My first trip to Belgium was actually senior year of college. I convinced some girlfriends to take advantage of cheap flights to Germany and Poland for Spring break. During our final few days in Cologne I talked everyone into taking the train to Liége, Belgium for the evening to get authentic Belgium waffles and beer before we flew home.
Why Belgium?
This post will focus on our family trip to Belgium for Spring Break 2024 when my kids were two and four. We decided to break up a trip to the Netherlands with a stop in Belgium. We picked Brussels as our home base because it was an easy train ride from Amsterdam, and would enable us to take a day trip to Bruges too.
Planning for Belgium:
When planning our trip to the Netherlands and Belgium we knew we wanted an accommodation with a kitchen for a few days of the trip so we were not asking the kids to eat dinner at a restaurant every night for over a week away from home. We found the Hilton Garden Inn Brussels City Centre had a family suite with kitchen and offered free breakfast too.
We did not plan activities in advance for this trip because of the kid’s ages. We did not want to book anything in advance and then be unable to do it because of a meltdown or spontaneous stroller nap. We had an idea of things we wanted to do like eat a ton of waffles, drink some Belgium beer, and see the Grand-Place, but did not book anything prior to our departure.
Experience in Belgium:
A morning train from Amsterdam to Brussels started our Belgium adventure. We were able to drop our bags at the Hilton, and begin exploring the city. Our first stop was the Speeltuin Poort van Halle-Vanderschrick playground two blocks from the hotel. This playground was really incredible with a castle theme, lots of places to run around, a slide and some climbing areas too. We then enjoyed an outdoor lunch at Gusto Petit which was across the street from the playground. After everyone filled their bellies we were able to continue to explore the city. We really loved the waffles at Maison Dandoy for our first taste of Belgium waffles as a family.
A day exploring mini-Europe and the Atomium on the outskirts of Brussels ended up being a highlight of the trip for the kids. They enjoyed standing on a rumbling board seeing a fake volcano eruption, and then using their Digital Camera’s to take pictures of all of the mini European buildings. It was a fun way for the kids to burn off energy at some place that was also entertaining for adults. The knight climbing up the side of a castle was a highlight for everyone to see.
The Atomium part of the day was quite the experience with colored lights and a 1950’s futuristic vibe to the interior of the exhibit. There were lots of different levels to the structure, which kept the kids excited to see what was next. After an action-packed day we were grateful to be able to relax and eat dinner in the hotel so the kids could decompress and we did not have to worry about them being exhausted while eating dinner at a restaurant.
We also took the train to Bruges from Brussels for a day trip. It was such a picturesque city that I wish we had spent more time there during our trip. The kids really enjoyed taking a canal cruise to see the city, and there were also some playgrounds like Koningin Astridpark with incredible views of churches and other architecture behind the play area.
Hands down though the best part of Bruges was the beer and Easter chocolate. We stopped in several chocolate shops to get easter eggs to fuel the kids during our exploration of the city. Leonidas ended up being our favorite brand, and we have even ordered it back at home for a treat.
Before taking the train back to Brussels we made sure to stock up on beer at the Bottle Shop in Burges because it had such an incredible selection of beer. It was a bit of a heavy walk from the main part of the city to the train station at the end of the day. One child fell asleep in the Minu Stroller, and the other slept on my back in the Ergobaby Carrier as we transported the kids, some beer and chocolate back to the train station for our ride to Brussels.
Lessons Learned:
While Brussels was an easy train ride from Amsterdam, we may have had a more beautiful trip staying in Bruges and doing a day trip to Brussels rather than what we planned. While we enjoyed our time in Brussels, it was so hard to say goodbye to Bruges after only a day.
Travel Gear:
At ages two and four, Window Stickers were a huge source of enjoyment for the kids. They covered the mirror in our suite with the stickers after a long day of exploring and were able to stay entertained while we got dinner prepared.
We also packed some sippy cups, and kid silverware which was helpful for our dinners in the hotel.
Also, our Ergobaby Carrier was essential for this trip. We decided to forgo naps at the hotel, and frequently had one or both kids napping in the stroller or in the carrier while we explored.
Check out my travel gear page for a full list of my recommendations. Please know I can make a commission from products that help offset the cost of maintaining this blog.
Final Thoughts:
Belgium has such a fun mix of food and culture. Mini-Europe was an unexpected hit with the kids, and everyone enjoyed eating as many waffles as our stomachs could handle. I can’t wait to go back and see more of Belgium.
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