Tell me about the Netherlands!

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Hi, planning a trip for next summer and I'm thinking of the Netherlands. We've 2 kids who will be 11 and 9.

We will have 3 weeks in August and will be travelling light. Ideally I'd like to do it on a budget but not at the cost of missing the best attractions and I'd like a mix of general sightseeing and fun things with kids.

We would either fly or get the ferry from Hull. So my questions;

Is the rail network/public transport system good and easy to use? We travel very light so suitcases are not an issue.

Where would you go? I've been to Amsterdam and Rotterdam on previous trips a very long time ago.

Would you spend a full 3 weeks in Holland or venture into Germany or Belgium or somewhere else?

I've started a list of things the kids would love and so far I have:

De Efteling
Duinrell
Safari Beekse Bergen

Thanks!

Absolutely do Efteling for at least three nights

The rail network is really easy to use.

Duinrell is fantastic, as is Amsterdam. We also enjoyed Rotterdam for a night or two

We like to get the overnight ferry there, adds to the holiday

The beaches are lovely. Easily accessible by tram from den Haag. Screveningen is probably the biggest resort as such. The bars and restaurants on the beach are fab.

den Haag is a great city. The art galleries, peace palace etc. very close to duinrell too.

The rail system is fantastic. Definitely go to Den Haag, Utrect, Leiden and Gouda. If you're thinking of going to Belgium have a day in Antwerp.

Thank you, I'm googling all of your suggestions.

I'm thinking of getting the Hull to Rotterdam ferry across and then travelling around using the trains. We can fly back.

Plotting out the best route now for a hop round Holland 🇳🇱

Easy to get around on the train...if you havent been to Amsterdam, for years, be prepared for the price and costs increases....we used to go for years as found it cheap but had a shock a few years ago...!!...very pricey for hotels.

Highly recommend Delft and Haarlem - picture perfect towns, brilliant to walk or cycle around, or take a boat trip in Haarlem. Den Haag and the beach brilliant too. We had a fab holiday there. Getting around was very easy, the train and tram service puts us to shame.

We just came back from an amazing week in Noord Holland: Eurostar to Amsterdam and then a 30 minute local train to Heiloo or Castricum and then you are in easy bike access to the gorgeous sand dune national park , forests and acres of beautiful soft sandy beaches. We loved it and will be going back again.

I’ve only ever been to Amsterdam and it was incredible. I really recommend if you’re doing it on a budget get one of those Amsterdam tourist passes which you pay one price for and get free entry to all attractions and travel around the city, they’re about £100 for 3 days per person. We stayed in Zaandam which was just outside Amsterdam and next to a major station so was easy access to Amsterdam and a good little area to explore in itself. Also try their breakfasts there - incredible!!

StayOkay is a really good chain of family-friendly hostels - lovely buildings/locations and great value.

We have always had a great time in Holland the ferry journey overnight is part of the holiday there are restaurants plus cinema plus entertainment like kids show and disco etc . Wake up in Holland the next morning ! We stayed at duinrell a few times it’s a big park but everything free once you are there and great for kids . Also had trips to delft Utrecht amsterdam. Seaside is lovely - beach at wasenaar and it’s easy and really safe to cycle everywhere and completely flat !! . We have always taken the car on the ferry and driving is ok there too but the public transport is also good . It’s a beautiful scenic country and very family friendly …apart from a few areas of Amsterdam

We went to Amsterdam this summer, and took the overnight ferry from Harwich, which worked out really well. Amsterdam is expensive, hotels were a pretty penny. We stayed in yotel in the noord which was a bit cheaper. Lots to do in Amsterdam, straat museum was cool with massive street art. The science museum was fab too. A 90min canal trip was 18 euro per person but really worth it. Also it's the home of Tony's chocolonely which has a cafe with the best hot chocolate ever!

The beaches all along the coast are just gorgeous- but very very windy.Great sand though. You might want to do a day trip to the island of Texel. And you could certainly combine Den Haag with the beach at Scheveningen, although the architecture in the latter is ghastly.

Utrecht is a lovely town, and less overwhelmingly touristy than Amsterdam. It has two special attractions for kids, though yours might be a tad too old for both: a museum devoted to Miffy the cartoon rabbit (the creator was from Utrecht) and a museum for mechanical toys and clocks. The tour of the city tower is good fun too.

Delft is delightful, but maybe nothing specifically interesting for kids - we once stayed overnight before the ferry to Harwich and discovered a fab free kids water park that kept my dc happy all afternoon, but it wasn’t the kind of thing you’d travel to specifically iyswim.

Giethoorn - a small village without cars. Instead there are small canals and boats. You can go punting, rowing etc and the village itself is beyond pretty.

Neeltje Jans Storm surge protection. After the terrible 1953 flood in Zeeland this contraption was built to halt the sea if/when needed. It is bloody impressive as well as educational. I believe there is a theme park attached to it now as well.

open Air museum Arnhem.

