Going Dutch: Explore Like a Local on a Netherlands Bike Trip with Kids

By Bonnie Fanning
September 27, 2026
6 Min Read

If you like a little adventure on your family vacation, with sweet and savory stops along the way, consider a Netherlands bike trip. With around 23,000 miles of bike paths, many of them separate from the street with their own traffic lights, it’s known as one of the world’s most bikable countries, and it’s dotted with playgrounds, kid-friendly attractions and picturesque canals — plenty for families with small children to love. Traveling by bike makes getting from place to place part of the fun, with built-in breaks for coffee, waffles, cake and shop after shop of glorious cheese. My husband and I made like a Dutch family and explored the country on two rented bikes, with our 3-year-old riding along in a child seat.

Most trips to the Netherlands center on Amsterdam, but we opted for a calmer home base in The Hague, which made the perfect launchpad for our two-wheeled adventures.

A young blond child peeks out from inside an oversized yellow wooden clog decorated with an orange swirl pattern, which sits on a green platform beside a blue metal railing. In the background, a canal holds miniature bridge and boat models, with a white arched bridge, trees, and visitors walking along the paths beyond. — Big shoes to fill at Madurodam

Windmills, Waffles, Canals & More on a Netherlands Bike Trip

Bike Outings in and Around The Hague with Kids

We shook off our jet lag with a visit to Madurodam, an interactive miniature park about a 10-minute ride from the center of town. Among small-scale versions of the country’s main attractions, kids can control boats and dike systems, watch model trains and even see tiny clogs being made. After you regain your stamina, stop by the Mauritshuis art museum to spy Vermeer’s famous Girl with a Pearl Earring and other works by Dutch masters (it’s best for adults and art-loving older kids). Or marvel at the impossible worlds and intricate patterns of M.C. Escher at the Escher in Het Paleis museum; our 3-year-old loved it. Afterward, head to the nearby Malieveld Pavilion restaurant in Haagse Bos park for the mini pancakes known as poffertjes.

A young blond child in a long-sleeved purple shirt crawls through a round opening cut into a large painted cutout of a green and brown pear, placing their hands on a curved yellow ramp marked with a white number 2. Behind the child, a matching cutout of a red apple and a colorful patchwork-patterned panel stand in a bright indoor play space with white floors and yellow accents. — At the Children’s Book Museum, kids can make their way through a trail of illustrations from Eric Carle’s Very Hungry Caterpillar

Our favorite discovery for kids in The Hague was the Children’s Book Museum (or Kinderboekenmuseum) in the Royal Library, a 5-minute bike ride from the city center. Inside, kids experience books through interactive play: They can crawl through fruit nibbled by the Very Hungry Caterpillar, explore an igloo with the Little Polar Bear and draw pictures with Miffy.

The yellow four-story facade of Hotel des Indes features ornate white window trim, brown striped awnings, a triangular pediment with a carved crest, and a row of international flags above its glass-canopied entrance. The hotel sits on a corner of a brick-paved square with a leafy tree on the left, parked bicycles, planters, and neighboring townhouses under a partly cloudy blue sky. — Built in 1858 as a baron’s party palace, Hotel des Indes still has gilded doorknobs monogrammed with his initial. Photo courtesy of Leading Hotels of the World

Where to Stay: In the heart of the city, the boutique Hotel des Indes offers 92 individually designed rooms and suites, including a family-friendly connecting configuration that sleeps up to four. Indulge in afternoon tea or enjoy a session at the spa and fitness center, which includes personal trainers and a heated jet pool, before heading out on the town. Parents can also sip a glass of bubbly at the Anna Pavlova Champagne Lounge, named for the early-20th-century prima ballerina (and frequent guest).

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A three-photo collage shows a man riding a bicycle with a child in a rear seat along a wide, sunny seaside promenade lined with tall light posts, alongside a close-up of sand densely covered with small striped white, orange, and brown seashells. In the third photo, a smiling man on a sandy beach swings a barefoot child in a light blue jacket through the air by the hands, with waves and a blue sky with scattered clouds behind them. — Scenes from a beautiful day in Scheveningen

Coastal Downtime in Scheveningen

You could easily spend a week enjoying The Hague proper, but it wouldn’t be a Netherlands bike trip without exploring beyond the city. Our first bike day trip took us to the beach town of Scheveningen, a 25-minute ride from the city center. Scheveningen’s shores are peppered with shells just waiting to be collected in tiny pockets. At the nearby pier, you’ll find bungee jumping and ziplining in summer and a large enclosed Ferris wheel year-round.

We stopped at one of the beachy restaurants along the shore for an Aperol spritz and a treat before pedaling through the dunes.

