Kinderdijk Windmills: The Best Place to See Dutch Windmills

Kinderdijk is one of the most iconic places to see traditional Dutch windmills, and a must-visit if you’re interested in Dutch history and landmarks. Located near Rotterdam in the province of South Holland, it’s easily reachable from anywhere in the country.

In this article, we’ll tell you all you need to know about Kinderdijk, from things to see, the best time to visit, parking and how to make the most of your trip.

Is Kinderdijk Worth Visiting?

If you’d like to see windmills and experience truly Dutch tradition and heritage, Kinderdijk is absolutely worth visiting. For us, it’s that same historical and cultural importance, and the fact that they remain fully functional, that makes Kinderdijk so special! In addition to windmills, the area is beautiful for a long walk or bike trip. It’s this mix of history, culture and charm that makes the windmills of Kinderdijk such a unique and memorable experience.

About Kinderdijk Windmills

Kinderdijk is home to 19 traditional windmills, which line up along the waters of Nederwaard and Overwaard. They were constructed between 1738 and 1740. The Kinderdijk windmills were built as part of a large water management system to prevent flooding in the Alblasserwaard polder.

Each windmill has its own story and character, which makes this place so remarkable and full of history. As you enter the site, you’ll walk on a long path in between the waterways, with windmills lining both sides of the river. If you pay close attention, you can see that the mills on the right side look different from the ones on the left side of the river.

There was a two-year gap between their construction, reflecting different stages of the area’s water management development. The mills on the right side of the river (when coming from the main entrance) were built in 1738 and have brick bodies. Those on the left were built in 1740 and are covered with thatch (reed). The choice of materials wasn’t just aesthetic. Reed is more flammable, which is why the windmills on the left come with a small separate building nearby that was used for open fires, such as baking bread.

When an electric pumping station was built for water management around 1950, the windmills became redundant. Nevertheless, they remain fully functional today! In fact, all the mills are required to be operated regularly in order to stay in working condition. Those windmills that are not open to visitors are rented out (yes, they’re actually homes!). People living in them must be certified millers (molenaars) to operate them properly.

The windmills of Kinderdijk are an important part of the cultural heritage of the Netherlands and have been a UNESCO site since 1997 for their outstanding example of Dutch water management and the unique system of windmills, dikes and pumping stations that have kept the low-lying land dry for centuries. The site attracts visitors from around the globe.

Things to Do in Kinderdijk

Windmill Museums

Of the 19 windmills, two are open to the public and offer a glimpse into what daily life looked like centuries ago. When visiting the windmills, you can clearly see how people used to live. In the 18th and 19th centuries, people at Kinderdijk were mostly self-sufficient. Each mill comes with a garden where families grew their own food, kept animals, and produced much of what they needed on-site, such as bread and cheese.

Inside the museum mill, you can see the original living quarters. The interior may appear small, but it was arranged cleverly to fit an entire family. The museum mills are beautifully furnished with historical objects.

Pumping Station

In addition to the mills, there’s a modern exhibition on site. It’s hosted at the pumping station, which is on the left-hand side as you enter the site. The pumping station is a modern exhibition that explains the history of Kinderdijk and technology of Dutch water management. We recommend that you visit the pumping station before or after your visit to the mills.

Boat Trip

Kinderdijk windmills are all about water management. Seeing them from the water allows you to experience them from a different perspective. There are two different boat tours at Kinderdijk.

The first is a non-stop cruise that lasts around 30 minutes. It departs from the visitor center and takes you to the last windmill and back. You’ll enjoy beautiful views of the iconic mills lining the water. The tour comes with a live guide on board who shares stories and background information about the windmills. We highly recommend getting on board this tour before or after visiting the mills, as it truly adds to your experience. The cruise is included in the ticket price (more on that below).

The second is a hop-on-hop-off boat tour. It brings you from the visitor center to the museum mill, where you can get off. It’s certainly a great shortcut for those who can’t walk.

Kinderdijk Light Festival (Verlichtingsweek)

If you’re visiting Kinderdijk in early September, don’t miss out on the Kinderdijk Light Festival (Verlichtingsweek). The event takes place from Monday through Saturday of the first full week of September. During that week, the iconic windmills are beautifully illuminated by floodlights each evening. The glowing mills create a magical and atmospheric scene that draws visitors and photographers from all over. It’s a rare opportunity to experience Kinderdijk in a completely different light!

Travel Planning Tips

Best Time to Visit

While Kinderdijk is beautiful year-round, the best time to visit is in spring and autumn. That’s when temperatures are moderate, and the site isn’t as crowded as during the summer months. Additionally, Kinderdijk is an open area with quite a bit of sun (not much shade), so visiting during moderate temperatures makes it more pleasant than on hot summer days. This is especially true if you’re planning on going for a long walk or bike ride in the area. While spring and autumn are ideal, summer can still be a lovely time to go, but do expect more visitors and keep in mind the warmer temperatures.

