP PLEASE! Any ideas? Is there a good cheap and nice place to stay that can be relaxing for all ages?
Hi Lourdes. First of all it’s great that you take your parents with you. I can imagine that this is not the most easy way of travel. I thought about your question but have some troubles finding a right spot for you. Not sure what kind of day trips you want to make. Maybe you can just stay in Rotterdam or nearby Delft. From there you can do trips. When you travel by train to the main cities, you can take you mobility scooters on the train. People will help you. What are the things you would like to discover?
Hello Emiel. Thanks so much for your kind response! It got lost on my email so sorry for the delay!! I had found a nice house to stay with my parents near the Hague. Near to the beach, so I think we will end up doing that. Going in the ferry so we can take the wheelchairs and then staying in that house so we can always go to the beach even if the weather is not too nice at the end of May! And I found nice things to do in the Hague also….
Do you think is a good idea? Once again for your kind response and sorry for the delay!
I think it’s a great idea. City of Delft is nearby and the Hague has it’s fair share of museums (Mauritshuis). If you think the beach near The Hague is too busy, you can drive up north a bit to Noordwijk and Katwijk. Rotterdam can be reached easily by public transport (RET metro). But same goes for Amsterdam by train. Great spot you picked.
I would add train museum in Utrecht. It is AMAZING!
I know Kasia! We have been there a couple of years ago and almost forgot about it. Great that you mention it. I remember that roller coaster very well… Here’s a link to the website: http://www.spoorwegmuseum.nl (in Dutch…)
Thanks for the post. These are the type of things parents hunt million websites for. Btw, is it possible to look at infant (10 months old) specific activities anywhere on the site?
Hi and thank you so much! We started traveling when our youngest was four years, so unfortunately no specific info on travelling with a 10 month old. Although the Giethoorn area as well as the Hoge Veluwe can perfectly be done!
Hi how much does it cost it is sooooooo! Beutifull but all i want to knowis how mutch it cost im going to suprise my kids
Dear Anne. Best to check all the websites for current prizes. You probably have to make choices. The castle and Madurodam will cost you around 14 – 15 euro for an adult. Kids have discount. In Giethoorn you can just rent a single boat or combine it with dinner or lunch ( which you can sometimes take with you).
Great post! We plan on visiting the Netherlands next year and want to spend at least 2 weeks there. Any tips on a good, central location to stay? I want to rent an apt on airbnb and I realize the obvious answer is Amsterdam but what about Utrecht? I’m looking for a family friendly town with parks, coffee shops and markets in walking distance. Thanks!
Thank you so much Jacquelyn! Utrecht I feel is a very good choice. It’s quite a big but a really great place to stay. Train connections to Amsterdam, The Hague, Rotterdam (or my hometown Deventer) are perfect. Visit-Utrecht [dot] com will give you more info about the city. Good luck and have fun next year! 🙂
Thanks for the tip. I have family in Almere and Nunspeet. I was told by my cousin that the entire country is basically like driving from San Francisco to Lake Tahoe and back (I live in CA) so I figure I can take day trips to the many places I want to visit like Arnhem, Den Haag, etc. Would you recommend renting a car or is public transit faster/easier?
Haha, your cousin is right! If you travel to cities like Amsterdam, Den Haag or Arnhem I would advise to take the train. You can buy a public transport card for moving around the city. Even Nunspeet is easy to reach by train from Utrecht! If you plan to visit for example Giethoorn or other places outside of the cities you might better rent a car.
[…] a miniaturized version of Holland with replicated buildings, lights, and streets. It is one of the best places to take children while traveling across the […]
[…] http://www.unicefusa.org/news/releases/unicef-report-netherlands-best-place-to-be-child.html http://www.unicef-irc.org/Report-Card-11/ http://www.dutchdailynews.com/dutch-kids-ranked-happiest-in-the-world/ http://www.madurodam.nl/en/ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6360517.stm http://kaboom.org/blog/going_dutch_why_dutch_kids_are_happiest_world http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happiness_economics http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happy_Life_Years#Conclusion http://kaboom.org/blog/cool_playground_real_world_or_pages_dr_seuss_book http://www.actoftraveling.com/2012/01/my-5-favorite-places-in-the-netherlands-to-explore-with-kids/ […]
[…] http://www.actoftraveling.com/2012/01/my-5-favorite-places-in-the-netherlands-to-explore-with-kids […]
Thanks for making planning my next trip way easier:)
It has been my pleasure! 🙂
[…] Caye, Belize Kingston, Canada Vancouver, Canada Costa Rica Antigua, Guatemala Lake Chapala, Mexico The Netherlands Chiang Mai, Thailand Fethiye, Turkey Boston, USA New York, USA Seattle, USA Sunset Coast, Michigan, […]
Netherlands is really nice place to travel with kids..Because there re so many for all age of people, whether thats a young person or a small kid..Everybody body can enjoy here.
