This is what to do with kids during a city break in Utrecht! Find out why Utrecht is a perfect holiday destination for families with children. Utrecht has everything! And that's why Utrecht is also easy for families with children. Reader Hananja shares her tips for a weekend in this beautiful provincial capital.
Utrecht, a child-friendly city trip
Have you ever been to Utrecht? Not for a day or an appointment, but for a multi-day city trip? Utrecht is also called the Venice of the Netherlands because of its beautiful canals and all the waterside terraces. So that is one of the reasons why I am in love with Utrecht. I also love showing this fun city to my kids, because this city trip destination is totally kid-proof. You can easily combine the hustle and bustle of the city with nature or quieter places to play. And of course you get there by train, which is an adventure in itself for children. In short, a weekend in Utrecht with children is a great idea! Are you taking good weather with you?
Child-friendly hotels and places to sleep in Utrecht
Because Utrecht is so central, many people choose it as a day trip. Super fun! Definitely keep doing it too! But Utrecht is so much more than the well-known tour of the Dom tower. I take you through a few cool child-friendly hotels and places to sleep, so you can extend your Utrecht experience!
- Fort aan de Klop: on the outskirts of Utrecht, this beautiful fortress is hidden among the greenery. This is my favourite place to sleep: close to the city centre, but in the middle of greenery. The fort has really been in use, which is still very visible. There are holiday homes and group accommodation at this beautiful spot, and they regularly rent out camping pitches (there is room for 25 tents). You can also enjoy lunch there, while the children wander around the grounds or play in the playground. The fort is located on the banks of the river Vecht. A beautiful river for cycling or walking along. One side goes towards the city, the other past cute villages and beautiful country houses with castles.
Utrecht with kids: go sleep or have lunch at Fort aan de Klop!
- Still more in the mood for the hustle and bustle of the city? Then it's a nice idea to sleep with the kids in a Miffy room at the Stayokay hotel. This hotel sits on the Neude, it doesn't get more central than this.
- Should you fancy sleeping in the city, bustling Lombok is another tip. This hip neighbourhood has special places, for example B&B Muntzicht. At this lovely spot, you walk via cute little bridges and lots of greenery through a neighbourhood where it is never boring.
- Hotels in Utrecht that are also well worth checking out are The Hunfeld, Bunk Hotel, The Anthony and also take a look at Utrecht Boutique Hotels.
Fun things to do with children in Utrecht
Whether you choose to sleep in the city or on the outskirts: of course, you can't skip a visit to the city centre. With these ideas, the kids won't be bored.
- If you go for a stroll through Utrecht in spring, don't forget to check out the fish bell press at the lock. Fish swim from the Vecht through Utrecht every spring in search of a place to lay eggs. Sometimes they have to wait a long time at the lock. Do you see fish through the camera? Then press the bell to signal the lock keeper. If there are many fish, he will open the lock! Of course, the fish are not always there, so this has sometimes been a disappointment with us, but even without the bell it is of course very exciting. Are they going to come?
- Fancy seeing Utrecht from the water? Hire a sloop or canoe! There are lots of places along the canal where you can do this, such as canoe rental Utrecht.
- Tired from walking or being on the water? Then plop down in the grass or on the terrace of Roost. A nice place with a delicious menu. See how all the dishes are made in the outdoor kitchen.
- At Roost you are also right at the beginning of the city centre, so you are close to Utrecht's biggest and most famous tower: The Cathedral Tower.
- It is sometimes a short wait, but we think it is really worth it; queuing for an ice cream from the Italian Ice Cream Parlour Il Mulino. This ice cream shop has won many awards. Eat your ice cream at the steps by the canal, watching the locks and boats come in. What child can say no to this?
Waterfront drinks at Roost & bunny room at Stayokay.
- But don't forget Amsterdamsestraatweg, full of cultural shops. It can sometimes be a bit more searching to find the nice places here, as this long street can seem a bit busy and crowded. But if you like vintage and local, there are many nice shops to be found, especially halfway down this street. Take the bus or walk there and take a look at, for example Virtue, my favourite clothing shop for second-hand children's and women's clothes, or at Shop full of shops which sits diagonally opposite. I like to buy original gifts or cards here.
- In Lombok, have a nice cup of coffee with a delicious cake at Coffee and Me or walk down Kanaalstraat and find shops from different corners of the world. For example, check out Persepolis and get delicious appetisers there for a picnic by the water. A shop without a website, but if you want to discover new things definitely worth a visit!
- Do you have young children? They can play wonderfully in Mill the Star. There is a small playground here with some farm animals. Keep a close eye on their calendar too, as they also organise cool festivals.
- Walk along the canal to Soia, Utrecht's city beach, where children can play and you overlook the Amsterdam Rhine Canal. For the vegans among us; they have a delicious menu here! But meat lovers will also find plenty on the menu.
- On Saturdays, it's fun to drop by the flower market to run.
- In the middle of the city, you will also find an awesome playground, The Little Cathedral. If you don't know it, you walk right past it.
- Behind it, the Voorstraat is also full of sustainable initiatives; second-hand shops and sustainable shops and tents, for example Secondsas.
- There are also some really nice museums in Utrecht that are great fun to visit with children such as Railway Museum and museum Speelklok about barrel organs. But also the miffy museum for little ones is a real hit.
Enjoying nature in Utrecht
The Utrecht area is also known for its beautiful nature. Take the Vecht towards Maarssen and Breukelen with beautiful country houses from ancient times. Or the Utrechtse Heuvelrug, a unique piece of nature like nowhere else in the Netherlands.
- So one of my favourite places to sleep is Fort aan de Klop, mainly because it is so nice to explore this beautiful area of Maarssen and Breukelen. Go walking or cycling on the other side of the Vecht. Here, too, you can choose to enjoy from the water. Rent a sup or sloop at Boei 26 and sail towards the cute villages of Maarssen and Breukelen.
- Do you love the water, but prefer to be boated? Then hop on in Maarssen the bicycle boat. Cruise along for a bit and cycle back again. The stops are alternately far apart, so walking back can be a bit far. So my tip would be to think carefully about where you get on and off beforehand, otherwise you will literally and figuratively miss the boat. On weekends, they sail twice a day from Maarssen to Niewersluis.
- At Bistro Elle (in Oud-Zuilen, also worth a visit) you can enjoy lunch or dinner. Or bring a picnic and sit on a rug in the little park opposite and watch the boats.
- Do you love history and castles? Then go Zuylen castle or Castle de Haar view. Anyway, Utrecht is the perfect base for a forts and castles tour, as Utrecht is adjacent to the Old Dutch Waterline lies.
- Less in the mood to actually go out? Then head to the Maarseveen lakes. You can choose a paid spot full of slides and playgrounds, the quieter other side with some smaller playgrounds next to sauna Maarssen or unpaid on grassy fields around the lake.
- In need of more nature in Utrecht? Then be sure to go to the Utrechtse Heuvelrug or the Soesterduinen near Amersfoort. Half an hour's drive away, here you will find a very large sandy plain for playing or walking.
More ideas for city breaks in your own country
- In Breda is also a lot to see and do.
- Eindhoven is a surprising city break destination, with plenty of cosiness and greenery.
- Have you ever taken a city trip to The Hague considered?
Photo credits: main image: Railway Museum, Taco van der Werf, Emmely van Mierlo, Corné Clemens (Fort aan de Klop), Stayokay, Roost.
