The bike holidays with children are increasingly conquering more and more families who choose to explore a new destination with a slow travel experience. One of the first European destinations that comes to mind is certainly Holland, a country that, with its flat roads and extensive cycling routes, makes the bicycle its strong point.
But beyond the cycling routes, there are many other opportunities that allow you to experience a dynamic holiday and always different: you can in fact cross the canals by boat, admire colorful expanses of tulips, visit amusement parks and super innovative art cities. Holland seems to be built exactly for families: that's why visiting it with children could be the perfect idea for an unforgettable holiday!
5 reasons why Holland is a family-friendly destination
Many wonder why Holland is such a family-friendly destination: certainly for the short distances between one city and another, for the flat territory that can be traveled by bike, for cities with modern and innovative services, without forgetting the hospitality.
These are just some of the reasons why the Netherlands are the ideal destination for a family vacation, but below we have identified others.
Amsterdam with children
Despite the reputation of a city of fun and transgression, actually Amsterdam is a city that turns out to be perfect for a family trip. Structurally it seems made to stimulate the wonder and curiosity of a child: with its bridges and canals, the flower market, its secret gardens and characteristic colored houses, it is ready to catapult them into a real Nordic fairy tale. There are also plenty of museums and the opportunity for a splendid boat tour exploring the canals.
Family-friendly museums
In the Netherlands, museums are not static containers of works, but active places, dynamic and to be experienced. Numerous museums in Amsterdam in fact, offer spaces dedicated to very interesting playful and educational activities designed precisely for children, such as for example :
- the Tropenmuseum, an important European ethnographic museum dedicated to the culture of the former Dutch tropical colonies;
the Rijksmuseum, a Flemish art museum that organizes guided tours specially for families, but also drawing courses and a fun digital game for children;
the NEMO - New Metropolis, an interactive science museum, perfect for the most curious who want to experiment and discover everything about our planet;
to the northeast of Amsterdam there is also the Zaanse Schans, an open-air museum that offers a dip in the past savoring the Dutch life of 150 years ago, right here you can admire the classic windmills. You can also visit an ancient clog factory located inside the windmills, still working, and a real 20th century chocolate factory, even if a little different from the famous one in Roald Dahl's novel.
The canals
An original way to explore Holland with children is certainly the cruises on the canals or even winter skating on frozen canals. In some cities for example, like Loosdrecht, it is possible to rent a "houseboat", the latest trend that is increasingly spreading to improve travel time management and which is certainly a super fun experience for the little ones who will be able to impersonate the pirates and sailors of their favorite stories.
Fields of tulips and windmills
Other distinctive points of Holland are certainly the immense expanses of tulips and windmills, which constitute an identity symbol of the nation. The easiest to reach are located around Haarlem or near Lisse in the park of the Keukenhof Castle. The endless colorful expanses will certainly be appreciated by children who will be able to immerse themselves in a wonderful color palette.
Amusement parks
When kids are tired of cultural activities, you can schedule a stop at the Efteling amusement park. With its fairytale atmospheres, it is one of the oldest and most famous in Europe and is located in Kaatsheuvel. Another interesting park is the Madurodam of The Hague (Holland in miniature) which represents the best synthesis of the nation, between windmills, canals, tulip fields and scale reproductions of the cities of Amsterdam and Rotterdam.
Holland with family: our itineraries
After seeing together the reasons why Holland is so family-friendly, we suggest some bike routes to discover the most authentic Holland and combine nature, art, and fun.
The special family tour starts from Haarlem and will take you to discover beaches, museums and towns that seem to have come out of a fairy tale. With reduced daily stages and lots of fun, even the little ones will be able to fully live a dream vacation, learning to love bike trips.
Would you like to go on a bike trip in Holland with your family? Discover all our self-guided cycling tours in the Netherlands!
Family bike and boat option in Holland. If you prefer a single base for the whole week — no daily hotel changes, kids' luggage staying put — the Holland: Southern Tour by bike and boat uses a traditional Dutch river barge as your floating home. Daily distances of 20-58 km on flat terrain, family-friendly cabins, three-course dinners on board, and a route linking Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Delft and the Kinderdijk UNESCO windmills.
Amsterdam to Bruges with the family. For families looking for a longer cross-border adventure, the Best of Holland and Belgium bike and barge tour from Amsterdam to Bruges is an 8-day voyage through the Netherlands and Belgium. The route visits Kinderdijk's UNESCO windmills, Antwerp, Ghent and Bruges, with daily rides of 20–56 km on completely flat terrain. Children's bikes, tandems and tag-alongs are available on request, and triple cabins are offered on the De Holland for families with a child under 15.
Or sail the same route in reverse, from Bruges to Amsterdam. The Best of Holland and Belgium bike and barge tour from Bruges to Amsterdam is a separate 8-day departure that starts in medieval Bruges — with an evening walking tour of the illuminated old town on arrival — and cycles north through Ghent, Antwerp and the Kinderdijk windmills before a final day that is entirely different from the Amsterdam-starting version: instead of finishing at the coast, the route follows the Vecht River past grand mansions and small castles, with a stop at a traditional Dutch cheese farm in Nigtevecht, before arriving in Amsterdam. It is the better pick for families who want to end their holiday in the Dutch capital rather than start there, and the same children's bikes, tandems and triple-cabin options are available.
UNESCO windmills and waterways for families. The Discover Holland's UNESCO Treasures deluxe guided tour explores the UNESCO World Heritage sites of North Holland, Friesland and the Wadden Sea, riding the Zaanse Schans windmills and Amsterdam's canals — a scenic, flat introduction to the Dutch landscape the whole family can enjoy.
