Fun indoor activities for all ages

Dutch weather can sometimes be quite unpredictable. Rain, wind or just a gray day can mess up your plans. But not to worry! The Netherlands has many indoor venues where you can have a great time, regardless of the weather outside. From educational museums to adrenaline-pumping activities. Whether you’re looking for a fun day with the kids, want to entertain friends, or just want some me-time, there’s always something fun to do. Here are our favorite indoor getaways, conveniently categorized by occasion.

Quick navigation

• Indoor activities with kids
• Family outings
• Fun with friends
• Workshops and courses
• Solo activities for yourself

Indoor activities with children

Playgrounds and indoor amusement parks

Kids have energy for ten, and it just needs to get out! Indoor amusement parks offer the perfect solution for children to play safely, no matter the weather outside.

Popular play parks are:

• Monkey Town – With locations throughout the Netherlands such as Monkey Town Mierlo and Monkey Town Purmerend.
• Jump XL – Trampoline parks where kids can literally jump for joy
• Local indoor playgrounds – Almost every town in the Netherlands has local play paradises with ball pools, climbing equipment and courses, as well as several local jumping parks such as Street Jump Mierlo.

And so Indoor Amusement Park Maassluis is the ultimate play paradise in the Rotterdam area. With trampoline park, indoor playground, bowling, miniature golf, badminton and many more activities under one roof. For children under 12, this is the perfect getaway, with four hours of unlimited play.

Want more tips on indoor activities for kids? Read our blog: 12 fun indoor activities for kids

Interactive museums

Interactive museums make learning fun and exciting for children. These museums combine education with entertainment in a way that keeps children enthralled.

Well-known interactive museums are:

• NEMO Science Museum (Amsterdam) – Here you can experiment and discover for yourself how the world works
• Naturalis (Leiden) – Admire imposing dinosaurs and wonders of nature
• Corpus (Oegstgeest) – Go on a fascinating journey through the human body
• MergelRijk (Valkenburg) – Discover the fascinating world of marl at MergelRijk at your own pace, with stories, artworks and fun hands-on activities in an atmospherically lit cave.

More interactive museum tips can be found in the blog: 12 x visiting a fun interactive museum

Family outings

Zoos with indoor attractions

Zoos are not only fun in nice weather – many have beautiful indoor pavilions. This way, children can always admire animals up close, even during rainy days.

Zoos with indoor sections include:

• Burgers’ Zoo (Arnhem) – Featuring the Bush and Desert pavilions with tropical butterflies and desert animals
• Blijdorp Zoo (Rotterdam) – Here you will visit the indoor tropical hall and oceanium
• Artis (Amsterdam) – Has several indoor enclosures and the planetarium

Discover more zoos in bad weather in the blog: Visit a zoo in the fall

Water parks and aqua parks

Waterparks offer the perfect getaway for the whole family, with subtropical temperatures and activities for all ages. These indoor waterparks make every day a vacation.

Popular waterparks are:

• Center Parcs Aqua Mundo – With lots of slides, wave pool and tropical climate at various locations throughout the country
• The Thermes of Greek – Go for relaxation for parents and fun for kids in family section
• Tikibad (Duinrell) – Spectacular indoor water fun with slides, funnels, whitewater rapids and free falls.

Find more subtropical water parks here: 10 x Subtropical swimming paradise

Indoor mini golf, bowling and boules

Bowling and miniature golf are timeless classics that bring all generations together. Modern venues make these activities even more fun with themed courses and special effects.

Fun bowling, bocce and miniature golf locations:

• Claus Bowling Hoofddorp – This is where you can go for an evening of hyperbowling.
• The Boules Club Alkmaar – In the middle of Alkmaar you will find The Boules Club. With ten professional bocce courts, this is the place for beginners and experienced players alike. And have you run out of boules? Then there’s plenty of variety with interactive darts, private karaoke rooms, pool, table tennis, shuffleboard and arcade games.
• GlowGolf – Glow in the Dark mini golf courses with as many as 20 locations in the Netherlands

Discover more family activities in our blog: The best indoor mini golf, bocce and bowling alleys.