Tickets & Prices

What’s good to know is that Kinderdijk is a public place, and walking around the mills is free. If you’d just like to see the mills from the outside and walk along the paths between the mills without entering the windmills, you don’t need to purchase a ticket. Just walk right past the ticket office through the official entrance of the site.

However, you’ll need a ticket if you want to visit the mills from the inside. If it’s your first time at Kinderdijk, we recommend purchasing a ticket to see the gardens and living quarters of the historical windmills, not just the outside. As of 2026, Kinderdijk tickets are €21.00 per person (adults) and €9.00 for children (aged 4-12 years). Tickets include a visit to both museum mills, boat tours, the pumping station and an audioguide.

Opening Hours

Kinderdijk is open daily, except on Christmas (December 25th). The public areas (paths between the windmills) are always open. From March to November, the mills are open Monday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. During the winter months (November through February), opening hours are from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Dogs at Kinderdijk

Dogs are allowed in Kinderdijk but must be kept on a leash. Dogs are not allowed inside the museum mill, which makes sense given their size and historical character. However, they are welcome on both boat tours (the cruise and the hop-on-hop-off tour).

How to Get There

The nearest major cities from Kinderdijk are Dordrecht, the oldest city in Holland (about 15 km away) and Rotterdam (about 20 km away). Kinderdijk can be conveniently reached by car as well as by public transportation.

Travel by Car & Parking

If you’re planning to drive to Kinderdijk, there are a few things you should know about parking.

There are a few parking spots (around 20–25) directly in front of the entrance to Kinderdijk. These are limited and tend to fill up quickly. As of 2026, a parking day ticket is €9.75. The official Kinderdijk parking is located nearby, in the village of Alblasserdam. It’s a very large car park with plenty of space that belongs to the site. The price is the same (currently €9.75) and includes a free shuttle service that takes you non-stop to the main entrance of Kinderdijk and back.

• Address Kinderdijk entrance: Nederwaard 1b, 2961 AS Kinderdijk
• Address Kinderdijk official car park: Marineweg 3, 2952 BX Alblasserdam

Between March and October, most parking spots along the streets in the village are reserved for residents during opening hours to help prevent congestion. Outside these hours and during the winter months, visitors (non-residents) are allowed to park here.

If you’re looking for free parking during peak season, you’ll find some on-street parking spots in Alblasserdam, close to the city border with Kinderdijk village. From there, it’s about a 20-minute walk to the entrance along a scenic path by the river. Keep in mind that spots are limited (and also used by residents), so it requires a bit of luck.

We personally prefer the paid parking spots at the Kinderdijk entrance as they are the most convenient (getting there early is key). However, we’ve also parked at the official car park and used the free shuttle service, which we found to be a great option too, especially during peak season.

By Boat from Rotterdam

Are you planning on visiting Kinderdijk from Rotterdam? Then you can get there by waterbus! From Rotterdam, take waterbus line 21 (departing at Erasmus Bridge), which takes you to Kinderdijk in about 30 minutes. It’s not only a fast way to get to Kinderdijk but also a wonderful experience.

Walking & Biking in Kinderdijk

The greater area around Kinderdijk is a wonderful place for both walking and biking. Like much of the Netherlands, Kinderdijk is mostly flat, offering fantastic views of the wide open green fields and the countless small waterways that surround the area.

On one of our recent trips, we parked in Alblasserdam and biked to Kinderdijk along the polder cycling routes. The ride takes about 30 minutes and is well worth it. You can easily extend your bike trip by cycling along the river Lek.

If you’re more in the mood for a walking route that covers the highlights of Kinderdijk (all the windmills) as well as some surrounding nature, we highly recommend the Rondje Kinderdijk, which takes about 1.5 hours to complete.

In the Area

Kinderdijk is a small village in the province of South Holland, southeast of Rotterdam. If you’re into cities, be sure to plan a day trip to Rotterdam. If you’d like to spend a day at the beach, you could head to Goeree-Overflakkee (part of South Holland province) or Zeeland (e.g., Domburg or Renesse). For nature lovers, National Park De Biesbosch (near Dordrecht) is a good place to be. As Kinderdijk is located in the Randstad (a densely populated area in the west of the country), you can easily continue your trip north to visit famous places such as Leiden, Keukenhof (tulip garden), and even Amsterdam.

Share Your Feedback & Questions

Have you ever been to Kinderdijk or are you planning to visit soon? Share your experience and questions in the comment section down the page. We’d love to hear from you!