[…] The Netherlands by Emiel van den Boomen @ Act of Traveling […]
[…] travel blogs (including but not limited to The Great Family Escape, Family On Bikes, FamilyTrek. The Act of Traveling). I read them often and get reinspired to travel the world forever. I don’t think they have […]
Where would you recommend a family stay, Emiel, to visit such places? I want to stay in Amsterdam, my husband wants more room so wants to go outside. Our kids are 7 and 3 so probably would appreciate the extra space but I don’t know how much of a hassle it is to rent a car and drive in the Netherlands as a foreigner. And I wanted to soak up the atmosphere of Amsterdam but having it on our door step. What do you recommend?! Best wishes!
Hello!
It is not such a hassle to rent a car and drive in the Netherlands, not at all. Train connections between the large cities are also very good. If you want to go to Giethoorn and/or the Veluwe, you definitely need a car though.
Where to stay? Well, staying in Amsterdam is great but expensive. I would suggest to at least stay a couple of days in the centre of Amsterdam and after that move to another place like Delft, Deventer or even smaller.
Netherlands is a small country so every destination can easily be reached within a day. Let me think about it a bit more and I will send you some suggestions by email soon.
[…] http://www.actoftraveling.com/2012/01/my-5-favorite-places-in-the-netherlands-to-explore-with-kids […]
[…] one of my favorite bloggers, Emiel van den Boomen from Act of Traveling. The post was about his 5 favorite places in the Netherlands to explore with kids. Our family is planning a month in Europe next year with the Netherlands as our base. And […]
How did I miss this post when it was first published? Emiel, you are creating our itinerary!
As like you these all are also my favorite place as well as for kid explore. Really good from all side. Thanks mate.
I love the sound of all of those activities but the last one and the castle just look amazing. We’re hoping to spend a few days in Amsterdam next month. I’m book marking this so I can look your post up again when we get there.
Hi Tracey! I hope you will be able to spend some days in Amsterdam. Please let me know if I can be of any help!
Waiting time is over Susan, just do it and go! Now I know why your last name sounds so very familiar! Thanks for the great comment.
oh WOW!!!! i soooo want to go – especially to that miniature city. it’s SO Cool!
HOw much fun is this! I was in Amsterdam years ago – BK (before kids) and don’t remember seeing what you saw.
Is it that kids always push you to see the really cool stuff or was I just enjoying the coffee shops too much 😉
Ha ha Marina! Kids can indeed push sometimes, but mostly there are just overwhelmed by a city and its peoples. But hey, you ‘did’ the Amsterdam coffee shops, that’s one thing you can cross from your bucket list!
I didn’t realize The Netherlands was such a diverse place! Those white bikes are a fabulous idea, and I see that some even have baby carriers on the back. That’s a tip other places should definitely take.
Thank you Diya. They tried the white bike concept in big cities as well (Amsterdam, The Hague and Rotterdam). That failed, as students all painted them and called them their own 🙂 But at the Hoge Veluwe it’s a famous and successful concept, indeed ready to be copied.
This is a great post Emiel! It`s bookmarked for future reference!
Emily, please also bookmark that I will guide you in my hometown Deventer!
[…] by Alisa from Living Outside of the Box London, UK by Theodora from Travels with a Nine Year Old The Netherlands by Emiel from Act of Traveling New York City, USA by Diya from A Minor Diversion Seattle, WA, USA by Keryn from Walkingon Travels […]
Oh The Netherlands. I only made it to Schiphol airport (only for transit during my trip to Europe in 2007) and the last thing I remember about Amsterdam is seeing AmsterdamArena from a KLM plane on my way back to Jakarta. I really wish one day I can go back to Europe and visit your country, Emiel!
Please do Bama! Although we, from our side, dream of countries like Indonesia. It’s the longing to discover new places that’s important.
Amsterdam Arena must have been a funny sight from above. Some say it looks like an UFO.
It looked funny and incredible at the same time. I knew about the stadium when Euro 2000 was held in Belgium and The Netherlands. So, when I flew back to Jakarta, I was searching for any building in Amsterdam that I recognize from up in the air…and there it was, Amsterdam Arena with its unmistakable retractable roof.
You are right about Amsterdam… it is one big open air museum. I love Amsterdam. The canals, old houses, museums, restaurants… I could go on. Combined with friendly, relaxed residents the city simply feels very comfortable.
I was also struck by is the amazing bike culture in The Netherlands. As a cyclist, I find it inspiring. I realize Holland is flat and compact, but is there anything like it in the world? The “white bike” concept is so cool.
Madurodam looks like a fun place to check out for both kids and fun-loving adults. The detail is amazing and the fact that it displays historical or famous places means it is more compelling to see. Reading this post makes me realize, the next time I am in The Netherlands (which is soon), I need to get out into the Dutch country-side more.
I must add one more comment. Your photographs are beautiful and show off the country at its best.
Thank you for that compliment about my photography Mark! I love Amsterdam as well. Although I don’t actually live their, I love every minute of it when I visit the city. The atmosphere is great, winter or summer.
Let me know when you guys hit Dutch ground and enjoy it!
