You'll find it makes perfect sense, the Dutch and Belgian passion for cycling. You'll find it in the flat-as-a-pannekoek landscape, amid flowers and silent canals. In storybook villages. You'll even find it post-ride, in fine Belgian Lambic or delectable chocolates. We invite your family to bike with us. And find it all out together.
Days 1-2 Begin with a leisurely ride from Alkmaar to Santpoort, on the edge of a scenic coastal forest | Savor traditional pannenkoeken (pancakes) by day and Michelin-starred cuisine by night | On your way to Holland's charming coast, pedal past emerald-green fields and classic windmills—timeless scenery straight out of a Dutch masterpiece | A spin past sand dunes and along seaside lanes leads the way to The Hague.
Day 3 As you bike through polders to Gouda—where the beloved cheese originates—keep an eye out for birds, swans and cows | Visit the World Heritage site of Kinderdijk, known for its 19 windmills once used to drain the surrounding floodplain | Taste a wedge of distinctive Gouda—or perhaps a slice of appeltaart?
Days 4-6 Cycle over the border into Belgium | It's a scenic ride to romantic Bruges—nearly car-free and ideal for exploring on foot | Discover the medieval city's nooks and crannies, narrow cobblestone streets, steep-gabled brick houses, lofty spires and meandering canals | Kids are treated to a chocolate-making workshop at the Chocolate Museum
This dual-country trip offers an exquisite mix of highlights with broad appeal for all ages. The bike routes are superb, following a mix of flat, peaceful country roads, dijk walls and scenic fietspaden (bicycling paths). There's a wealth of historic spots to enjoy, from the World Heritage site of Kinderdijk to the romantic central square of Bruges. And glorious hotels, including Landgoed Duin & Kruidberg, a sprawling country estate with a Michelin-starred restaurant. It's fun for the whole family!- Netherlands & Belgium
We want to make sure you're on the right trip and that you have the best experience possible. Every Backroads trip is unique and this one is no exception. Read the Straight Talk
We want to make sure you're on the right trip and that you have the best experience possible. Every Backroads trip is unique and this one is no exception.
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A historic country estate situated within a national park and featuring a Michelin-starred restaurant.
Built in 1858 to host aristocrats and heads of state, this opulent former palace is located among the cafés, restaurants and shops of the historic city center. (pool, spa)
An elegant hotel—originally a 15th-century noble residence—overlooking Den Dyver, the most picturesque canal in Bruges. A Small Luxury Hotels of the World member. (pool)
There's no better way to find out about Backroads than by hearing it from the people who have traveled with us. For more about the Backroads Experience, read our Guest Testimonials.
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Comments about Holland & Belgium Family Bike Tour:
This dual-country trip offers an exquisite mix of highlights with broad appeal for all ages. The bike routes are superb, following a mix of flat, peaceful country roads, dijk walls and scenic fietspaden (bicycling paths). There's a wealth of historic spots to enjoy, from the World Heritage site of Kinderdijk to the romantic central square of Bruges. And glorious hotels, including Landgoed Duin & Kruidberg, a sprawling country estate with a Michelin-starred restaurant. It's fun for the whole family!
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The earlier you book, the more choice you'll have and the lower your price. And you can always change your mind—you won't be charged to transfer to a different trip before your final payment is due.
Please click on a date below for specific pricing and possible itinerary variations.
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AVAILABLE TO BOOKi GOING FASTi CONTACT USi PRIVATE TRIP - RESERVEDi
Interested in a Private Trip? Check out the Make It Private tab for private dates available, or call us at 800-462-2848.
Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of interests and fitness levels. We know your pace may vary from one day to the next—and your traveling companion's may differ somewhat from yours. So we present a range of mileage options, and each day you decide exactly what and how much you want to do.
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| Daily Route Options | ||||||||||
| Day | EASYGOING | ACTIVE | AVID | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Level 4 | Level 5 | ||||||
| miles | feet gain | miles | feet gain | miles | feet gain | miles | feet gain | miles | feet gain | |
| 1 | 10 | 0 | 26 | 0 | ||||||
| 2 | 10* | 0 | 22 | 100 | 39 | 100 | ||||
| Kids: Madurodam Park Visit (2 Hours) | ||||||||||
| 3 | 15 | 0 | 29* | 0 | 49* | 0 | ||||
| 4 | 17* | 0 | 28* | 0 | ||||||
| 5 | 21* | 0 | 64 | 0 | ||||||
| 29* | 0 | |||||||||
| Kids: Chocolate Workshop (2 Hours) | ||||||||||
| 6 | 12 | 0 | ||||||||
Note: On this Family Trip, the routes follow bike paths on mostly level terrain. Liberal van shuttling is incorporated into the itinerary and mileage is moderate to enable you to spend more time exploring on your own.
* Includes shuttle.
Learn more about how we determine our activity levels and fully support a range of abilities and interests.