Museums for all ages

Museums don’t have to be boring – modern museums know how to captivate all ages with interactive elements and family-friendly programs. Perfect for a cultural day out with the family.

Family-friendly museums include:

• Rijksmuseum (Amsterdam) – special family tours of Dutch history
• Van Gogh Museum (Amsterdam) – interactive workshops for kids
• Spoorwegmuseum (Utrecht) – real trains and train history for all ages

More tips for a museum visit with the family can be found in the blog: Museum visit with the family

Fun things to do with friends

Wellness and spa

A wellness day is the perfect way to unwind and catch up with friends. The Netherlands has wonderful spas and thermal baths where you can relax and enjoy.

Top wellness locations:

• Thermen Soesterberg – various saunas and steam rooms in natural surroundings
• Sauna & Beauty Lelystad – complete wellness with massage and beauty options
• Thermae 2000 (Valkenburg) – luxury spas in the hills of Limburg

More wellness and beauty trips: Nice trips for a group beauty wellness

Nice shopping

Shopping and then recovering with coffee and cake or a sumptuous lunch. What could be more fun than that for a day out with girlfriends? The Netherlands has beautiful shopping centers and special shopping locations.

Fun shopping destinations include:

• De Bijenkorf – A luxury department store with multiple branches where you can find everything under one roof
• Magna Plaza (Amsterdam) – Here you can shop in a monumental building near the Palace on the Dam
• Villa Rozenrust (Doetinchem) – Here you can combine vintage shopping with a cozy tearoom
• Voorwinden (‘s-Gravendeel) – Fashion house for him, her and children with all possible fashion and brands you can imagine.

Discover more indoor shopping centers in the blog: Covered shopping center for shopping

Lunch, high tea or high wine

Eating and drinking together is one of the most enjoyable ways to spend time with friends. From elaborate lunches to stylish high teas, everything can be found.

Culinary hotspots:

• Restaurant de Kas (Amsterdam) – Here you lunch among the plants with fresh, seasonal dishes
• Hotel des Indes (The Hague) – Go here for a classic high tea in stylish ambiance
• Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky (Amsterdam) – Here too you will enjoy a luxurious high tea experience
• Villa Ruimzicht (Doetinchem) – Pamper yourself and your party with a high wine with wines and matching appetizers
• Brasserie de Poort (Utrecht) – Here you have several wine tastings and a cozy atmosphere

More high tea restaurants: The nicest high tea restaurants High wine tips: To the high wine with your girlfriends

Escape rooms

Escape rooms are perfect for groups who want to puzzle together and have an exciting adventure. These challenging games test your teamwork and problem-solving skills.

Popular escape room locations:

• Escaperoom De Wilgenweard (Overijssel) – Including the escaperoom Beat The Matrix in which you must dodge laser beams, turn off lightning-fast light switches and crack tough puzzles
• Escaperoom Groenlo – is based on the historic Battle of Grolle from 1627 and takes place in an authentic old building that was home to the resistance against the Spanish at the time.
• Questomatica (Amsterdam) – has several rooms such as Arcade Invasion. Here you literally step into an old game console and must defeat invaders with a pixelated laser gun.
• Escaperoom TIME (Utrecht) – with different VR escaperooms, but also cool escapegames on location of your choice
• Prison Escape (Utrecht) – the most large-scale escaperoom in the Netherlands where you have to escape from the Pieter Baan prison.

Discover more escape rooms: The best escaperooms in the Netherlands

Workshops and courses

Creative workshops

Creative workshops are a great way to learn new skills while relaxing. From traditional crafts to modern art forms – there is a workshop for every interest.

Popular creative workshops:

• The Pottery – making pottery in different cities
• Atelier Galerie Annemiek – painting workshops for beginners
• Glass studio – learning glass blowing in a professional environment
• Jewelry workshops – designing your own unique jewelry

More creative workshops can be found here: Fun creative workshops

Cooking and Baking Courses

Cooking or baking together is not only fun, but you also learn new recipes and techniques. Holland has a wide range of cooking studios with themed courses for all levels.

