Amazing 7 Days Family Vacation In The Netherlands
Last update: September 18, 2022
7 Days
Netherlands
15
a family
Itinerary Quick Overview
The Netherlands is one of the best places to travel as a family. There are many activities for all ages, it’s a relatively small and flat country, and it’s pretty easy to drive around.
On this trip, you’ll sleep in a holiday park full of nature and activities. You’ll take short rides each day to see different locations and attractions around The Netherlands. You’ll ride a bike, see some animals, see the famous windmills, eat the great dutch cheese and much more.
Let’s dive in.
Day 1 - Arriving and Settling In The Holiday Park
The first day usually has less time since you fly in, have to check in to your accommodation, and might be a bit tired from the trip. I always like to take flights that arrive early morning, so I’ll have enough time to enjoy the day.
We choose to stay at Holiday Park Heihaas by Landal (about one hour drive from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport). It’s perfect for families and has a great location, ideal for a star trip in the area. Holidays park usually allows renting a room for the weekend, mid-week, or both. Therefore this itinerary is for a one-week family trip.
Step 1 – Holiday Park Landal Heihaas
My family loves holiday parks on our trips, and Landal Heihaas was pure fun. We love the facilities and the location, which enable us to make a “star trip” in the area.
We spent the entire first day enjoying the park facilities and the cabin in the woods. You can find many activities such as swimming, golfing, bowling, and many other activities to choose from. See the details on the Landal website and choose what fits your family.
- Dining Tip
Day 2 - Dolphinarium
On day 2 you’ll spend most of the day in the Dolphinarium.
Holiday Park Landal Heihaas
Step 2 – Dolfinarium
- Minimum 3 hours
- From: € 24.50
We’ll visit the largest marine mammal park in Europe, located in Harderwijk, the Netherlands. You’ll see a lot of marine life, shows, playgrounds, and a water park.
Step 3 – Activities in the holiday park
You’ll find many activities for the whole family. You can walk around nature, enjoy the different playgrounds, bowling, pool, and much more.
Check out the park activities guide. They usually offer activities and shows in the evening.
Day 3 - Flowers Day
Today you’ll enjoy endless flowers, both in Ampies Berg and Giethoorn. We’ll start with a trip to Ampies Berg gardens and then ride to one of the most breathtaking and peaceful places I’ve seen, the village and national park at Giethoorn. Finally, if you have time left, visit old ships and do some shopping in Lelystad on the way back.
Holiday Park Landal Heihaas
Step 4 – Ampies Berg
- 1 – 2 Hours
- € 5.00
A small yet beautiful garden located on the Veluwe Ampies Berg. You’ll see gorgeous, colorful flowers and waterfalls.
Step 5 – Giethoorn: The Dutch Venice
- Half - Full day
- Free (activities at extra cost)
Also known as “Dutch Venice”, Giethoorn is a beautiful village in The Netherlands. Traveling in the village will make you feel like you’re in a movie scene.
- Dining Tip
Step 6 – Batavialand
- 2 – 3 Hours
- From: 16 Euros
Batavialand is a historical visitor attraction in The Netherlands. You’ll learn history, see old ships, an interactive museum, and more.
Since Giethoorn is an amazing place, you might find yourself staying longer that planned. In that case, you could skip Batavialand, and the nearby outlet described on step 7.
- Dining Tip
Step 7 – Batavia Stad Fashion Outlet
- 2 – 3 Hours
- Free
Batavia Stad Amsterdam Fashion Outlet offers over 250 international fashion brands and great discounts, along with cafes and restaurants. The outlet is close to Amsterdam and other tourist attractions and provides an excellent opportunity for shopping lovers.
- Dining Tip
Day 4 - Open Air Museum
Today we’ll drive to Arnhem to visit an Open Air Museum and experience The Netherland as it was 100 years ago. The entire family will learn a lot and enjoy many interesting and fun activities.
Holiday Park Heihaas
Step 8 – Netherlands Open Air Museum
- Half Day
- From: € 6.50
Right next to the park, head over to Disney Village. In the village, you’ll find dining options, Imax cinema, a hot air Ballon, a golf course, stores, and a nice atmosphere.
Step 9 – Activities in the holiday park
As in most evenings in this itinerary, it’s time to enjoy your family resort and the park facilities and activities.
Day 5 - Burgers’ Zoo
Today we’ll drive to Arnhem again, but this time to visit Burgers’ Zoo.
Holiday Park Heihaas
Step 10 – Burgers’ Zoo
- 5 – 6 Hours
- From: € 22.00
Burgers’ Zoo is known for its natural habitats where animals are given as much freedom as possible in carefully created large wildlife areas. Visitors explore deserts, rainforests, oceans, and the world’s biggest indoor mangrove forest while learning about a wide variety of creatures from around the world.
- Dining Tip
Step 11 – Activities in the holiday park
As in most evenings in this itinerary, it’s time to enjoy the park facilities and activities.
Day 6 - Utrecht
Utrecht has a lot to offer, and as you can see in our Utrecht travel guide, you can easily spend 2 to 3 days traveling in Utrech. However, we focused on a few activities we found especially great when traveling with kids on this trip. You won’t need your car in Utrecht, so if you arrive by car, I suggest parking it as soon as you arrive, close to the Dom Tower, and making the rest of the tour on foot. Part of the fun in Utrecht is to browse around the streets and canals, so remember to look around as you go from one stop to the other and stop if you see something you like.
Holiday Park Heihaas
Step 12 – Dom Tower
- 1 – 2 Hours
- From: € 5.00
The Dom Tower of Utrecht is the tallest and oldest church tower in the Netherlands, at 112 meters in height. It’s a place you must visit when in Utrecht and is considered the symbol of Utrecht. The tower was built between 1321 and 1382 as part of St. Martin’s Cathedral.
Step 13 – Museum Speelklok
- 2 – 3 Hours
- From: € 7.50
Are you looking for the most fun and cheerful cultural activity in the center of Utrecht? Museum Speelklok is undoubtedly the most cheerful musical museum you’ll visit and a must-see when traveling with children. It is home to the world’s most extensive collection of mechanical musical instruments, with over 600 instruments from all over the world.
Step 14 – Railway Museum (Spoorwegmuseum)
- 2 – 4 Hours
- From: € 17.50
The Railway Museum at Utrecht is one of the city’s most renowned museums and makes for a great day out – especially for kids and any rail enthusiasts. It takes you on an exciting journey through two centuries of railway history with train stations and trains from different areas. There’s even an old fashion barbershop. Visitors go on a journey through the history of the railway network in Holland.
Step 15 – Activities in the holiday park
As in most evenings in this itinerary, it’s time to enjoy the park facilities and activities.
Day 7 - Around the Holiday Park
We’ve reached the last day of our trip. Depending on your flight home boarding time, I recommend enjoying the park facilities and activities on a leisurely day. If you have enough time, rent bikes from the Holiday Park and drive in the park and the city of Putten outside the park. It’s an effortless ride, suitable for all ages.
Remember to arrive at the airport a bit sooner so you'll have time to return the rental car.
Before You Go
If you like this itinerary but want to make it more personal to match your specific time frame, budget, and other preferences, you can find many more things to do using the Traveling FAQ Trip Planner tool.
Don’t forget to check our Netherlands Travel Guide to find all the information you need on [country], including alternatives to adjust this itinerary.
To save money on tickets, you can buy a Go City Pass. You’ll save a lot of money if you plan on entering multiple attractions compared to buying individual tickets.
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