The Efteling – A guaranteed fun day out for all ages. A mixture of scary rides and fairy wonderland. With an enchanted forest mostly full of recognizable characters such as Sleeping Beauty, Little Red Riding Hood, Hansel and Gretel, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and many more. It is the biggest in Europe and compares to the one in Disneyland. There are rides on turbulant waters in round, rubber-bottomed boats, passing waterfalls and other ‘hazards’. Near Kaatsheuvel, about 8 km north of Tilburg. Tel: 0416 288111. Open: Easter to mid-October, daily 10am-6pm. www.efteling.nl
Duinrell – A frog themed action park, suitable for younger children. A real mix of new and old rides to experience. The icing on the cake being the massive pool complex designed to use up every last drop of energy! Duinrell 1, Wassenaar, suburb of The Hague. Tel: 070-5155258. Open April-Nov, daily 10am 5pm – 6pm in season. Public Transport – Conexxion bus 43 and 90. www.duinrell.nl
Walibi World – Suitable for older children, plenty of white knuckle rides designed to scare the pants of every Mum and Dad! www.walibiworld.nl
Bal-lorig – A great big "ball pit" for the smaller children to play in. (A cheaper day out than the theme parks). www.ballorig.nl
Space Expo – An educational trip into outer space for those wannabe astronauts! www.spaceexpo.nl
Madurodam – Kid size Holland! Miniature of the whole of the Netherlands with moving aeroplanes, turning windmills, boats and so on, located in The Hague. www.madurodam.nl
Linnaeushof – The biggest playground in Europe. A true "value for money" day out. Suitable for all children, even the toddlers have a special section just for them. A playground with over 300 attractions and midget golf. Rijksstraatweg 4, south of Haarlem at Bennebroek. Tel: 02502- 47624. Open April-Sept. 10am-6pm. www.linnaeushof.nl
Burgers Zoo – Possibly the best zoo in Holland. Lots of space for the animals and the BIGGEST adventure playground to keep the kids entertained! Over four hundred free-running animals and over 2,000 animals in the zoo, including the famous chimp colony, which can be studied from special observation posts. There is also a wolf inhabited wood and the Bush is the largest covered tropical forest in the world. Take the train to travel over the ‘African’ savanna among cheetas, giraffes, rhinos, ostriches amongst others. In the area of Arnhem. From the station take bus 3 (or bus 13 in July and August). Tel: 085-424 534 or 450 373. www.burgerszoo.nl
Apenheul– (Apes Refuge) A chance to take your little monkeys to meet REAL little monkeys face to face! There are 30 different species of ape represented here and they are able to roam free in the woodlands. They include rare woolly monkeys and over 120 squirrel monkeys. Barbary apes and half-apes from Madagascar spend their time swinging through the trees or crowding around visitors. The larger animals, such as the gorillas, the Orang utans and the bonobos live on separate islands. www.apenheul.nl
Dolfinarium – A great day out for all ages. All kinds of aquatic life and aquatic shows. There are several shows per day in this largest mammal zoo in Europe. The shows consist of a Dolphin show in the largest covered stadium; shows with sea lions; a comic and educational walrus show. You can watch seals feeding in their natural surroundings, "t Wad", or stare at false killere whales through large glass windows. Strandboulevard-Oost 1, from the train station take Buses 107 and 147, stop Dolphinarium. Tel: 03410-16041 or VVV Harderwijk 03410-266666. Open: early March-end-October, daily 10am-6pm. www.dolfinarium.nl
Madame Tussaud’s – One for the older children. A chance to see their hero’s up close. www.madametussauds.nl
Land van Ooit – (Never never land). A step back in time, a theme park based in the middle ages. Plenty of things to do for all ages and this year with a special Sesame Street Show. Address Parklaan 40, Country Estate in Drunen. Tel: 04143-77775Open: Easter to end of October, daily 10am-5.30pm. July, August, Sundays and holidays 10am-6pm. www.landvanooit.nl
Themapark Sprookjesbos – Ghost Forest Theme park. A spooky day out for all! www.sprookjesbos.nl
Drievliet – A smaller fun park for the youngsters
16, Jan Thyssenweg, Rijswijk, The Hague. Tel: 070-399 9305, Restaurant: 070- 903 893, boat trips, 070-462 473. Trams 1, 10 and Bus 23. www.drievliet.nl
Artis – Amsterdam’s Zoo. A busy city zoo with all the kids’ favourite animals.