Artis, The Netherlands’ oldest Zoo, in Amsterdam.

Anne Frank Huis, Amsterdam

I really like Zealand and Arnhem
have used train back from Brussels a couple of times, easier than flying for us

My list is getting long! Thank you

Is De Efteling worth it for older kids? Duinrell looks great.
Giethoorn is on the list
Den Haag and the nearby beaches too.

Zeeland, we like Westenschouwen for sand dunes, pine forests, cycling, beaches and unspoilt villages.

I am very keen to go to the Netherlands this year but completely overwhelmed with the planning so I will be following this thread avidly. Thanks for posting OP and everyone who has replied so far.

It looks like there are so many great things for kids over there.

I spent my childhood holidays in Zeeland, beautiful coast and lovely little cities.
Haven't been in years so can't comment on things for children but I took DD to Amsterdam when she was 11 and we had a great time.
Gouda, Volendam, Giethorn, Utrecht are also great cities to visit.
If you are in Zeeland, it's not too far to drive to Bruges for a day as well.

Unfortunately DH doesn't like the Netherlands so I think it will be another trip just DD and me.

We had our second family holiday to The Netherlands this year. We did a week at Duinrell in our own tent and two nights at Efteling. It’s a steep cycle up hill to the beach from Duinrell but the cycle through the dunes there was one of the highlights of the holiday. Very peaceful. We didn’t drive the whole week. Cycled to The Hague and Leiden, and to the station to get the train to Amsterdam.

Efteling was amazing. My 14 year old has named it her ‘happy place’. Can’t rate it highly enough. Two nights was plenty for us though.

Getting around by bike is the best way to enjoy The Netherlands I think so try and make sure you can hire bikes somewhere if you are not able to take them with you.

We have been to Duinrell twice now and although we enjoyed it, location is perfect, we wouldn’t go again as it is loud and crowded. We are thinking of staying at at different holiday park near Leiden next time.

A few years ago now when my kids were slightly older than yours, we took the ferry to Hook and then cycled up the coast to the IJsselmeer, took a ferry across to Friesland, then back to Amsterdam and back to Hook.

It was a fabulous holiday. The trains are amazing and relatively cheap in the Netherlands and you can probably do what I've described on the train. We stayed in hostels, probably Airbnb is everywhere now. Going north from Hook there is a dedicated cycleway with regular access to amazing beaches.

The IJsselmeer (once called the Zeider Zee!) is an amazing waterway with regular and cheap ferries going across, it's incredible to be on a ferry in Holland, the passengers will be half pedestrians/cars and the rest bikes. Hundreds of bikes may be on board if it's a big ferry and it all works like clockwork and there is no hassle.

Amsterdam is fantastic. Canals, bikes (on dedicated, safe, segregated cycleways) and trams everywhere, the food is lovely, masses of art (of course) especially the Van Gogh museum. The Dutch love children and it is a very relaxed and happy country to visit. I was hoping to go back this summer but we didn't make it, it may be more expensive now but I isn't everywhere?!

p.s. especially on bikes but equally for pedestrians, one striking thing is the way drivers always wait for others, even in Amsterdam. If you are simply loitering on the pavement, a driver will see you and slow to allow you across. They stop slowly about two metres from the crossing and wait patiently while you cross. On roundabouts and at junctions, cyclists have priority and the cars wait for them, no hostility like here! It's also moving to be in a bus queue and the disabled and mothers with children are automatically allowed to be at the front of the queue and everyone just waits for them to get on first. Compared to the UK, the above was mind blowing.

We did 5 days at efteling and a week at beeksbergen last year. Loved it. 3 days at Efteling is prob enough although I liked that we could take out time and not pressure ourselves to spend the whole day there. The show was good. Def stay onsite and take advantage of the early half hour. Then book the pancake house for early lunch as it’s starts to get busy. Food was lovely and good value in most of the restaurants.
Beeks Bergen lake side faculties has just been redone after a fire. The pool is fab and it’s lovely sitting outside at the with a few beers while kids play. Restaurant is great but need to book. Don’t stay at the actually safari park. It’s more expensive and doesn’t appear to be worth it. Not a pleasant as stying by the lake. The accommodation is all very basic.
There are lots of centerparks type places in the Netherlands which are a lot cheaper than the UK. We are trying one next year.

The stayokay hostel in central Amsterdam is a great place to stay.
The Netherlands is fab with kids that age. Stay in a holiday park and rent bikes, they'll love the freedom of just exploring. Lots of campsites have rent-a-tent options. We stayed at DeRoos site, amazing site.
Or visit the hoge Veluwe national park and use the free bikes there.
Also recommend Arnhem zoo, the Apenheul, and Giethoorn (Venice of the north)

I love Zeeland. The Neeltje Jans Delta Park is good for a day out. www.neeltjejans.nl/
Leiden and Utrecht are lovely.