Kinderdijk is an iconic site with windmills in the Netherlands. It’s a place where Jeremy visited several years ago and hoped to take the rest of us to see one day.

In our case, that day came – albeit only for about an hour. We did it as part of a detour from a road trip from Ghent to Cologne. It was well worth that stop and detour!

This is a place where one could spend somewhat more time than we did. It’s possible to climb inside of some of the windmills. Also, there are guided tours, a restaurant on site, and a significant visitor center. Kinderdijk is roughly an hour drive from Amsterdam (more like 2 hours on transit), it could be a nice and iconic excursion from there. Or add it to a longer trip through South Holland – there are some super cute towns nearby, including Delft, Gouda, or Dordrecht.

Given that this was short detour for us, we can’t write exhaustively about the destination, but we can share our experience.

About Kinderdijk

Kinderdijk is an iconic site with windmills along a canal in the heart of the Netherlands. Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1997, this offers travelers from across the globe a great mix of history, engineering, and natural beauty.

Dating back to the 18th century, Kinderdijk emerged as a solution to manage water levels in a land susceptible to flooding. The innovative windmills were strategically placed to pump excess water, preventing floods and safeguarding the livelihoods of those who called this picturesque landscape home. UNESCO recognition wasn’t merely for the windmills themselves, but for the role Kinderdijk played in preserving and showcasing Dutch hydraulic engineering—a history etched into the very fabric of the landscape.

Our Experience

Arrival and Parking

Upon reaching Kinderdijk by car, our first decision point was parking. With minimal research and limited time for errors, we unintentionally parked in a free overflow lot. However, as we walked to the entrance, we later discovered a paid option closer to the iconic windmills. While the walk wasn’t extensive, in a time crunch, the paid option would have been more convenient.

A Walk through Kinderdijk

While Jeremy had previously biked through this area, this time we were on foot and meandered along the pathways, capturing the essence of this unique place. In hindsight, bikes would have facilitated a more efficient exploration, but we enjoyed our stroll and snapped pictures along the lovely paths. Definitely “Instagrammable.”

Pro Tip: With more time, consider touring the windmills, renting bikes, taking a boat tour, and more!

A Culinary Surprise

Wandering back to our car, we saw a local bakery. Contrary to our modest expectations, the unpretentious offerings proved to be a delightful surprise. Dutch bakeries are quite good. I picked a Kaassoufflé, a cheese pastry that I was obsessed with at Febo, a fast food shop, while in Amsterdam.

Would we do the detour again?

As we pondered the worthiness of our detour, we asked ourselves whether the additional travel time was justified by the the charm of Kinderdijk?

While this is a great destination, it really needs more time than we allotted. If this is a fairly significant detour and you want to add this to your itinerary, ensure you have at least half a day so to rent bikes, take a boat tour, or do some other activity to immerse yourself fully in the delightful landscapes!

More From Adventures of the 4JLs

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