Need some relaxation or just in the mood for something different? Check out these tips and enjoy a surprising and refreshing day out!
1. Car Puzzle Tour (budget-friendly)
Turn a car ride into a fun adventure by solving puzzles together! At puzzeluitje.nl, you can find routes all over the Netherlands, such as “Brabant Forest & Dunes” or “Rotterdamse Dijck.” Once you choose a route, you can download the roadbook and head off. It includes puzzles, riddles, car bingo, route info, and tips for fun stops along the way.
2. City Quiz Walk (budget-friendly)
During the pandemic, many people rediscovered how enjoyable city walks can be. To support local businesses, “De Stadswandeling” was created. For just a few euros, you can get an original walking route—available in cities like Alkmaar, Zwolle, Emmen, Leeuwarden, Haarlem, Groningen, and Amsterdam. You’ll receive the route, a quiz with fun assignments, and a list of participating cafés offering snacks and drinks at special prices.
3. Floating (approx. €50 for 60 minutes)
How does this sound: a deep relaxation moment that equals 5 hours of sleep? Bliss, right? During a float session, you lie weightlessly in saltwater. Inside the float room, external stimuli are blocked, allowing full relaxation. The water is warmed to 35.5°C—your exact body temperature—so your body quickly stops sensing where it touches the water. You’ll feel like you’re floating in space, reaching complete physical and mental calm.
Two of our colleagues tried it here: cloudsevenstudio.com
4. Picking and Tasting at a Self-Pick Farm (budget-friendly)
Fruits, veggies, or flowers—you can pick and taste it all in a self-pick garden. These gardens are found all over the country, from South Limburg to the Wadden Islands. For example, Het Platteland orchard in Putten offers not only apples and pears, but also berries, raspberries, blackberries, flowers, pumpkins, and sugar peas. You can also enjoy fresh mint tea, cappuccino, homemade cake, and other treats there.
5. Harvesting and Eating Oysters! (free)
Oyster lovers will enjoy picking them fresh instead of just eating them. From the Oosterschelde to Texel and Terschelling, oysters can be found for free from September to April in many coastal areas of the Netherlands.
6. Visiting Movie Locations (free)
Do you know what a “setjetter” is? It’s someone who enjoys visiting film locations—and there are plenty in the Netherlands!
Amsterdam and Haarlem were the backdrop for Ocean’s Twelve, while the 1950s classic Fanfare was filmed in the canals of Giethoorn. The villa from Schatjes was destroyed in the movie, but still stands in Breda. Paul Verhoeven’s Black Book was largely filmed in The Hague. These are usually free activities and a great nostalgic outing for film lovers.
(Source: ANWB)