South Holland attractions

One of Belgium’s top outlet shopping destinations, Maasmechelen Village is home to over 100 boutiques and restaurants, with designer duds trading at 30 to 60% off list price. Individual buildings mimic local architectural styles, creating a characterful open-air feel that’s miles away from the traditional covered mall.

The Netherlands Photo Museum (Nederlands Fotomuseum) is a haven for photography enthusiasts, with over 100,000 images available to browse in its digital collection spanning more than a century. Exhibits featuring photos from the millions in the museum archives, plus temporary photography shows, are held throughout the year.

Winding through Leiden’s historical quarter, the Leiden Rhine is one of the city’s most picturesque features. As it flows through the canal-woven old district, it splits into the Old Rhine (Oudje Rijn) and New Rhine (Nieuwe Rijn) before converging again, expanding the opportunity to cruise its waters, enjoy floating restaurants, and stroll cobbled banks past bridges, windmills, and gabled houses.

Inscribed on buildings, walls, and bridges, the Wall Poems of Leiden were initiated in 1992 by the city’s poetry-loving Tegen-Beeld Foundation to bring beautiful words into the lives of locals and visitors. Stroll this charming university city to see over 100 literary gems by greats like Shakespeare, Rimbaud and Basho—all scripted in their original languages.

If you're interested in how ports work or simply want to spend some time out on the sea, a boat visit to Rotterdam's FutureLand visitor information center might be just the ticket. Here you can view the massive port, tour it via VR, sign your child up for a workshop, or dine in one of many on-site restaurants.

Museumgoers of varying ages and interests will find something of intrigue at the popular The Hague Museum of Photography (Fotomuseum Den Haag), which presents around four to six diverse exhibits every year. Conveniently located next door to the Kunstmuseum Den Haag, it’s an essential stop for travelers seeking a comprehensive artistic experience in The Hague.

Den Haag’s hypermodern science museum, one of the Dutch city’s top family-friendly attractions, succeeds at its mission of being both educational and fun. A very hands-on affair, Museon has plenty of buttons to press, smells to sniff, and movies to watch in the permanent exhibition, which deals with the development of life on Earth.

Designed by US architect Richard Meier, The Hague City Hall (Stadhuis) is one of the city’s most striking buildings and a must-see for fans of contemporary architecture. Finished in the mid-1990s, the city hall stands out from The Hague’s historic cityscape, its white and glass exterior earning it the nickname the “Ice Palace.”