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.
In the list of places to visit, I included museums that can be visited year-round, parks for outdoor fun, and a few destinations slightly outside Utrecht city but still easily accessible by public transport or a short drive.
Utrecht with Kids – Museums and Castles
Railway museum (Het Spoorwegmuseum)
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.
Address: Maliebaanstation 16, Utrecht
Free/Paid: Paid. Free with the Museum Pass.
Website: https://www.spoorwegmuseum.nl/en/
National Military 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).
Address: Verlengde Paltzerweg 1, Soest (take a Sprinter train from Utrecht Central to Soest Zuid station, and from there take a bus #575)
Paid/Free: Paid. Free with the Museum Pass.
Website: https://www.nmm.nl/en/
Castle De Haar (Kasteel de Haar)
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.
Address: Castle De Haar, Kasteellaan 1, Utrecht (20 minutes by bus from Vleuten train station)
Paid/Free: Paid. Free with the Museum Pass.
Website: http://www.kasteeldehaar.nl/english/
Waterline Museum and Fort bij Vechten
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.
Address: Achterdijk 10, Bunnik (Bus 41 goes there from Utrecht Central station)
Paid/Free: Paid.
Website: https://fortvechten.nl/ (Dutch only) and https://waterliniemuseum.nl/en/
Castellum Hoge Woerd (museum, animals and cafe)
Castellum 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.
Castellum Hoge Woerd 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.
If you have an entire day, combine your visit to the Castellum with a walk in the nearby Maxima Park (see below for the details about the park).
Address: Hoge Woerdplein 1, Utrecht (take Bus #4 from the Utrecht Central)
Paid/Free: Free.
Website: https://www.castellumhogewoerd.nl/
Miffy Museum (Nijntje Museum)
If you’ve visited a souvenir shop in the Netherlands, you may have noticed lots of souvenirs and toys of a small rabbit named Miffy. “Who is Miffy?” you might wonder. Well, 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.
Keep in mind that tickets to the museum are linked to specific timed slots. I recommend booking tickets online in advance to secure your preferred time slot. You can also purchase tickets upon arrival (at the Utrecht Central Museum across the road), but there is a possibility that the nearest time slots will already be sold out, and you may need to wait for the next available slot. In this case, refer to my two tips below on how to make the most of the waiting time.
Address: Nijntje museum at Agnietenstraat 2, Utrecht
Paid/Free: Paid. Free with the Museum Pass.
Website: https://nijntjemuseum.nl/?lang=en
Tips from the local:
If you’ve visited the Miffy Museum (or are waiting for the next available time slot to visit) and need some outdoor time for the kids, there’s a nice small playground just outside the museum. Take the little ones to Het Kleine Bos (The Little Forest) playground to burn off some energy outdoors.
Another nearby spot that kids will enjoy is an ice-cream shop on Twijnstraat – IJs & Zopie.
Molen de Ster (Windmill)
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. When we visited, we were the only English-speaking guests, so we had our very own dedicated guide who explained everything in English (the majority of Dutch people speak excellent English). It was a very interesting and educational visit for both adults and children alike to learn about the windmill.
There is also a cafe and a tiny playground with a few animals for younger kids on the site.
Address: Molenpark 3 (entrance via Floresstraat), 10 min walk from Utrecht Central station.
Paid/Free: Free, donation is appreciated.
Website: https://www.molendester.nu/en/
Utrecht with kids – Parks and Outdoor
Griftpark
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.
Address: Griftpark (can be reached by bus #1 and #4 from Utrecht Central station)
Paid/Free: Free.
Maximapark
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, and our boys’ favourite attraction – Trekpontje, a tiny manually-operated ferry across the canal.
Address: Maximapark, Vleuten
Paid/Free: Free.
Botanic Gardens (Botanische Tuinen)
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.
Address: Budapestlaan 17, Utrecht
Paid/Free: Paid. Free with the Museum Pass.
Transwijk park
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.
Address: Vreugdenhillaan 31, Utrecht
Paid/Free: Free.
Down Under lake and beach
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.
Address: Ravensewetering 1, Nieuwegein (can be reached by bus #247 from Utrecht Central station, or 20-25 minutes by bike)
Paid/Free: Paid.
Website: https://www.downunder.nl/ (in Dutch)
Strandzone Haarrijn lake and beach
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.
Address: Haarrijnseplas, Utrecht (take bus #5 from Utrecht Central station)
Paid/Free: Free.
Utrecht with Kids – The Yummy stuff
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.
Stroopwafels
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.
There are variations available, such as those with honey filling instead of caramel, chocolate on top, sprinkles, and other sweet additions. However, the classic version with caramel syrup filling remains the most delicious, in my opinion.
Pancakes (Pannekoek)
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.
Oliebollen
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.
Read my post dedicated to 20 Foods to try in the Netherlands
Practicalities: If you are planning to visit many museums in the Netherlands, it might be worth purchasing the Dutch Museum Card. The card provides free entry to hundreds of museums across the country and is valid for one year. You can buy the Museum Card online via their website (in Dutch) or directly at one of the participating museums.
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Read next our post on What to see in the Netherlands.
Thank you for teaching me about more parts of the Netherlands than Amsterdam. Many of the things look interesting for adults as well. And I’m always in for a good stroopwafel.
Netherlands is worth exploring – lots of things to see and do for any traveller.
I have friends in Utrecht and have been meaning to go. Great list of things for kids and adults will mark we have always wanted to go.
Utrecht is definitely worth visiting. And if you have friends living in Utrecht – there is no excuse not to go 😉