donderdag 23 augustus 2012

Zoo Antwerpen

 
What: Zoo - cityzoo near the Central Station in Antwerp
Why: If the kids are in need of a break on your citytrip
Who: everyone
Where: Antwerp, next to the Central Station, Belgium
When: All year long, 10:00 - 18:00 (closing times vary during the year, this is in summer)
Website: http://www.zooantwerpen.be
We paid: we paid for a year long unlimited entry, € 22 (adults), € 17 (3 - 17 years)
Comment: We always enjoy a visit to the zoo.

Linnaeushof - The Netherlands


What: Linnaeushof - playground
Why: Europe s biggest playground
Who: Everyone, they have playgrounds for all different ages
Where: Heemstede - The Netherlands
When: Check the website if they are open, 10:00 - 18:00
We paid: € 11 p.p.
Website: http://www.linnaeushof.nl/
Comment: An experience to repeat, the boys loved the waterplayground, so bring swimclothing, even for the smallest ones, as they have swimmingarea s for the smallest as well. There is also a minigolf, so we spent all day at the park and they havent done everything.

woensdag 22 augustus 2012

Gold digging - Austria

What: Gold digger village
Why: Who doenst want to find gold?
Who: You need a certain amount of mobility to get to the village and to manouvre through the stones and water
Where: Heiligenblut, Austria
When: 01/06-30/09, 10.00-17.00
We paid: Nothing as we had a Kärnten card, normally €8 p.p. (kids under 3 are free)
Website: http://www.kaerntencard.at/en/ausflugsziele/ausflugsziel-detail/gold-digger-village-heiligenblut-146
Comment: The kids loved it and we thought it was great fun too, did we find gold? The boys believe so

Märchenwandermeile - Austria

What: A hike through the Alps for children through a magic forest
Why: They have the longest suspension bridge of the Alps with a ride across the ravine
Where: Trebesing, Austria
When: check the website, 9.30 - 16.30
We paid: nothing as we had a Kärnten card, but normally €5,70 for adults and 3,70 (3 - 15 years)
Website: http://www.babydorf.at/en/leisure/the-fairy-tale-mile-dragon-gorge/
Comment: Nice walk, the ride across the ravine is very spectacular and bigger kids will love it.

Car & technology museum Sinsheim - Germany

What: Car & Technology museum Sinsheim
Why: Because it is a fabulous museum and great fun for the kids, as they can enter a plane on the roof and take a slide back into the museum. They have an awesome collection.
Who: For anyone that likes planes, trains and automobiles
When: All year long, 9.00 - 18.00
Where: Sinsheim, Germany
We paid: € 14 for adults, € 12 for kids (6 - 14 years), parking free
Website: http://sinsheim.technik-museum.de/en
Comment: The boys loved this museum, we even went two days to see everything. they have a magnificent collection and a lot of fun things to do for kids.

Groenendaal speeltuin - The Netherlands


What: Playground Groenendaal, playground and small train that kids can ride
Why: If you want your kids to come from behind the PC or TV
Who: Smaller kids, our 8-year old was not really enthusiastic, the two smaller ones liked it
When: check the website since they have different openingdays and times, general: 10.30 till 17.30
Where: Heemstede, The Netherlands
We paid: €2,5 p.p., incl. one drink, the small train costs €0,50 per ride
Comment: Nice playground for smaller kids, very good value, food choice is limited (french fries and snacks) but good price and nice quality, toilet costs € 0,20 and is outside the playground, so small kids need assistance, very clean toilets.


Renting a boat - The Netherlands

What: boattrip, The Netherlands
Why: if you want to have a special trip and see REO (Rijnsburg en omstreken - Rijnsburg and surrounding communities) from a differnt angle.
Who: everyone (I guess one must have a certain mobility to enter the boat)
When: Check the rental agency, 9.00 - 18.00
Where: Marina Rijnsburg BV, Rijnsburg, The Netherlands
Website: http://www.marinarijnsburg.nl/
We paid: € 150 for the whole day, 6-person boat, fuel incl., we got €10 discount because we liked their website on facebook.
Comment: Great fun and much cheaper than owning a boat and having to take care of it all year long. Great service, we took the boat through the city of Leiden, to the Kaag, Noordwijk and Katwijk, there are some nice resting places, where you can dock and have something to eat and drink. You dont need a boating certificate (vaarbewijs).

Artis - The Netherlands


What: Zoo
Why: Always fun to go to the zoo, even for adults
Who: everyone
When: All year, 9.00 to 17.00, summerholiday till 18.00
Where: Amsterdam, The Netherlands
We paid: nothing, as we are members of the Antwerp zoo, but normally adults pay €18,95 and kids (3 - 9 years) pay € 15,50, parking €9 per car
Comment: Wonderful zoo, very nice, a lot of animals, we havent seen before. Nice aquarium and butterfly garden, the kids and we ourselves really like it.

Euro Space Center - Belgium


What: Euro Space Center, Transinne
Who: Everyone that is interested in space
Why: If the weather is not so good, this is a nice museum to visit as most of it is indoors
When: 10.00 to 17.00
Where: Transinne, Belgium
We paid: €11 for adults, €8 for kids (6 - 12 years) + €4 for a moonwalk
Comment: not always suitable for smaller children, they tend to get bored by the exhibitions, as you can see on the pic., food is quiet expensive but large portions and good quality.


Kayak on the Ourthe - Belgium


What: Kayaking on the Ourthe - Brandsport
Who: anyone that can swim (on the pic you see my 72-year old dad with son#1)
When: Best when there is enough water so not after dry periods
Why: It is a fun trip with one small waterfall that makes it just a bit more exciting
Where: la Roche en Ardenne - Belgium
Comment: Fun trip, nice environment, the boys really enjoyed themselves, please check the website to check if they are open
Price: € 15 for the short trip (around 2 hours) p.p. incl. lifevest


Parc à gibier La Roche en Ardenne (Belgium)


What: a wild park
Why: the kids can run free and there is a steep climb to the top of the park, so the kids have plenty of exercise.
Where: La Roch en Ardenne - Belgium
When: Easter to the end of october - open 10.00 to 17.00 and in summerholiday till 19.00
Who: everybody that is interested in animals, the parc is not really suitable for people with  reduced mobility
Website: http://www.parcagibierlaroche.be/indexuk.php
Comment: Really nice park, as we were there when the park opened, the boys were allowed to help the gamekeeper feed the animals. Nice playground with good pancakes, good price value.
Price range: € 5 euro for adults and € 3 for kids (3 - 12 years).

Plopsa Coo (Belgium)

I was thinking that it would be very handy if there was a site where you can find some info on stuff to do with your kids. We always try to do something with the boys, to get their energy out in a constructive way, LOL.
Some here are our experiences:

What: An amusment park in the south of Belgian, next to the Waterfall of Coo
Why: If you are in teh Ardens, a fun park to visit with the kids and you can enjoy the Waterfall of Coo
Where: Coo, Belgium
When: Check the park for closing dates, open from 10.00 - 18.00 during summerholiday, check the website for different dates
Who: For smaller kids but there are also some rides for older kids, our 8-year old like the rollercoasters.
Website: http://www.plopsa.be/plopsa-coo/en
Comment: Fun park with free entrance and you pay per ride, but it is cheaper to buy an all-in ticket if you want to ride as much as possible. food is not cheap but the quality is very good, portions are not very big for adults. Toilets were clean and plenty.
Price range: all-in ticket = 24 euro