Kinderdijk
One of our memorable stops out of Amsterdam on our ten-day Tulip Cruise through Netherlands and Belgium was Kinderdijk. This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is a fantastic education on the evolution of windmills.
There is not much to Kinderdijk except the walkways around the nineteen windmills that make up the site, so take your time exploring. There was a public restroom, but I don’t recall any restaurants close by. The area is accessible, but watch out for bikers.
A word on bicyclers in Netherlands…. apparently, they rule the road in Netherlands and even if they run you over (not kidding here), there is little recourse. We had a near miss here as Mom has a hearing disability and the small bell on bikes is inaudible. The bicyclist was going way too fast for a historic area and nearly hit us. Just keep an eye out and know that they will not stop and will likely have several choice words for you if you are blocking the path.
The Kinderdijk windmills were built around 1740 to keep the low-lying land of the Alblasserwaard dry. They pumped water out of the polders (reclaimed land below sea level) into nearby rivers and canals.Today the windmills are kept in working order and some are inhabited, but they are no longer used for water management. It takes about three hours to walk both sides of the waterway, and we were able to go inside several windmills and look at the furnished interior which was very interesting. There are also several different styles of windmills here, all with their own features.
It is a very peaceful and beautiful site, don’t forget to bring your camera to take some iconic photos of old Netherlands here. Definitely recommend this site as a day trip out of Amsterdam.
Where we stayed: Onboard a river vessel. The boat had an elevator, but some of the decks are split level with thresholds.
How we got there: Sailed from Amsterdam.This was part of a ten-day river cruise at Tulip Season, beginning in Amsterdam, cruising through Belgium and ending in Amsterdam.
General Accessibility Information: See notes above. Major tourist sites, newer hotels, transportation and most cities are accessible. Many museums offer free or discounted admission for people with disabilities and their caregivers. Accessible travel services offer mobility equipment, accessible hotels, and customized tours. Historic parts of cities may have cobbled streets, and some restaurants may have narrow corridors. Call in advance to verify and make specialty arrangements. See our sections on specialty apps and accessible travel for more on accessibility assistance.
