🇳🇱Friesland & Groningen

Friesland and Groningen offer families cycling, boating, Wadden Sea wildlife, and two charming cities — all at a wonderfully unhurried pace.

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Your family guide

Wide skies, open water, and room to breathe in Friesland and Groningen

“Two provinces, one big adventure — where the canals, coastlines, and countryside feel made for families.”

— San & Jo

If your family loves space, fresh air, and the kind of holiday where nobody is rushing anywhere, Friesland and Groningen might just be your perfect match. These two northeastern Dutch provinces stretch out beneath enormous skies, with flat green landscapes, glittering lakes, winding canals, and a coastline that meets the UNESCO-listed Wadden Sea. It feels wonderfully unhurried here, and that is exactly the point.

Friesland has a character all its own. It is the only Dutch province with two official languages — Dutch and West Frisian — and its people carry a proud, distinct identity. Eleven historic cities, a flag with seven red hearts, and Europe's largest connected lake system make it a genuinely fascinating place to explore with curious kids. Groningen adds a brilliant contrast: tranquil farmlands and polders in the countryside, and a lively, youthful university city buzzing with arts, culture, and great food.

Together, these two provinces offer families a holiday that mixes active days on the water or in the saddle with slow afternoons in small villages, wildlife spotting along the Wadden Sea coast, and evenings with local food that your kids will actually want to try. It is the kind of place you come back to year after year.

Northeast NetherlandsFriesland and Groningen provinces

Best April to SeptemberMild summers, crisp springs

Wadden Sea coastlineUNESCO World Heritage Site

Cities and places in Friesland & Groningen

2 places

Groningen

Groningen surprises families with Gothic towers, striking modern museums, hidden courtyard gardens, and some of the Netherlands' most unique local food.

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Leeuwarden

Discover Leeuwarden with your family: a leaning tower, hidden street art, world-class museums, and delicious Frisian food in a walkable, crowd-free Dutch city.

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What makes it special

Why families love Friesland and Groningen

A coastline that feels like a secret

The Wadden Sea coast is one of Europe's most remarkable natural areas, and it runs right along the northern edge of both provinces. You can take a boat out to spot seal colonies, watch enormous flocks of migratory birds, and hike or cycle on the islands. Schiermonnikoog is car-free, which makes it wonderfully peaceful for families.

Four national parks to explore

Friesland alone has four national parks, including the wetland wonderland of De Alde Feanen — a maze of lakes, peat bogs, and reed marshes that you explore by boat. Lauwersmeer, shared with Groningen, is perfect for wildlife walks and cycling. There is always somewhere new to discover, no matter how many times you visit.

Flat terrain that is made for cycling

Friesland and Groningen are as flat as it gets, which means cycling with kids is genuinely easy and enjoyable. You can pedal between villages, along canal towpaths, and through the Ommelanden farmlands of Groningen without a hill in sight. Bike hire is widely available and the cycling infrastructure here is excellent.

Two cities worth a day each

Leeuwarden, Friesland's capital, is a compact and walkable city with great museums and a strong food culture — it was once named Capital of Taste. Groningen city is livelier and younger, powered by its university and packed with affordable restaurants, street art, and the architecturally striking Groninger Museum. Both are very manageable with children.

A culture your kids will find fascinating

Friesland is the only Dutch province with two official languages, and that bilingual identity shows up everywhere — on road signs, in shops, and in conversation. The legendary Elfstedentocht ice-skating race, which can only happen when the canals freeze hard enough, is one of those stories that genuinely captures kids' imaginations.

Your kind of holiday

On the water all week

Friesland has Europe's largest connected lake system, and sailing, boating, and kayaking are woven into everyday life here. You can hire a small boat and spend days drifting between villages, or watch the spectacular skûtsjes sailing races on the lakes and canals in summer. The Wadden Sea adds a wilder coastal dimension to your water adventures.

Cycling and nature at your own pace

With four national parks, endless cycling routes, and wildlife around every corner, this region is a dream for families who like to be active without rushing. Spot seals on the Wadden coast, watch birds at Lauwersmeer, cycle through the Groningen polders, and end each day at a village café with something warm and local to eat.

Culture and city days mixed with countryside

Leeuwarden and Groningen city are both compact, family-friendly, and full of character. The Groninger Museum is one of the most visually striking art museums in the Netherlands, and Leeuwarden's food scene and small museums make it a great base. Mix city days with quiet afternoons in the countryside and you have a really well-rounded family trip.

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Fun facts

Things your kids will love knowing about Friesland and Groningen

The ice-skating race that might never happen again

The Elfstedentocht is a legendary ice-skating race through eleven Frisian cities that can only take place when the canals freeze solid enough to skate on. It has only happened fifteen times in history, and climate change makes it rarer every year. The whole country holds its breath whenever a cold winter arrives, just in case.

Friesland speaks two languages

Friesland is the only province in the Netherlands with two official languages. Alongside Dutch, West Frisian is spoken by around 400,000 people and has its own grammar, vocabulary, and literature. Kids love spotting the bilingual road signs and trying to figure out which language is which.

Europe's biggest connected lake system is right here

Friesland is home to Europe's largest area of connected lakes and inland waterways. That is a lot of water to explore, and it explains why boating and sailing feel like second nature to people who grow up here. On a map, the region looks almost as much blue as it does green.

Taste Friesland and Groningen

What to eat with kids in Friesland and Groningen

Suikerbrood

This sweet Frisian breakfast bread is packed with pearl sugar lumps and cinnamon that melt into gooey, caramelised pockets when toasted and buttered. It is one of Friesland's most beloved regional treats and the kind of thing kids ask for every morning once they have tried it.

kids love it

Eierbal

Groningen's famous deep-fried snack is exactly what it sounds like: a whole hard-boiled egg wrapped in thick, curry-spiced ragout, breaded and fried until golden and crispy. It has been a local favourite since the 1950s and is the kind of quirky, satisfying snack that older kids in particular tend to love.

must try

Fryske dúmkes

These small, dense Frisian spiced cookies are made with anise, ginger, and hazelnuts and have a warming, distinctive flavour. You will find them in bakeries and supermarkets across Friesland, and they make a great pocket snack for long cycling days or boat trips.

local favourite

Fries roggebrood

Friesland's dense, pumpernickel-style rye bread has a rich, slightly sweet flavour that is unlike any supermarket loaf. It is traditionally eaten with butter and cheese or smoked fish, and it gives even a simple lunch a proper sense of place. A solid, filling choice for hungry families.

safe choice

Groninger koek

This dense, spiced rye cake is Groningen's answer to the Dutch tradition of kruidkoek. It is warming, slightly sticky, and packed with spice — the kind of thing you eat in thick slices with a cup of tea after a long day outside. Most kids take to it immediately, especially on cooler days.

daily treat