De Panne with Kids | Best Things to Do | Where to Stay

De Panne is a small town located along the Belgian coast, which is famous for its sandy beaches, amusement park, and kid-friendly activities. It’s a perfect destination for families who want to enjoy a fun-filled vacation. The town is vibrant and full of life, with numerous cafés and restaurants along the coast. With so many things to do and see, you won’t get bored in De Panne.

Here are our practical tips to help you plan your family visit, including what to do and where to stay in De Panne.

In a Nutshell

• Best hotels
  • Plopsa Hotel is the resort of the amusement park Plopsaland De Panne with themed rooms, an indoor swimming pool, free parking, and family rooms.
  • Parkhotel is 5 minutes from the beach and has a restaurant with an outdoor playground and a garden. Free parking and family rooms are available.

Tip
De Panne and De Haan are our most favorite parts of the Belgian coast!

Where to stay

Apart from the fun activities, De Panne also boasts several kid-friendly hotels and restaurants. The hotels are equipped with all the necessary amenities to make your stay comfortable and enjoyable.

€€€ The Plopsa Hotel is a themed hotel that offers a unique experience for families. The hotel’s themed rooms are perfect for kids who want to experience something different. The hotel also offers parking, breakfast, dinner, and tickets for amusement park Plopsaland and Plopsaqua, which are included in the price.

See photos and availability here

€€ Parkhotel has a restaurant with an outdoor playground and a garden. It’s easy to access Plopsaland De Panne and it’s just 5 minutes walk from the beach. Family rooms are available and there’s private parking.

See photos and availability here

What to Do in De Panne

One of the most popular activities in De Panne is riding a go-cart. It’s a thrilling experience that allows you to explore the town at your own pace. Moreover, you can also have some delicious ice-cream while enjoying the beautiful scenery of the beach. Additionally, there are several jumping castles for kids, which are a great source of entertainment for them.

For those who love nature, De Panne has a small provincial domain where you can enjoy a peaceful walk amidst the lush greenery. Moreover, there is also a farm for kids where they can interact with animals and learn about farming.

In conclusion, De Panne is an ideal vacation spot for families who want to have a good time. With its amusement park, kid-friendly activities, and beautiful beaches, you are sure to have a memorable experience. So, pack your bags and head to De Panne for an exciting and fun-filled vacation.

Fun for kids

Arizona beach playground

There is a fenced, private playground on the beach with jumping castles and trampolines
Zeedijk 87-53, 8660 De Panne

Plopsa De Panne amusement park

There is also Plopsaland, the amusement park (with an indoor amusement park, Maya, and an indoor water park, Plopsaqua, for the rainy days). Here is a post with everything you need to know for Plopsaqua

Go-carts

You can find go-carts all along the Belgian seaside – and De Panne is no exception. You can rent here
Arizona bicycle &go-cart rental
Zeedijk 37, 8660 De Panne

Provincial domain Duinpanne

A small, kids-friendly indoor expo on Sea Change (great as a short activity on a rainy day) and a starting point of some hikes. There is a café and a small playground with sand
Provinciaal bezoekerscentrum Duinpanne
Olmendreef 2, 8660 De Panne

Ferris wheel

There is a Ferris wheel a bit further away. The monolithic sculptures of Jos de Gruyter and Harald Thys look towards France, England and Belgium
Canadezenplein 2, 8660 De Panne

Playgrounds

There is a small playground with sand with a café nearby
Barkenlaan 63, 8660 De Panne

There is also a small playground right next to a big, outdoor free parking
Zonnebloemweg 21, 8660 De Panne

Farm for Kids

Paepehof is a farm for kids with a restaurant, trampolines and a playground
Hoeve Paepehof Kinderboerderij EEtkafee
Veldstraat, 8660 De Panne

Where to Eat with Kids

There are several restaurants along the coast and quite a few with play areas for kids. Besides, the restaurants offer a wide range of cuisines, including local and international dishes, to suit everyone’s taste buds.

Paepehof is a farm for kids with a restaurant, trampolines and a playground
Hoeve Paepehof Kinderboerderij EEtkafee
Veldstraat, 8660 De Panne

Moeder Lambik has an outdoor play area. There is a dog park nearby, at Artiestenpad 189, 8660 De Panne, where your dog can run without a leash
Moeder Lambik
De Pannelaan 185, 8660 De Panne

Parkhotel has a restaurant with an outdoor playground
Parkhotel
Albert Dumontlaan 30, 8660 De Panne

Imperial restaurant has a kids corner with a mini kitchen that’s perfect to keep toddlers busy
Restaurant Imperial De Panne
Leopold I Esplanade 9, 8660 De Panne

Practical Stuff

• Get your spades and buckets with you! There is endless sand 🙂
• Dogs: There are different restrictions for dogs depending on the area of the beach. You can check here to see where your dog is allowed all year round on a leash and where they are prohibited during summer. There is a dog park at Artiestenpad 189, 8660 De Panne, where your dog can run without a leash

Where to Park in De Panne

• You can find an outdoor free parking at Koningsplein here (230 places). There is a small playground next to it (see photos above).
• You can also find free outdoor parking here (180 places). This is a bit further than Koningsplein above, so first try Koningsplein and then this one.
• Park & Ride car park: 400 places, you pay EUR 9 and then all passengers of the car travel to De Panne and back for free.
• You can find more details about the zones in De Panne here and how many hours you are allowed to park at each zone.

Nearby

Shrimp Fishermen on Horseback

Shrimp fishermen on horseback is a tradition for over 500 years that you can see only in Belgium nowadays! You can see them on selected dates in Oostduinkerke, about 10 minutes drive from De Panne

Oostduinkerke

Even if you cannot catch the Shrimp Fishermen, Oostduinkerke is a nice place to spend the day with the long sandy beach, a heated outdoor swimming pool, a playground and ice cream!

Dunkirk 

Dunkirk  features a small zoo, an aquarium, an adventure park and a dino park (coming soon)! See details below until the post is out…

Bio-Topia Fort-Mardyck – Dunkerque (small zoo)
Rue des Droits de l’Homme, 59430 Dunkerque, France

The Camélus – Farm adventures and discoveries
211 Rte d’Uxem, 59254 Ghyvelde, France

Fort Aventures Dunkerque (adventure park with climbing courses, playground)
Rue de Nancy, 59640 Dunkerque, France

Aquarium de Dunkerque
45 Av. du Casino, 59240 Dunkerque, France

More along the Belgian Coast

De Haan

Our favorite part of the Belgian coast is De Haan with a playground on the beach and a nice park with playground, mini golf and brasserie, a huge slide and a speelbos in the dune forest (play area in the forest) and a circus themed outdoor playground with tons of things for kids of all ages – also good for rainy days due to the covered terrasses and the many covered activities

Recommended

Domburg

If you are looking for something closer to nature, then the beaches in the Netherlands are a better option, for example Domburg with an endless, sandy beach with many beach pavillions and lots of activities for kids. Don’t forget to visit De Jonge Johannes, a kids friendly restaurant in Zeeland, with a playground, a kids farm, a huge air trampoline, mini cars and pancakes!

I felt I found gold when I started diving into the Facebook group posts.

Thanks for beeing a real “childhood memories” builder!

Cristina O.

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All places mentioned above are also gathered on the map!
Indoor and outdoor activities, kids friendly cafés/ restaurants, hotels and more all under separate layers

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