Fun cooking and baking courses:

• Italian pasta courses – making authentic pasta and sauces
• Asian street food workshops – learning exotic dishes and techniques
• My Auntie’s Cake – professional cake decorating
• Bread baking courses – from basic bread to luxury pastries

More cooking workshops: Fun outing the cooking workshop

Solo activities for yourself

You don’t always have someone around you to do something fun with. But sometimes it’s also great to get out on your own. For example, when you want to visit a particular museum and really immerse yourself in the stories and backgrounds. Or when your head is overflowing and you want to take a break from entertaining your company. Alone, you can keep your own pace and really enjoy what interests you.

Culture and entertainment

When you go to a movie, museum, theater or concert by yourself, you can fully enjoy what you see and where you are. You can totally immerse yourself in the moment without having to take anyone else into account

• Cinemas – arthouse films, documentaries and classics can be seen in film houses, but also for example in Kinepolis and Tuschinski.
• Van Gogh Museum (Amsterdam) – here you can experience the art of Vincent van Gogh at your own pace
• Museum Voorlinden (Wassenaar) – a museum of modern and contemporary art with changing exhibitions, located in a special architectural building. It also includes a beautiful estate with woods, dunes and gardens where you can go for lovely walks.
• Theater and concerts – check out one of the wonderful performances at the Royal Theater in The Hague, for example

Discover unusual cinemas: 10 x an unusual cinema

Nice and active on your own

Active solo activities are perfect for challenging yourself and exploring new frontiers. Go running, biking or swimming. These activities offer both physical challenge and mental relaxation. But there are also several indoor active activities that are great to do on your own.

Active indoor activities:

• Indoor climbing – test your climbing skills in professional climbing halls
• Fitness and yoga studios – to build muscles, become more flexible and feel fitter. But also to clear your head for a while
• Bouldering – a popular sport where you climb on low walls (3-4) meters high, without a rope or harness

Wellness and relaxation

Wellness time is essential for your mental and physical well-being. The Netherlands has excellent facilities where you can relax and recharge yourself.

• Wellness centers – spas and saunas for complete relaxation
• Centers for mindfulness – for workshops and drop-in sessions
• Floating – sensory relaxation in salt water

Sauna tips: Visit a sauna in the fall

Quiet spots for real me-time

Sometimes you just need a quiet place to come to yourself and reflect. These locations provide the perfect setting for some quality time with yourself.

Quiet places for relaxation:

• Selexyz Dominicanen (Maastricht) – a bookstore in a beautiful old church
• OBA (Amsterdam) – library with cozy reading corners and city views
• Local libraries – quiet places to study and read
• Quiet cafes – coffee shops with soothing ambiance

More beautiful bookstores: The most beautiful bookstores in our country Cozybook cafes: Great reading at the book cafe

Yoga, Meditation and Mindfulness

Yoga and meditation help you unwind and release stress. The Netherlands has a wide range of studios and centers for all levels and interests.

Yoga and meditation locations:

• De Nieuwe Yogaschool (Amsterdam) – with more than 60 yoga, breathing and pilates classes per week, both at the school, and online from home to follow, at De Nieuwe Yogaschool you will always have something to suit your level and style.
• Center for Mindfulness – here you’ll find workshops, trainings and drop-in sessions for stress reduction
• Local yoga studios – with mostly different group classes and personal attention
• Meditation retreats – deeper spiritual experiences

Discover more fine yoga and meditation studios here.

Cozy coffee shops and cafes

Coffee shops are the perfect place for solo relaxation with a good book or just people-watching. The Netherlands has a rich coffee culture with cozy cafes in every city.

Cozy coffee hotspots:

• Coffee Company – reliable quality in many locations
• Local specialty coffee shops – unique blends and persönliche service
• Café de Reiger (Amsterdam) – cozy, quiet atmosphere for me-time
• Book cafes – coffee and literature combined

The best coffee shops: The best coffee shops with goodies

With all these fun indoor options, you no longer have to sit at home alone, but can get out and about!

Credits photos: OpstapmetLisa, Canva.com and locations mentioned