Utrecht is the fourth largest city in the Netherlands and offers lots of things to do and see when visiting with kids. We lived in Utrecht for a few years and, along with our children (two boys), explored numerous parks, museums, gardens, and attractions in and around the city. In this post, I'd love to share some of our favourite places to visit in Utrecht with kids.
Museums and Castles
The Railway Museum, located at the former Maliebaan station in Utrecht, is an excellent place to visit with children. It will be interesting to children of all ages as the museum offers plenty of activities and exhibits. From real coaches, locomotives, and trains on display to the techlab where children can learn and experiment with how trains work, there's something for everyone. They have model trains, an outdoor playground with a mini railway and train ride, and much more. We have visited the Railway Museum many times, and our boys always had a lot of fun there.
The Railway Museum
Another really cool museum, which we have visited several times, is the National Military Museum. It's located midway between Utrecht and Amersfoort but can be reached from Utrecht by public transport in 40-60 minutes or a 30 min drive by car. The museum is for young and old to visit. They have tanks, planes, armor, and weaponry on display. The latest addition in the museum is an interactive area where children can try a flight simulator, ride a horse simulator, and engage with other interactive exhibits. There is also a cafe and an outdoor playground (with water features in summer time).
The largest castle in the Netherlands, Castle De Haar, is a great place to visit with kids. It's located just outside Utrecht and is easily accessible by bus, car, or bike.
You can explore the castle at your own pace, take an audio tour, or join a guided tour. Discover the rooms, furniture, and interiors while letting the kids imagine themselves in a fairy tale. Outside, enjoy the beautiful gardens of De Haar, including the rose garden, rows of flowers in front of the castle, romantic bridges, moats, lakes, and a vast park. Let the kids navigate the bush maze, watch reindeer in the park, enjoy an ice cream or soft drink at the small café by the castle, or have a meal at the larger café in the coach house.
Castle De Haar
Another destination where you can combine museum and outdoor experiences is Fort Vechten and the Waterline Museum. Fort Vechten, built in the 19th century to defend Utrecht, is situated on a lake island. It is now freely accessible, offering an excellent opportunity for exploration with children. There is also a relatively small Waterline Museum on-site, where you can learn how water was used in defense strategies in the Netherlands. Visitors can engage in a game that involves using the waterline to defeat the enemy and even experience parachute flying through virtual reality.
Castellum Hoge Woerd has been built on the site where a Roman fort once stood during Roman times, and many archaeological remains have been found there in our days. Among other artefacts, the remains of a Roman ship were found and are now on display in the Castellum. It is a place to learn about Roman history in its small museum, walk on top of the fort walls, and wander around the re-built Roman Watch Tower. The site also features a pet farm and a child-friendly café.
Miffy (or Nijntje in Dutch, short for konijntje, meaning “little rabbit”) is a very popular in the Netherlands book and cartoon character created by Dutch artist Dick Bruna. The Miffy Museum, located in the center of Utrecht, is dedicated to the little rabbit and designed for younger children (under 5 years old is an ideal age to visit). The museum is more like a collection of indoor playground rooms, each dedicated to a different theme, such as a house, zoo, or city. Children can explore and enjoy these miniature worlds, making it a fun and interactive experience.
Miffy Museum
Visiting a working windmill with a guide demonstrating and explaining how it operates was an absolute highlight for our boys (and not just for them – we loved it too!). Molen de Ster is a functioning windmill in Utrecht that is open to the public every Saturday afternoon. Volunteers provide guided tours, sharing the windmill's history and explaining its mechanics.
Parks and Outdoor
Griftpark is a park located not far from Utrecht city centre, featuring a playground, skate park, café, and an animal farm. The children's farm is a nice feature in the park, offering younger children the chance to have fun petting bunnies, donkeys, or goat kids.
Maximapark is our favourite and the largest park in Utrecht, offering activities for the entire family. It features many green spaces perfect for picnics or leisurely strolls, a lake with swans and various birds, and an observation tower providing panoramic views of the park. There's a large playground for children and a café conveniently located nearby, allowing parents to relax while the kids play. The park also includes gardens, multiple canals and rivers with bridges.
The Utrecht Botanic Gardens are open from March to December and feature a variety of gardens to explore. Children will especially enjoy the tropical house with butterflies, the bee house, and discovering all kids of flowers and other plants. There is also a café within the gardens where you can enjoy a meal or a drink while sitting outdoors.
Another city park with plenty of activities for children is Park Transwijk. Many green spaces, a large playground with water features during the warmer seasons, and an animal farm, makes it a nice place to visit in Utrecht with kids.
Even though Utrecht is not situated on the seashore, you can still enjoy a beach! A lake beach! Down Under, located in the Nieuwegein municipality of Utrecht, offers it all: a lake for swimming, a sandy beach, a playground set within a large green area, and a café. It's the perfect spot for a fun family day out during the summer months.
Another nice swimming lake in Utrecht can be found in Haarrijnseplas Park, situated right next to Maxima Park. Strandzone Haarrijn Beach is slightly farther from the city centre, but entry is free. It features a swimming area, sandy beach, and a café by the water. If you're looking to cool off during the summer, Haarrijnseplas is the perfect destination.
Strandzone Haarrijn Beach
Yummy Food
When walking in the city with children, buying some tasty snacks becomes almost inevitable (at least that's the case with my kids! 😊). Here are a few traditional Dutch sweets I would recommend trying when in Utrecht.
Stroopwafel (waffles with syrup) is a traditional Dutch sweet treat. Two thin waffles with a caramel filling in the middle make a popular dessert in the Netherlands. Stroopwafels can be purchased in packs from any supermarket, or freshly baked at stalls in pop-up markets and in specialised kiosks.
Stroopwafel (waffles with syrup)
While pancakes did not originate in the Netherlands, Dutch pancakes (Pannekoek) are incredibly popular here. Across the country, you'll find numerous cafés dedicated to pancakes – known as Pannenkoeken bakkerijen (pancake bakeries) or restaurants. These large, thin pancakes come with a variety of fillings, ranging from bananas with chocolate syrup to ham and cheese, so you can enjoy them as a snack, treat, or even a main lunch dish.
If you visit the Netherlands around New Year's time, you'll have the chance to try another traditional Dutch sweet treat – Oliebollen (literally, “oil ball(s)”). Oliebollen are deep-fried doughnut balls sprinkled with icing sugar and are traditionally sold during the winter season, especially around New Year's. You can purchase them fresh and warm from mobile kiosks or stalls around the city, enjoying them with your choice of flavour such as icing sugar, chocolate syrup, or raisins.