Great post! The Netherlands has been on our list but I think all we were thinking was Amsterdam. This post opened our eyes to the fact that we may need to spend quite some time there. Now to figure out how to deal with Shengen:)
Don’t worry Mary, many people think only about Amsterdam when they talk (and fantasize) about Holland. Your comment is one of the best, because every blogger hopes that the content they’ve written really opens someones eyes. Thank you very much!
Wow…you had me at the castle! My girls would die…and every bit of advice was great! They are on the list!! Thanks for sharing!!
That castle indeed, great isn’t it? Glad you liked all the tips. Now I’m off to read your list about Lake Chapala in Mexico!
Great list, and I love your photos.
Coincidentally, I am actually planning a similar post of things to do in California with kids since I have been exploring so much with my kids recently. As you said, bloggers are a great resource for information!
Hi Jenna! You should really write that post about California (I guess we even miss that state in our list, don’t we?) We are a great resource, but you know, content is everywhere and you just have to collect and present it. And that’s what bloggers do very, very well 🙂
I’ve always wanted to visit Amsterdam – thanks for sharing some of the other spots in the Netherlands that should be on my list. Love the bicycles! When we were in Copenhagen my North American kids were most impressed by the number of bikes parked at the train station – a very different lifestyle from what we are used to in suburban Toronto.
Thank you Lisa. It is indeed great to see how many tourists / travelers photograph all the bikes in a city like Amsterdam. I hope you make it to Amsterdam someday…it’s only 4,5 hours by train from Paris (direct connection!). Love the St. Peterburg stories on your blog!
[…] The Netherlands – Act of Traveling London, UK – Travels with a Nine Year Old […]
This really made me long for Holland. I spent a while there back in the late 90s, and really felt like I was coming home. I just loved it.
Now, if only I could speak Dutch … it would have made it even better still. Learning Dutch is very high on my “to do” list (I am the first person in my family to be born outside of Holland. My family was from Rotterdam, though my mother was born in Amsterdam).
Amy, you are the first one of your family to be born outside of the Netherlands, wow. Don’t you have someone over there who can speak Dutch to you? I have to warn you, it’s one of the most difficult languages in the world (far more difficult than learning Japanese, and I speak from experience). Hope you make it back to Holland someday (home is where the heart is 🙂
My family chose to stop speaking Dutch when they came to Australia, and even requests to speak it to the kids fell on deaf ears. I found that French was a much harder language to learn than Dutch – or at least, I seemed to pick up a bit of Dutch quicker than French.
I will definitely get back there some day, it is such a beautiful, friendly country.
Thanks for the mention Emiel!
I think most of us are kids at heart and all of the above are great trip ideas for any age. I suspect travelling with kids helps you to remember to keep a reasonable pace!I have disagree about Rotterdam being the second largest harbour in the world though, because that’s a title my home town Halifax proudly carries 🙂 Possibly Rotterdam is the second busiest?
That’s true Michelle, we also enjoyed every bit of it! Let’s discuss that harbour thing when you’re back in Amsterdam, shall we? Data out there is competing and we have to defend our nation’s pride LOL
Fight it out in person! I will let you know when I’m next in town! 😉
[…] The Netherlands – Act of Traveling London, UK – Travels with a Nine Year Old […]
[…] Travels with a Nine Year Old My Top 5 Things To Do In Boston With Kids | The Great Family Escape My 5 favorite places in the Netherlands to explore with kids Five Favourite Places: Kingston, Ontario, Canada (my home town!) « Edventure Project 5 (Well, 6) […]
Fantastic! Can’t wait to dig our heels in when we get there this fall!
Yes Paige! And my wife just told me I forgot some more great tips….must keep you updated 🙂
[…] The Netherlands – Act of Traveling […]
I love it Emiel – and the photos! Everything looks so perfect! So much to offer. Now, when we come we have this great list to follow! Really nice post.
Thanks Justin. We do tend to forget about great things to do in our own country, so listing some of them was a very good excercise!
[…] The Netherlands by Emiel van den Boomen @ Act of Traveling […]
[…] The Netherlands by Act of Traveling […]
[…] The Netherlands – Act of Traveling […]
While we’ve been to The Netherlands before, you’ve highlighted some great ideas for kids too. Hopefully we’ll be able to check them out someday!
Thank you Jess and Jim! Hope you will make it back to our country someday, but in the meantime I have checked your upcoming itinerary for 2012 and sounds really awesome as well! Enjoy South-East Asia!
[…] The Netherlands – Act of Traveling […]
[…] The Netherlands – Emiel van den Boomen – Act of Traveling […]
[…] Canada Vancouver, Canada Costa Rica Antigua, Guatemala Upper Galilee, Israel Lake Chapala, Mexico The Netherlands Chiang Mai, Thailand Fethiye, Turkey Boston, USA New York City, USA Seattle, USA Sunset Coast, […]
[…] The Netherlands – Act of Traveling […]
[…] – The Nomadic Family | The Netherlands – Act Of Traveling | Seattle – WalkingOn […]