This 19th century park is the oldest zoo in continental Europe with more than 6,000 animals, including 2,000 fish in the largest aquarium in Holland; dozens of penquins, a house for nocturnal animals called ‘The Twilight World’ and a beautiful hippo house, which also has tapirs and manatees. Plantage Kerklaan 40, Amsterdam. Tel: 020-523 3400. Open all year from 9am-5pm (summer until 6pm) Tram 9 or Bus 56 www.artis.nl
Safari Beekse Bergen – Who can resist a scary drive with wild animals? This should keep them entertained! Safari Park: Lions, Leopards, Cheetahs, Zebras, Elephants, Rhinos, Giraffes, Monkeys, Ostriches. There are about 800 animals from 125 species. You can view most of the animals on drive-through excursions, but there is also a walk through area where you can see the penguins, flamingos and monkeys, amongst others. About 3km southeast of Tilburg at Hilvarenbeek. Tel: 013-360 035. Open Safari Park: early April-early November daily 10am-5pm. Winter hours: 10am-3.30pm. Recreation park: mid-May to end September only. Hours same as above. www.beeksebergen.nl
Plopsaland – Located in Belgium, but a truly terrific day out for the little ones! www.plopsaland.be
Blijdorp Zoo Rotterdam - Riviera reptile hall, ‘Asia’, an authentic swamp, the Bat Cave, the Mongolian Steppes and the Valley of the Wolves. Take a ride on a safari train, letting the youngsters loose in the Lunar Jungle Park, or relaxing in the pleasant restaurant overlooking the garden and pond. Van Aerssenlaan 49 (at the entrance to the Heemraadssingel tunnel). Tram 3, 6 and 7. Bus 39. Tel: 010-467 3131. Open: 9am-7pm. www.blijdorp.nl
Amersfoort Zoo- located in the lush Birkhoven forest on the western edge of town, there are 700 animals with over 90 species. These include lions, tigers, elephants, chimpanzees, wolves, antelopes and many birds. Get a free trail sheet at the entrance of the zoo. Barchman Wuytierslaan 224. Tel: 033-616 658. Open 9am-6pm in summer, 9am-5pm in winter. www.amersfoort-zoo.nl
Noorder Zoo - One of the most attractive and modern in Europe. Visitors can mingle with the animals in their natural habitat, with as few railings or cages as possible. You can imagine yourself in the African Savannah surrounded by antelopes, zebras, gnus, giraffes, rhinos and ostriches. There is a large herd of elephants with a record number of their young. There are 200 exotic birds, a butterfly house, sea lions in an enormous pool, a natural history museum, folk art museum and ‘Biochron’, where you can take a trip back in time, with fossils showing the evolution of animals. Hooftstraat 18, Emmen. Tel: 05910-18800. Open: Summer 9am-6pm. Winter 9am-4.30pm. www.noorderdierenpark.nl
The "Koningen Juliana Toren" - recreation park with motor boats, a big dipper, caves, lookout tower etc. Apeldoorn also boasts the children’s farm ‘Malkenschoten’ steam train, boat and covered wagon rides to the village of Dieren are popular. Gliding, parachuting and plane rides can be arranged at Teuge airfield. www.julianatoren.nl
Hellendoorn – More white knuckle rides! Take the mono-rail which passes over ‘Waterland’ and around ‘Dreumesland’ (dreamland); see parrots, sea-lions shows, ride the ‘super rollercoaster’ or lose yourself in the maze. At the end of July, join the ‘Heldersfeest’, with its enormous fireworks display. Luttenbergerweg 22, Hellendoorn. Tel: 05486-55555. Open: April-mid October 9.30am-6pm.
Plaswijk – Where kids get to drive their parents crazy – literally! A great local lakeside playground with rides, boats, many animals including the favourite monkey house. This 25,000 sq. metre park includes a monorail, bumper cars, moon rocket, ghost train, pedalos, hall of mirrors, children’s farm and more. www.plaswijkpark.nl
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