Zuiderpark

In Charlois, near the well-known Ahoy venue, stretches the vast Zuiderpark. Covering an area equal to 430 football fields, it proudly holds the title of the largest park in the Netherlands. Despite the nearby city bustle, it offers peace, greenery, and endless adventure.

At its heart lies Avontureneiland, a playground filled with slides, climbing frames, and stones to scramble over—perfect for kids of all ages. Parents can relax and watch the joy unfold. For water lovers, there are swimming areas and watersport options, including a small beach for toddlers. The ZAP Zuiderpark Adventure Point rents out canoes, water bubbles, scooters, and more.

Wildlife thrives here. Deer leave tracks in the soft earth and even swim across the water. Buzzards nest near the cemetery, reed warblers sing from the rushes, and at dusk, bats skim across the surface of the ponds.

A walk from the Kromme Zandweg takes you through an old Dutch landscape with stately windmills and the manor house De Olifant. Nearby, the Cultural-Historical Plant Garden shows how the land looked before the city expanded—lush ditches with frogs, wildflower meadows, a quiet forest, and a willow coppice. A long wooden boardwalk cuts through reeds and lilies. Owls, long-tailed tits, and kingfishers call this place home.