Several bicycles lean against a metal railing on a brick bridge overlooking a narrow canal lined with small boats, parked cars, and trees with yellow and green autumn leaves. Brick row houses with white-trimmed windows stretch along both sides of the canal toward a distant bridge and gabled buildings under a blue sky with puffy white clouds. — Famed for its fanciful blue-and-white pottery, Delft features peaceful canals and gabled rooflines that are equally charming

Classic Dutch Streetscapes in Delft

Our next day trip took us to Delft, about a 35-minute ride from The Hague. Known for its handpainted blue-and-white pottery, or Delftware, the town is very walkable, with shops and restaurants lining flower-rimmed canals.

We parked our bikes at Molen de Roos, a 17th-century windmill that’s free to climb, so you can explore each level and watch it in action. In the gift shop, you can buy bread, rolls and flour ground by the mill’s own stones. Nearby Stads-Koffyhuis serves hot chocolate with whipped cream and M&M’s for kids to sprinkle on top. They also have specialty coffees (with or without a side of liqueur for grown-ups), sandwiches, desserts and snacks.

If you’re looking for souvenirs, Delft is full of boutiques, bookstores and shops that sell the town’s signature ceramics. Royal Delft, the town’s historic pottery factory and museum, lets visitors see heirloom pieces and artisans at work painting the famous blue-and-white designs. It’s more rewarding (and less nerve-racking) with older kids and teens, since the gift shop is packed with fragile pieces.

Two traditional windmills with thatched-style gray bodies, green trim, and white and orange sails stand along the edge of a calm river, each beside a dark wooden building with an orange tile roof. Towering white cumulus clouds fill a blue sky above a flat green shoreline in the distance. — At Zaanse Schans, historic windmills still turn along the river, and some are open for visitors to peek inside. Photo by Rudolf Peter Bakker on Unsplash

Bike Outings in and Around Amsterdam with Kids

If you’d rather make Amsterdam your home base, you’ll find plenty of bike rental shops and day trips there as well. Here are a few outings to try:

Zaanse Schans: Traditional houses, working windmills and craft demonstrations offer a glimpse of Dutch life in centuries past. About 1 hour from the city center.

Vondelpark: Play along leafy paths and stop at playgrounds and cafés. About 10-20 minutes from the city center to the park entrance.

Amstelpark: Explore gardens, a large playground and a miniature train. About 25-35 minutes from the city center.

A hotel room features a bed with crisp white linens, a blue-and-white geometric upholstered headboard framed by gold patterned drapes, and blue-and-white porcelain lamps on wooden nightstands. Tall French doors with rust-colored curtains open onto a small balcony overlooking a brick clock tower. — Prestige Suites at De L’Europe Amsterdam include city or river views and separate living and sleeping spaces. Photo courtesy of Leading Hotels of the World

Where to Stay: The grand De L’Europe Amsterdam is among the local standard-bearers for 5-star luxury. Located right on the Amstel River in the city center, it has a wide range of room and suite configurations (some connecting) plus a dozen ‘t Huys suites — unique accommodations in their own separate wing, each designed with a different creative partner such as the Van Gogh Museum. Excellent children’s programming makes little ones feel comfortable in their opulent surroundings, and as a bonus, you can rent bikes right onsite.

A family of four rides along a sandy coastal path lined with tall dune grass, with the sea and a clear blue sky in the background. A woman in a pink jacket pedals a bicycle with a green crate on the front, while a man in a dark green sweater pedals a cargo bike carrying a young girl in a white sun hat and a young boy in a teal shirt in its front box. — Many Netherlands bike shops rent cargo bikes, or bakfiets, that are ideal for families with kids and gear in tow. Photo courtesy of The Hague & Partners

Families Should Know

All bike times listed are estimates. Allow extra time for breaks, or for your children’s cycling speed if they’re riding their own bikes.
Check ahead that your rental shop offers child seats.
Helmets are often a separate add-on, so make sure they’re accounted for when you book.
Many shops offer e-bikes, tandem bikes, kids’ bikes and cargo bikes. Choose your own adventure!
With kids, expect to take your time and enjoy the ride. Even if you don’t make it to your destination, look for the little pleasures along the way.

Relevant Links:

Browse all ideas for biking and multi-sport trips on Ciao Bambino

See all accommodations and activities in the Netherlands with kids

72 hours in Amsterdam with kids

10 best places for multigenerational family vacations

Beat a path to Belgium for the best of Europe’s delights

72 hours in Brussels with kids

Photos by Bonnie Fanning except where noted.

Editor’s note: This post was accurate when published. We advise checking independently for the latest information and updates. Ciao Bambino does not accept responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in, or for any actions taken based on, the information presented.

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Going Dutch: Explore Like a Local on a Netherlands Bike Trip with Kids

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