Please note that our distance and elevation figures come from Ride with GPS. Other sources (such as Map My Ride and Garmin devices) may give differing elevation figures due to different GPS and mapping technologies. Readings from a Garmin or a smart phone are influenced by other factors such as air pressure.
It's one more welcome innovation from a region kids likely know best for windmills, Gouda (but can they pronounce it?) and wooden shoes. Now they're about to learn a whole lot more, riding easygoing routes along dykes and by canals, meeting people who accord bikers of all ages the respect they deserve. After riding in Holland and Belgium for more than 20 years, we have the inside track on great family diversions, plus the best ways to experience all the must-see sights.
When everyone's together, there's lots going on; and when kids' and adults' priorities diverge, it can seem like two different trips. That's why our Family Adventures in Holland and Belgium have three Trip Leaders—including a dedicated Kids Activity Expert who regularly takes younger travelers off to do their own thing. Other companies try to get by with two leaders; we step up and do it right. For more on our family focus, check this out.
We design and support our Holland and Belgium trips to suit mixed abilities and varied interests—so you can set your own pace, then change things up as the day unfolds. And all guests are free to do the same, traveling together or apart, with no one cramping anyone else's style. Which sounds easy in theory, but it's hard to pull off. Here's more on how we do it.
Choose a Backroads Custom Titanium or Custom Electric Assist bike—both are included in your trip price. Maybe a Specialized carbon-fiber pro model is more your speed or go for double fun on a tandem. Our fleet is the best in active travel, so you don't have to roll the dice on this vital trip component. Learn why our titanium bikes are ideal for most riders. See the bike options for this trip.
Your ride comes equipped with a Garmin Edge Explore 1000, the best bike-touring GPS device on the market. This is a Backroads exclusive, and it's included with your bike in Holland and Belgium. If you prefer to bring your own device, we also have downloadable GPS files and of course, our good old paper directions are always available. Read more on why our navigation options are the best.
It may be hard to imagine being on a family trip with no other families on it—but it happens regularly with some companies. On a Backroads Family Adventure there are typically several families on each departure, creating more opportunities for your kids to make new friends as they try fun things together – which is a big part of the experience.
Under our Book with Confidence policy, your Backroads trip will run even for a single family of three or four people, subject to a nominal extra fee. Or transfer to another trip, and we'll give you a credit. It's all part of our trademark commitment to treating guests with integrity, transparency and total accountability. Read all the details.
In Holland and Belgium you head off each morning after choosing among several expertly designed routes—all with detailed directions, mileage and shuttle options. Unlike trips with one fixed daily route (or worse, one guide that everyone's obliged to follow), you're free to enjoy the best of the region at your pace, stopping wherever you want to explore further.
In choosing the ideal experts to enrich your travel experience, we look for people with a wealth of local knowledge, but also the ability to convey their insights in English. Too often travelers find themselves smiling politely, not quite understanding what they're being told. Our experts share intriguing facts, anecdotes and inside stories that stay with you forever.
Backroads is the only active travel company providing two support vans in Holland and Belgium—because we know it's essential to ensure a truly great travel experience. It doubles our ability to be there when you need us to offer hydration, lighten your load or give you a lift if it's time to take a break. Read more on why two vans make all the difference.
Thanks to our extensive connections in Holland and Belgium, Backroads takes you off the beaten track and deep into the region's culture in ways that traditional travel can never hope to do. We know the people and their customs, the legacy of art and architecture, the complex history and politic—and if we're not sure, our amazing local experts can fill in the blanks.
Guests rave about our picnic spreads. Enjoy a welcome break in a scenic spot, or a quick refuel stop if you don't want to lose momentum. And because we have two vans, one can host lunch while the other is out providing support along the route.
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Gather your favorite people to share a Backroads adventure on a ready-to-book Private Trip - featuring all the legendary Backroads hallmarks from expert leaders to unforgettable activities. You can pick from the selection of dates below for your group; some dates are only available for 16 or more guests while other dates are available for 8 or more guests. If your party has fewer than 8 guests, or your preferred date is not available, we'll create a departure just for you. Call or email us to reserve your date.
Click on a date below for specific pricing and possible itinerary variations.
8 AVAILABLE TO BOOK FOR 8 OR MORE GUESTS 16 AVAILABLE TO BOOK FOR 16 OR MORE GUESTS RESERVED
Don't see your ideal travel date? Make a Date! i
Invite your family and friends on an adventure that's entirely your own - for your group of 8 or more. Find out more
I simply can't imagine a better way to immerse yourself in the life of a region, to explore hidden corners and appreciate nuances while enjoying the benefits and enormous satisfaction of traveling under your own power. These are experiences you cannot have behind the wheel of a car, or on a train or a tour bus. Active travel is, at its heart, a way of connecting more authentically with the world. Sure, Backroads provides amazing leaders, superb accommodations and meals, and opportunities you could never arrange on your own. But all of our comprehensive planning and support is aimed at something far simpler: bringing you the immediate, highly personal satisfaction of discovering a new world on your own terms.
— Tom Hale, Founder & President
