As the cheapest theme park in Europe, Pretpark De Valkenier in Valkenburg is an ideal destination for a fun and inexpensive day out with the kids.
Rich history
Founded in 1934, De Valkenier is a nostalgic experience for around four generations of Limburgers, and is practically an indispensable part of Valkenburg. De Valkenier started as a playground and over the years has grown into a modest theme park, which prides itself on being not only the cheapest, but also the oldest in Europe.
Attractions
De Valkenier is better described as a family park than an amusement park. Attractions such as the rollercoaster, moon rocket and haunted house will undoubtedly evoke nostalgic feelings in many a reader, but are nowadays found at every large funfair.
De Valkenier will not appeal to the pampered theme park visitor and will primarily attract families with young children. They will have hours of fun playing in the little helicopters, bumper cars, and on the water slide.
In total, De Valkenier has 23 attractions: 15 outdoor and 8 indoor. All but four of these attractions are suitable for children of all ages.
A fun addition to the attractions are the flyboard shows, which take place every Sunday during the summer months.
Opening hours and admission prices
The park is open daily from April to August, starting at 10:00 AM. In September and October, the park is only open on weekends and during the autumn half-term. De Valkenier is closed for the remaining five months of the year.
Children aged 2 and over and adults pay an entrance fee of €11.95, while a season pass costs just €17.95. This makes De Valkenier relatively expensive for tourists visiting Valkenburg in the summer who want to visit the park once, but relatively inexpensive for locals who want to come more frequently.
Special packages are available for large groups, school trips, and children's parties. For €5.50, you can park your car all day in De Valkenier's own car park. It's difficult to find a free parking spot, as paid parking applies throughout Valkenburg town centre. If you are lucky, you can park for free at Chalet Tivoli at the end of Plenkertstraat, about a 10-minute walk away.
Day out
If you wish, you can easily spend a whole day there, but you can also combine a day with Valkenier with a dip in the neighbouring Konincswinkel outdoor pool (no spelling mistake) or a visit to the tourist centre of Valkenburg. Read more here Day trips met Adrem.
