Haren, Nederland

We live in the village of Haren, just 7 km (4.4 miles) from the city centre of GRONINGEN (7 minutes by train or bus).
And only 2 hours by train, you're in the middle of the city of AMSTERDAM!!
Also a visit to Germany is an option: OLDENBURG (1 hour by car) or BREMEN (only 2 hours by car).

We live in a nice family house in Haren. It's a semi detached house. It's also a nice place for kids: Lots of space to play outside, a nice garden where they can play and there are also a couple of nice playgardens in the neighbourhood, clean air and not so many traffic.

In the village are beautiful houses and a very nice village centre. Since 1910 rich people from Groningen build their houses in the village and therefore there are many old villas in Haren. If you come to Haren, you must visit the botanical garden. It's the largest botanical garden of the Netherlands. It's founded by the university of Groningen. Nice to walk around, also for kids. Our younghest one loves to go there. His favorites are the chinese garden (he calls it the nina garden ; ) and the rocky garden. You can bring food and have a picknick for instance.
In 2006 Haren became the greenest village of the Netherlands, because of the pretty gardens and trees. Nearby the village there's are two lakes ('Paterwoldsemeer': http://www.paterswoldsemeer.nl/ and the 'Zuidlaardermeer' http://www.zuidlaardermeer.nl/) where you can swim (visit the beaches), sail or hire a boat or canoe. And Haren has also a swiming pool (newly renovated) (http://www.zwembadscharlakenhof.nl/)

THE COUNTRYSIDE:
Haren is situated on the edge of the (only Dutch) Geoparc of UNESCO, Geoparc de Hondsrug (http://www.unesco.org/new/en/natural-sciences/environment/earth-sciences/global-geoparks/members) & (http://www.geoparkdehondsrug.nl/nl/p/)
South of Haren there's this beautiful area to go walking or cycling in the countryside and really picturesque (!) villages of Drenthe (http://proef.drenthe.nl/nl) and the many musea in the area:
Windmill museum: http://www.dewachter.nl/wordpress/,
the ancient stones museum: http://www.hunebedcentrum.eu/,
the historic fortress: http://www.bourtange.nl/ .... etc!! Many things to do for kids in this 3 musea (like helping the baker to make bread or helping to shoot a canon), very childfriendly musea!
To explore the countryside by bike or by walking there are many routes to follow: http://geoparkdehondsrugwandelcafes.nl/haren/

THE CITY OF GRONINGEN:
Groningen is a very characteristic and lively university town.
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/the-netherlands/the-north-and-east/groningen-city
Groningen has beautiful architecture and history. It's one of the studentscities of the Netherlands. So it's a very lively city. In the Netherlands many people go by bike, but Groningen is called bikecity of the Netherlands. So ... everyone is on the bike! There are also nice musea (Museum of Art of Groningen: http://www.groningermuseum.nl/ , Historical shipping museum http://www.hetscheepvaartmuseum.nl/, Graphic Art Museum http://www.gr-id.nl/nl/museum ETC..!).
Admire the city from the top of the new librarybuilding (also the touristinformation in this building), by bike, by tour boat (rondvaartbedrijfkool.nl/) or take a nice walk. And of course Gronigen has many nice places to eat or drink.
We have many more information for you of things to do and to go in the city at our home.

THE ISLANDS OF THE NETHERLANDS: Haren is in the north of the Netherlands and therefor it's easily to visit an island. It's about one hour drive (or go with public transport) to the ferryboat, to the island 'Schiermonnikoog' (or the German island 'Borkum') The dutch island of Schiermonnikoog has beautifull nature and a pitoresque village. You can rent a bike over there and explore the island. There aren't much cars on the island, only inhabitants are promited to take their cars to the island, so it's really a bike and wander-island. The north side of the island is all sandy beach. Very nice to go to with kids and to swim in the sea. Information of the island of Schitermonnikoog at: https://www.visitwadden.nl/en/regions/schiermonnikoog. To enjoy the island more, you could book a room for one night at the only hotel at the island (they also have familyrooms): https://www.bernstorff.nl/nl/contact.html (the internetpage only is in Dutch, but you can mail or call them for more information)

THE WADDENSEA - UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE
https://www.waddensea-worldheritage.org/
The Wadden Sea is the largest tidal flats system in the world, where natural processes proceed largely undisturbed. It extends along the coasts of Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands.For its globally unique geological and ecological values the Wadden Sea is listed by UNESCO as World Heritage. Nowhere else in the world is there such a dynamic landscape with a multitude of habitats, shaped by wind and tides. Global biodiversity is reliant on the Wadden Sea.
You should visit he island of 'Schiermonnikoog' of course ; ) Then you will pass the Waddensea by ferry to the island.
But you could also book a tour to see the seals and to walk on the bottom of the sea when the tide is low. Information and booking at: https://www.lauwersoog.nl/en/activities/sealtour
And also nice to do is to go on a fishingtour on the bottom of the sea, for instance to find oysters or go on a plastic safari to clean the area from garbidge. Afterwards you can eat over for fresh fish or oysters from the sea. Information and bookings at: https://wadvistochten.nl/ (choose 'translate our website to' for english at the left of the internetpage)

THE FRYSIAN WATERS - THE DUTCH LAKE DISTRICT
You can rent a boat and follow the guided tour from 'Koudum' to the antique city of 'Hinderloopen'. You can see the country from the waterside and be part of the watertourisme in the summer for one day. Very nice to do with kids also! Our kids loved it. The tour brings you throug canals to the small pitoresque city of 'Hinderloopen'. Hindeloopen is one of the smaller Frisian eleven cities with its own unique atmosphere. The greater part of the Hindeloopen male population was somehow involved in Scandinavian and Russian trade and shipping during the 17th and 18th century and it was therefor a flourishing town. The town owned a big fleet of over 100 ships sailing the oceans. In Museum Hindeloopen you can find more things worth knowing about the Hindeloopen domestic culture throughout the ages. The old harbour is still the vibrant scene of the greater part of everyday life. Hinderloopen was first on the sea, but with the construction of the 'Afsluitdijk' the sea became the lake called 'the IJsselmeer'.

PLACES TO GO WITH KIDS:
The petting zoo 2 min from our house: http://www.mikkelhorst.nl/. It has a a very nice playground, nice playgarden in our street, the soccerground of "Koeman" (The Koeman brothers spend their childhood in our neighboorhood. Ronald Koeman has been the nationcoach of the Dutch footballteam and coach of FC Barcelona)
or go swiming in the swimingpool of Haren (http://www.zwembadscharlakenhof.nl/)

Next to visiting the island of Schiermonnikoog, riding a bike, look for seals, rent a boat and explore, you can also:
You can go to the nostalgic fairytail playground in Zuidlaren, especially suiteble for small children till 8 years old (http://sprookjeshof.nl/),
the windmill museum: http://www.dewachter.nl/wordpress/,
the walkingtrack on top of the trees (http://www.staatsbosbeheer.nl/activiteiten/hondsrug/boomkroonpad.aspx),
go climbing in the climbingparc https://breakout-grunopark.nl/activiteiten-groningen/activiteit/op-het-droge/klimpark/
(toysmuseum http://museumkinderwereld.nl/) ... etc! (We have many information to do with kids over here!)
There is also a nice family amusement Park, at about 3/4 hour driving ('www.duinenzathe.nl'),
visit the Zoo in Emmen (http://www.dierenparkemmen.nl/)
Or you can walk a (childrens)trail, barefoot (www.blotevoetenpad.nl), a real adventure on the countryside! ... etc.