It’s impossible not to dream about the iconic windmills when visiting the Netherlands! While you can find them all around the country, one of the most popular places to visit is the Kinderdijk Windmills. This is actually a UNESCO world heritage site and the protected area around it will take your breath away. Read all about our Kinderdijk Windmills day trip from nearby Rotterdam, about the museum, and more to know before you go!
What Are the Kinderdijk Windmills?
Before jumping into our tips for a day trip, it’s important to know how the Kinderdijk Windmills came to be. They were first built back in the mid-18th century as a way to drain water into the surrounding rivers.
This ingenious way of pumping excess water allowed the Dutch to manage the levels of the area. In the following years, new technology would come around, and they would not be needed for this purpose.
However, the Kinderdijk Windmills stand as a reminder of the history in this part of the Netherlands. So much so, that it was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997!
The actual name Kinderdijk means “Children’s Dike,” stemming from a legendary tale. Apparently, after the St. Elizabeth Flood of 1421, a baby was found in a cradle with a cat. The cat did some sort of balancing act to save the baby as it floated on the water.
We will explain everything from our day trip next, but it’s important to know that you can buy a ticket for Kinderdijk in advance. Even if you’re not up for a visit to the museum or a boat ride, know that exploring the walking and cycling paths is completely free.
5 Tips For the Kinderdijk Windmills
1. Take a Day Trip to Kinderdijk
While we highly recommend adding Kinderdijk Windmills to your itinerary, it’s not a place that you need to spend the night. At most, you would need 3-4 hours to experience all the different areas and Kinderdijk museums.
There isn’t a large town right so close by. Yet, if you do decide to stay nearby, there are two small B&B style accommodations. One is B&B Cosy Garden and the other is 448 B&B Kinderdijk.
The Netherlands isn’t such a big country, so you can easily visit on a day trip from Amsterdam. The city of Rotterdam is slightly closer, being just a 30 minute drive. Check out the current car prices on this website, which we always use while traveling in Europe.
Personally, we prefer smaller towns, and would recommend basing yourself in the cheese haven of Gouda. From there, you can make a Kinderdijk Windmills day trip easily! Relais & Châteaux Weeshuis and B&B De Kamer Hiernaast are two popular hotels if you’re planning to stay in Gouda.
2. Rent a Bicycle
Hands down, the best way to see the Kinderdijk Windmills is with a bicycle. During this trip, we were actually on a Netherlands Boat Bike Tour through Southern Holland.
We would cycle 20-30 miles a day before meeting the boat at different stops on the river to sleep at night. This meant we already had bicycles, but they’re very simple to rent at places like Cafe de Klok.
If Boat Bike sounds appealing to you, make sure to check out all the different options here. It was actually our second trip with this company and the perfect way to see the country!
3. Boat Ride Along the Canal
Not up for a bicycle ride? Well, another great way to see the Kinderdijk Windmills is on a boat cruise! There are small tour boats that run along the canal throughout the day.
The ticket can be bought at the entrance of the park and is super affordable. This is a great way to see the windmills and even jump off at certain stops to explore.
It’s also an option to walk. Just know the area is quite spread out around the famous windmills.
4. Go Early in the Morning
As we’ve mentioned, there are many beautiful cycling and walking paths to follow around the windmills. However, in the afternoon (especially during the summer) the paths can get quite crowded.
Large buses of group tours often start to arrive in the late morning and it gets even busier on the weekends. If this is the only time you can go, then don’t worry! Just try and plan to make your Kinderdijk Windmills day trip early or on a weekday if possible.
5. Tour the Kinderdijk Windmill Museum
One fun thing not to miss is actually going inside and touring one of the windmills! We found the official Kinderdijk website extremely helpful for this.
It tells you what days are busy, the hours, and if the windmill museums are closed for a private event. Even if it is closed, you will always be able to walk and cycle on the trails around the area.
Nevertheless, if you want to go to a museum, take a boat ride, and see the pumping station (get your tickets here), you will have to time you trip correctly.
Have any questions about this article or want to share your own day trip to the Kinderdijk Windmills? Leave us a comment below!
Safe Travels,
Brigitte & Jake
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We’re Brigitte and Jake! American travel bloggers currently based in Spain. If you can believe it, we started Nothing Familiar way back in 2015 on an Ipad in the Ecuadorian jungle. Ever since, we haven’t stopped traveling! We’ve now been to over 60 countries around the world, with our expertise being Europe and Southeast Asia. We love outdoor adventures, tasting local specialties, and island hopping through tropical destinations. Hopefully, our guides and authentic experiences will inspire you on your own travels!
