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Davis, CA
United States
6
0
0
$$$
ITINERARY (Full Day)
Rotterdam Blaak
Maritiem Museum
Watertaxi Rotterdam
Fenix Food Factory
nugget’s Advice
Prepare in advance
Purchase your tickets for the Maritiem Museum online in advance. E-tickets allow you to visit the museum and the ships and cranes exhibits on the docks (called the museum harbor), permits fast lane entry to the museum, and provides discounts for the gift shop and parking.
Good to know
At the museum, you'll need to leave your stroller on the docks when going into the boats. The boats are quite tight and require you to go down a ladder to enter the boats.
Recommended day/time
The Maritiem Museum is closed on Mondays. Plan your mini-adventure sometime between Tuesday to Sunday so you don’t miss this interactive museum!
About This Day
Start your day by taking a leisurely walk past some of Rotterdam's most iconic modern buildings. Architecture lovers might also want to squeeze in a tour of one of the cube houses while exploring Rotterdam Blaak. From there, plan to spend a few hours at the Maritiem Museum (Maritime Museum) for plenty of hands-on activities to keep kids busy. Don’t forget to check out the docks for more museum fun on the boats! Afterward, cruise through Rotterdam via the Watertaxi to Fenix Food Factory, where you can sit back and enjoy a casual, local meal. This is the perfect day trip for families visiting Rotterdam with kids!
Rotterdam Blaak
11 Blaak, Rotterdam
FREE
If you enjoy modern architecture, then you'll love walking through Rotterdam on your way to visiting the Maritiem Museum. As you exit the train station, Rotterdam’s famous bright yellow cube houses will certainly catch your eye. Study up on Rotterdam architecture before you go, and most likely, you'll spot other iconic buildings along your walk. Be sure to take note of the interesting skyline and point out the pencil-shaped building to the kids!
DIRECTIONS
Start at the Rotterdam Blaak train station. As you exit the train station, keep your eye out for Rotterdam’s famous and iconic buildings as you follow the signs toward the Maritiem Museum.
TIP
We didn’t do this, but it's possible to take a tour of a cube house during your walk through Rotterdam Blaak.
Maritiem Museum
1 Leuvehaven, Rotterdam
$$$
One cannot visit The Netherlands without acknowledging how water has influenced and shaped the country and its people. Rotterdam is a central hub for shipping, and the maritime culture is strong here. A visit to the Maritiem Museum (Maritime Museum) will help families to understand the history and inner workings of the shipping industry. The top floor is completely hands-on, and kids of all ages will love taking on different roles at the child-size port on the outer deck. Our nuggets loved operating the cranes, unloading the boats and scanning in the unloaded crates. Once you've finished checking out the inside of the museum, head over to the docks (the museum harbor) to take tours on the different boats and see the cranes outside. Our kids especially enjoyed learning to tie knots with old sailors and volunteers and hearing about family life on the tiny canal boats.
DIRECTIONS
Follow the signs from Rotterdam Blaak train station to the Maritiem Museum.
TIP
Use caution on the docks as there are no rails. You'll need to leave your stroller on the docks when going into the boats. Some of the spaces in the boats are quite tight and require you to go down a ladder to enter the boats, so entering the boats could be difficult for those with limited mobility.
Watertaxi Rotterdam
1 Leuvehaven, Rotterdam
$$$
Riding the Watertaxi is a unique way to get around Rotterdam! We took the Watertaxi from the Maritiem Museum to the Watertaxi Main Station near Rinjhavenbrug. The kids loved zipping around on the small boat, and we all enjoyed seeing the famous Erasmusbrug (Swan Bridge) from this unique perspective.
DIRECTIONS
Walk to the end of the docks at the Maritiem Mueseum. There will be a Watertaxi stop here.
Fenix Food Factory
19D Veerlaan, Rotterdam
$$$
End your adventurous day by grabbing something to eat (and a pint for the adults) at Fenix Food Factory. You will find all kinds of food and drink choices in this old shipping warehouse that has been converted into a modern and energetic restaurant. We loved sampling the stroopwafles (with some tasty, unique flavors like speck, anise and lavender) and having local beer to wash down the delicious Moroccan food. Our nuggets found a nook upstairs in the loft where they could hang out and watch the boats sailing on the canal and the outdoor patrons below.
DIRECTIONS
From the Watertaxi stop at the Watertaxi Main Station, cross over the Rinjhavenbrug and turn right.
Julia's itineraries
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