15 fun family outings
Summer is here! The sun is shining and the kids are on their summer break, so it’s the perfect time to head out for a fun family outing!
But where to go? And how to get there? Don’t worry, we’ve lined up some great ideas for you.
Culture
Sand Sculpture Festival
About: Visit the Sand Sculpture Festival between 1 July and 10 September and get ready to be enchanted by a fairytale world made of more than 6 000 tonnes of sand.
Location: Middelkerke
How to get there by public transport: Take the ‘Kusttram’ (Coastal Tram) from one of the train stations on the Belgian coast (De Panne, Knokke, Blankenberge or Ostend).
Gallo-Roman Museum
About: Learn all about the rich Roman and Gallic history at this impressive museum.
Location: Tongeren
How to get there by public transport: The Gallo-Roman Museum is just under a 10-minute walk from Tongeren train station. You can also easily get to the museum by bus from the Limburg central cities of Sint-Truiden, Hasselt and Genk.
Theater Aan Zee
About: Ostend is hosting the ‘Theater Aan Zee’ (Theatre by the Sea, ‘TAZ’ for short) festival for the 25th time this year. From 26 July, you can enjoy two weeks of new theatre productions at various venues in Ostend.
Location: Ostend
How to get there by public transport: Ostend train station is easily accessible from all over the country. You can take the bus or ‘Kusttram’ (Coastal Tram) to easily travel between venues during the festival.
Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences
About: Marvel at the impressive dinosaurs, the gigantic insect collection or learn about the history of mankind.
Location: Brussels
How to get there by public transport: The Museum of Natural Sciences is a five-minute walk from Brussels-Luxembourg train station.
Het Huis van Alijn
About: The Huis van Alijn (House of Alijn) is the museum of daily life in Ghent. You will be invited to use all your senses to discover which rituals, customs and traditions shape our daily lives.
Location: Ghent
How to get there by public transport: In Ghent, take tram 1 to the ‘Gravensteen’ stop, just a few steps away from the museum.
The ‘Kusttram’ (Coastal Tram) has 67 stops between De Panne and Knokke
– so before you know it, you’ve visited every town on the Belgian coast!
And you can conveniently buy your tram ticket in KBC Brussels Mobile
Nature
The Zwin nature park
About: The Zwin calls itself the international bird airport and it’s easy to see how it earned this nickname. It’s a beautiful nature park where you can spend hours walking around spotting birds. There’s also a very interesting exhibition where you can learn all about migratory birds.
Location: Knokke-Heist
How to get there by public transport: Tram 12 from Knokke train station will take you to the park in just under 30 minutes.
Meise Botanic Garden
About: Not far from Brussels, you’ll find the Meise Botanic Garden, where you can wander through a stunning estate of over 92 hectares with plant species from all over the world. And to make it extra fun for the little ones, there’s a treasure hunt that will lead them along the garden’s most beautiful spots.
Location: Meise
How to get there by public transport: Meise Botanic Garden is easily accessible from Brussels-North train station. From there, it’s a short ride by bus 250 or 251, which stops at bus stop ‘Plantentuin Meise’.
Bokrijk
About: A wonderful place to go with children, where you can enjoy a whole range of cool activities in the open-air museum, discover the largest open-air playground in Flanders and go for a bike ride on the beautiful, unique cycling path ‘Cycling through water’.
Location: Bokrijk
How to get there by public transport: Bokrijk’s train station is a five-minute walk from the park.
Animal spotting
About: From white-nosed coatis and Tasmanian devils to Siberian cranes and red-bellied piranhas – see and experience it all at Belgium’s many zoos.
Location: Antwerp (Antwerp Zoo), Mechelen (Planckendael), Brugelette (Pairi Daiza)
How to get there by public transport: Antwerp Zoo is located just outside the main entrance of Antwerp Central train station. The easiest way to get to Planckendael Zoo is by bus from Mechelen train station. And to get to Pairi Daiza in Brugelette, take the Mons-Aat line to the Cambron-Casteau train stop. The zoo is just a few minutes’ walk along a signposted path.
Terhills
About: The beautiful ‘Terhills’ national park is located between Genk and Maasmechelen. Situated on the grounds of a former coal mine, it’s a great area for walking and the old slag heaps are a great spot to take in the stunning views.
Location: Maasmechelen
How to get there by public transport: The national park spans a huge area and there are various trails to choose from, which all start at the National Park Visitor Centre. Bus 11 or 45 from Genk train station will take you there in about 30 minutes.
Arranging your train journey is a breeze with the additional ‘SNCB’ service in KBC Brussels Mobile.
Entertainment
Technopolis
About: If you have a little Einstein or Marie Curie in your house, you’ll love Technopolis. Experiment to your heart’s content with the interactive exhibits and discover the latest technological trends. Child-sized science.
Location: Mechelen
How to get there by public transport: You can easily get there from Mechelen train station by bus 282 or 682, or (shared) bike.
Plopsaland De Panne
About: A magical fairytale world where you’ll find all your favourite Studio 100 characters. Good to know: you can very conveniently buy your admission tickets to this colourful theme park in KBC Mobile.
Location: De Panne
How to get there by public transport: Easy-peasy: hop on the ‘Kusttram’ (Coastal Tram), which stops right in front of Plopsaland’s entrance.
Domaine de Chevetogne
About: Boasting 14 play areas, an outdoor swimming pool, various walking trails, a petting zoo and many other activities, the Chevetogne provincial estate is the ideal destination for a family of nature lovers.
Location: Ciney
How to get there by public transport: Go to Ciney station and take the Ciney - Mont-Gauthier bus. Get out at the ‘Chemin du monastère’ stop, which is about a 2.5-kilometre walk from Domaine de Chevetogne.
The Park Playground
About: Experience the wonderful world of virtual reality. The Park Playground is home to all kinds of games for players aged 12 and up and there’s even one for 7-year-olds!
Location: Antwerp, Ghent, Leuven, Brussels, Hasselt, Kortrijk
How to get there by public transport: Check The Park’s website for information on how to get there from various locations.
Hergé Museum
About: A museum dedicated to the life and work of the creator of Tintin and Snowy. A number of themed expositions invite you to follow in the footsteps of Tintin and Hergé’s other characters.
Location: Louvain-la-Neuve
How to get there by public transport: The museum is a three-minute walk from Louvain-la-Neuve station.
Looking for more inspiration for a fun trip?
If you’re in need of some inspiration for a nice day or evening out with your partner or a fun trip with your friends, we’ve lined up a number of great activities and trips for you. There’s something for everyone!
