For a few weeks each spring the bulb fields turn into stripes of red, yellow and purple, and Easter lands right in the middle of it. Dutch families mark Pasen with a long brunch, painted eggs and a day outside, often at a city farm or out in the dunes. Here's what we checked, from the tulip gardens at Keukenhof to the goats and rabbits at the city farms.
Madurodam is an open-air miniature Netherlands. Kids walk past container ships moving through the port of Rotterdam, spot the Cube Houses on the Blaak and follow Amsterdam canals lined with hundreds of bicycles.
Besides the miniatures, there are indoor shows and interactive attractions. Madurodam hasn't shared the program for its next Easter edition yet.
Keukenhof is a spring garden in Lisse where millions of flowers bloom, and the park adds flower shows and events through the season.
It suits families happy with a long outdoor walk. Kids who need rides or play equipment to stay interested may find a full day of flowers long.
The Bloemencorso is a procession of floats decorated with spring flowers that rolls through the Bollenstreek from Noordwijk to Haarlem, passing the tulip fields and Keukenhof flower park on the way.
Kids stand along the roadside and watch the floats go by. It suits families who don't mind crowds and some waiting outdoors.
The gro-up Jeugdloop is the kids' part of the NN CPC Loop Den Haag, the city's major running event. Children run a 1 km or a 2.5 km race, starting on Koningskade beside the Malieveld.
Finish times are officially measured and every finisher gets a medal to keep. The 1 km suits first-timers and younger kids; the 2.5 km is for older kids who already enjoy running.
Keukenhof is a 32-hectare spring flower park near Lisse, planted each autumn with about 7 million tulip, hyacinth and daffodil bulbs. Paths wind past ponds, a walled historical garden and themed beds, and indoor pavilions hold flower and orchid shows.
Kids can climb the 1892 windmill for a view over the bulb fields, and an electric boat cruises the fields around the park. Most visits take about three hours.
Madurodam is a miniature park of famous Dutch landmarks built at 1:25 scale. Kids can watch container ships move through the port of Rotterdam, spot the Cube Houses and walk past Amsterdam canals lined with hundreds of bicycles.
Hands-on spots include water play, model trains, wind power and port traffic games, plus playgrounds. Indoor attractions such as New Amsterdam, where kids help fire the cannons, make it work in rain.
A city farm in the Delftse Hout where kids can pet some of the animals, cuddle rabbits, and meet goats, sheep, ponies, donkeys, pigs, cows, chickens and peacocks. Wolkje, the yard goat, roams free.
Next door, a rebuilt water playground has a small beach and water pumped in from the Schie. A clog golf course winds through the animal meadow, and the organic restaurant has a terrace.
Herweijerhoeve is a city farm run by the City of The Hague on the edge of Zuiderpark. Goats, sheep, rabbits and guinea pigs live here, and visitors can walk around and see the animals up close.
In the cuddle corner, kids can pet and hold small animals such as guinea pigs at set times. A small playground sits next to the farm, and Zuiderpark has a much bigger one.
Meijendel is the largest continuous nature area in South Holland: woods, high dunes and infiltration lakes run by water company Dunea. De Tapuit visitor center is the starting point, where kids look for water creatures in the aquarium, meet the dune animals and test what they know about drinking water.
Marked trails start here, one passing the Monkeybos, where kids may leave the path to play.
Zuiderpark is a 1920s people's park laid out around a large pond, with three big play lawns covering 14 hectares. Around them sit a six-meter play castle, a western playground, a nature playground, a skate park, a city farm, mini golf, a riding stable and an indoor pool.
Kids can hunt for the Ot en Sien statues, climb the De Villierskopje lookout hill and ride a model steam train.
For a few weeks each spring the bulb fields turn into stripes of red, yellow and purple, and Easter lands right in the middle of it. Dutch families mark Pasen with a long brunch, painted eggs and a day outside, often at a city farm or out in the dunes. Here's what we checked, from the tulip gardens at Keukenhof to the goats and rabbits at the city farms.
Madurodam is an open-air miniature Netherlands. Kids walk past container ships moving through the port of Rotterdam, spot the Cube Houses on the Blaak and follow Amsterdam canals lined with hundreds of bicycles.
Besides the miniatures, there are indoor shows and interactive attractions. Madurodam hasn't shared the program for its next Easter edition yet.
Keukenhof is a spring garden in Lisse where millions of flowers bloom, and the park adds flower shows and events through the season.
It suits families happy with a long outdoor walk. Kids who need rides or play equipment to stay interested may find a full day of flowers long.
The Bloemencorso is a procession of floats decorated with spring flowers that rolls through the Bollenstreek from Noordwijk to Haarlem, passing the tulip fields and Keukenhof flower park on the way.
Kids stand along the roadside and watch the floats go by. It suits families who don't mind crowds and some waiting outdoors.
The gro-up Jeugdloop is the kids' part of the NN CPC Loop Den Haag, the city's major running event. Children run a 1 km or a 2.5 km race, starting on Koningskade beside the Malieveld.
Finish times are officially measured and every finisher gets a medal to keep. The 1 km suits first-timers and younger kids; the 2.5 km is for older kids who already enjoy running.
Keukenhof is a 32-hectare spring flower park near Lisse, planted each autumn with about 7 million tulip, hyacinth and daffodil bulbs. Paths wind past ponds, a walled historical garden and themed beds, and indoor pavilions hold flower and orchid shows.
Kids can climb the 1892 windmill for a view over the bulb fields, and an electric boat cruises the fields around the park. Most visits take about three hours.
Madurodam is a miniature park of famous Dutch landmarks built at 1:25 scale. Kids can watch container ships move through the port of Rotterdam, spot the Cube Houses and walk past Amsterdam canals lined with hundreds of bicycles.
Hands-on spots include water play, model trains, wind power and port traffic games, plus playgrounds. Indoor attractions such as New Amsterdam, where kids help fire the cannons, make it work in rain.
A city farm in the Delftse Hout where kids can pet some of the animals, cuddle rabbits, and meet goats, sheep, ponies, donkeys, pigs, cows, chickens and peacocks. Wolkje, the yard goat, roams free.
Next door, a rebuilt water playground has a small beach and water pumped in from the Schie. A clog golf course winds through the animal meadow, and the organic restaurant has a terrace.
Herweijerhoeve is a city farm run by the City of The Hague on the edge of Zuiderpark. Goats, sheep, rabbits and guinea pigs live here, and visitors can walk around and see the animals up close.
In the cuddle corner, kids can pet and hold small animals such as guinea pigs at set times. A small playground sits next to the farm, and Zuiderpark has a much bigger one.
Meijendel is the largest continuous nature area in South Holland: woods, high dunes and infiltration lakes run by water company Dunea. De Tapuit visitor center is the starting point, where kids look for water creatures in the aquarium, meet the dune animals and test what they know about drinking water.
Marked trails start here, one passing the Monkeybos, where kids may leave the path to play.
Zuiderpark is a 1920s people's park laid out around a large pond, with three big play lawns covering 14 hectares. Around them sit a six-meter play castle, a western playground, a nature playground, a skate park, a city farm, mini golf, a riding stable and an indoor pool.
Kids can hunt for the Ot en Sien statues, climb the De Villierskopje lookout hill and ride a model steam train.
