windmill island - de zwaan windmill

We spent about 3 hours here in the morning. Took the tour of the windmill (you can go all the way to the top and learn about engineering and human ingenuity), grounds, museum, and observed the dutch folk dance also. An enjoyable time and great way to start the day in Holland. This site has it all, including unique plants/greenhouse and a nature preserve. Recommended for any visit to Holland.

It was nice for us to enter the Windmill Island. We were warmly welcomed and it gave us a little taste of the Netherlands. They had a row of houses with the Dutch look. The first one illustrated some aspects of the Netherlands in the past.Their biggest treat is the Zwaan windmill, that was bought directly from the Netherlands. It had to be pulled apart for transportation and reassembled according to the directions. The only Dutch windmill outside of the Netherlands. We were even able to enjoy watching some Dutch dances.The tour guides were quite knowledgeable and explained everything to the detail.The gardens had numerous gorgeous flowers and trees. I sure loved it!When we were visiting inside one of their houses, reading about the history of this place, it started to pour. Interestingly enough, it stopped after 10 minutes, just at the moment we wanted to go back outside. After the downpour the sun showed up and everything was beautified.They have even a store where you can buy some Dutch goods. Don't miss the Stroopwafels, they are super delicious!It's a perfect spot for wedding venues!We stayed there for 2 hour and a half and enjoyed every bit of it.

I have never taken the tour, only kayaked around the island. I had no idea how gigantic this mill is, pictures do not give it justice. The tulips in the spring are also an added bonus.

I liked that it was not an artificial Entertainment park, but actually very authentic. It is a nice place to visit with the whole family. The Mill tour is interesting, you can have a nice walk through the park and afterwards buy some dutch specialties (yummy!) in the gift shop. Kids love the animals. Overall nice activity for Holland besides enjoying the beach...

Strolling along the trails & canal is lovely with all the flowers. The windmill tour was interesting, then followed by a dutch dance. The shops look like an authentic old dutch village.

These gardens were beautifully maintained. So many different flowers! Many I have never seen. It's near the downtown area to add some shopping or other attractions to the day.

This is downtown off of 8th st. Very nice place to take children and adult's as well. Best to go during the month of May so you are here for the TULIP TIME PARADE. There is alot to see AND THE FLOWER'S ARE SO BEAUTIFUL. Adult's enjoy this as much if not more than the children do. You will love seeeing Dutch Costume's all around as there is dancer's as well as those employee's in cosume. If you live with in a few hour's distance it is worth a day trip to come ans see, but the best month is May.

Impressive windmill, great flowers, nice play area for children, and room for kids to run. The Windmill is an authentic Dutch working windmill with interesting tours.

While Windmill Island isn't an entertainment center, it has gorgeous gardens, easy walking trails, not too long, of course the beautiful Windmill, which does grind flour. Higly recommend seeing this historic treasure and the gardens surrounding it. There are a few small shops, and a small play area for smaller children and their beautifully restoried merry go round. A must see while you are in Holland.

I visted here as child and remembered it so well and wanted to back as an adult to by my self a pair of wooden shoes I could wear. As a Kid my parents would only by me the small size to put on my dresser. So I went back with 2 of my friends for the tulip festival it was great ( beautiful) and I got my wooden shoes too!!!!!!!!!!!!

Very nice island with landscaping even when the tulips are not in season. Staff very knowledgeable and accommodating. Would recommend to visitors! Enjoyed the visit.

It was mid week so not crowded. We headed directly for the windmill and had a very informative guide but the miller was working this day. The guide lead us up several flights of stairs telling stories all the way to the milling stones. The gardens were lovely but certainly starting to decline at this time of the year. We thought the $8 admission price was a little high for what was on the grounds. But we thought the wooden bowls in the shop were a great value, $15 for an 8 inch bowl and $20 for a 10 inch bowl.

The history of the island and windmill was interesting and the landscaping was beautiful. We were there off season, but this draws a huge crowd during the tulip season in the spring.

The DeZwaan Windmill is beautiful. The employees were very helpful and full of Dutch information. Did you know that pointed wooden shoes are for fishermen and the rounded shoes were worn by farmers? Alisa the miller was interesting to watch as she set up the windmill. The grounds are lovely and the shops were adequate. We enjoyed our time at the Windmill Gardens. As mentioned by another review..there are quite a few stairs which would limit the De Zwaan Windmill to those capable of climbing stairs.

The windmill produces flour in 50lb bags and a woman runs this mill by herself. She was there the day we visited and our guide explain how physically hard she works and the amazing feats she performs to operate the mill. We really enjoyed the history of the mill and we enjoyed the village with the music and walking the grounds. If we would have been there in May the tulip gardens would have been beautiful. However the gardens were still very nice and well groomed. Enjoyed it very much.