The Dutch are a force to be reckoned with when it comes to squeezing joy from the mundane. You think your country has impressive playgrounds, eh? Holland would like to introduce you to the play FOREST. Yes, that’s right, an entire forest (parking nearby but otherwise completely isolated from the rest of the world) dedicated to family-friendly nature activities. It's at the top of my list for 'hidden gems of The Netherlands'.
There’s nothing remotely modern here—no tech, just wave upon wave of trees pruned specifically for climbing, heaps of branches assembled into sundry wooden huts/caves/igloos (this is after all for kids), rope ladders and expertly placed tree stumps for skipping over the hot lava sand pits that seem to have taken over the jungle... where were we again?
The Netherlands may have a reputation for being small and compact, but this reputation conceals the Dutch virtue of land preservation. The surroundings of Monkeybos are a treat for all ages, with a classy cafe but more important endless walking and biking trails in a land area that is only a few hundred meters from the ocean on one side and a major highway on the other side. It’s a great place I like to go with my daughters in order to get away from ‘it’ all.
Meijendelseweg 42
€
free
883474849
Find your way with 117 Insider Tips from our Local Spotters
Oma Toos, overlooking the picturesque harbour, gives you a delicious taste of Dutch cuisine in a relaxed atmosphere without paying “tourist prices”.
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I think it certainly makes for a cute and spontaneous photo opportunity.
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"Clingendael Bos" in The Hague is one of several large forests in the city. This one has bunkers left over from WWII where I love playing with my kids!
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"Museum Rijswijk" in The Hague is a fine example of what makes Dutch museum often so worthwhile: it's a commitment to the local...
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"Spellenhuis Den Haag" is what I wish had existed when I was a kid: a games shop with a full slate of daily activities where you can play for hours on end!
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"O'Casey's Irish Pub" in The Hague brings together nations in a way that everyone feels at home. There's an intimate feeling I can't find elsewhere!
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"1646" in The Hague is a project space where you can view, and often participate in, art that runs towards the intellectual and the avant-garde...
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"Skatepark De Kuil" in The Hague is not just a playground for all ages and yes, a cool skatepark - it's an essential component of a vibrant community!
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"Clingendael Pet Cemetery" in The Hague has about a dozen headstones that mark the lives and deaths of pooches from the turn of the 20th century...
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"Het Balihuisje" is The Hague's attempt to keep up with the 21st-century version of urban chic. It aspires to be a hub of creativity as well as a cafe!
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This is The Hague's Holocaust Memorial - the way it's set up, once cannot avoid seeing it. History must be remembered or it will be repeated...
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