|

Pella, Iowa with Kids: 15 Family-Friendly Things to Do

Loving This Adventure contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through my links—at no extra cost to you. Loving This Adventure is also a member of the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. If you make a purchase using one of these Amazon links, I may receive compensation at no extra cost to you. See my Disclosure Policy and for more information.

Pella, Iowa, is a picture-perfect small town known for its Dutch heritage, colorful tulips, and small-town charm.

Just 45 minutes from Des Moines, it’s one of the easiest (and most worthwhile) day trips you can take with kids in Iowa.

It’s the kind of place that feels like it could be the setting for a Hallmark movie—quaint streets, beautiful architecture, and a warm, welcoming atmosphere.

Whether you visit during the Pella Tulip Time Festival in May, on a sunny summer afternoon, crisp fall day, or for holiday events in December, Pella offers plenty of family-friendly activities year-round.

From touring a towering working windmill to sampling Dutch pastries, exploring hands-on museums, and finding hidden photo spots, there’s something here for all ages.

After visiting many times with my four boys, here are the best things to do in Pella with kids—plus a few insider tips to make your trip easy, memorable, and worth it.

Large black metal sundial in Pella, Iowa’s Central Park, surrounded by vibrant purple, yellow, and orange tulips during Tulip Time. Blooming trees and historic downtown buildings are visible in the background under a partly cloudy blue sky.

1. Attend the Pella Tulip Time Festival

Each spring, Pella celebrates its Dutch heritage with one of Iowa’s most beloved events—the Pella Tulip Time Festival.

Held the first Thursday–Saturday in May, this three-day celebration includes:

  • Two parades each day
  • Performances on the Tulip Time stage
  • Historic wagon tours
  • Streets lined with thousands of colorful tulips
Close-up view of vibrant pink tulips in full bloom during Tulip Time in Pella, Iowa, with sunlight streaming through the petals. A large tree with fresh green leaves towers in the background under a bright blue sky.

It’s free to attend, but you’ll want to bring cash or a card for food vendors, museum admission, and tours.

Mom Tip: Crowds can be large, and parking fills up quickly. Plan to park in a residential area and walk several blocks. Bring a stroller or wagon for younger kids.

Two women and a young child pose in front of a large “Greetings from Tulip Time, Pella, Iowa” mural, featuring colorful tulips and a windmill illustration, during the Tulip Time Festival.

Insider Tip: If you want to avoid the biggest crowds but still enjoy the stunning tulip displays, visit a few days to a week before the festival. Most blooms will be already at their peak. You can check the tulip bloom status map on the City of Pella website or follow their Facebook page for the latest updates.

2. Explore Historic Downtown Pella

Downtown Pella feels like a movie set with its flower-filled window boxes, beautiful old-world architecture, and brick streets.

We always pop into at least one of the Dutch bakeries while we’re here—it’s practically a rite of passage in Pella!

The famous Dutch letters and almond pastries are worth the hype, though my boys usually go for a big cookie or another fun treat. (More on our favorite bakeries below.)

After your snack, wander through the specialty and gift shops, or let the kids pick out a small souvenir.

There are plenty of benches if you want to sit and enjoy your treats while soaking in the charming downtown atmosphere.

People ordering dutch letters and other pastries inside of Jaarsma bakery in Pella
Front window and sign for Vanderploeg Bakery in Pella.

3. Stroll Through Central Park

Right in the heart of downtown, Central Park is a beautiful spot to start your visit.

  • See the historical fountain and Tulip Time Monument
  • Snap a photo at the Pella Sundial
  • Let the kids run around while you enjoy the landscaping

There’s free parking around the park and nearby streets.

Brick pathway lined with colorful tulips in full bloom leading to the Tulip Time monument in Pella, Iowa. Two children stand near the flowers on the right, with people walking toward the monument under a bright blue sky with scattered clouds.
Two children run up the steps toward the tall Tulip Time monument in Pella, Iowa, featuring two vertical columns topped with the city crest and “Tulip Time” sign. Trees and a partly cloudy blue sky frame the background.

4. Grab a Treat at Jaarsma Bakery or Vander Ploeg Bakery

No trip to Pella is complete without a stop at Jaarsma Bakery or Vander Ploeg Bakery.

Both are famous for their Dutch letters, almond patties, and melt-in-your-mouth cookies, and each has its own loyal fans.

My kids love pressing their noses against the bakery cases to choose a treat which usually consists of some sort of cookie or decorative cupcake!

These bakeries are also a great place to pick up edible souvenirs to take home.

Front exterior of Jaarsma Bakery in Pella, Iowa, with its red brick facade, large white-framed windows, and hanging green and yellow Dutch-style bakery sign.

5. Tour the Vermeer Windmill

Step inside the tallest working windmill in North America!

Built in Holland and reassembled in Pella, the Vermeer Windmill is five floors of history and fascinating details.

Close-up, upward view of the Vermeer Windmill in Pella, Iowa, showing its shingled exterior and large white blades set against a clear blue sky.

The guided tour starts at the top and works its way down:

  • See the grindstones in action
  • Explore the miller’s living quarters
  • Visit the windmill museum
  • Peek into a miniature Dutch village from the 1840s (a favorite with kids)

When my kids were younger, they loved the miniature village and watching the huge blades turn.

Now that a couple of them are a bit older, they’ve enjoyed the tour even more—coming up with their own questions for the guide and finding little details that fascinate them on each floor.

Good to Know: There are a lot of stairs, so strollers and wagons must stay in the gift shop.

  • Outside view of the Vermeer Windmill in Pella, Iowa
  • Inside look at the Vermeer Windmill with a tour guide
  • Miniature village depicting life in the Netherlands in the 1840s.

6. Watch the Klokkenspel

The Klokkenspel is a musical clock with dancing figures that perform several times a day.

You’ll watch the first half from Franklin Street and the second half from the courtyard behind the breezeway.

Mom Tip: Check the sign under the breezeway for showtimes so you don’t miss it.

  • View of the Klokkenspel from Franklin Street in Pella, Iowa
  • Courtyard behind the Klokkenspel in Pella. Flowers, benches, and murals painted on the walls of this courtyard.
  • Informational sign for the Klokkenspel including performance times and information about the Klokkenspel figures.
  • Dutch tiles scene on the side of a brick building in Pella, Iowa

    • 7. Visit Molengracht Plaza

    Right behind the Klokkenspel, Molengracht Plaza looks like something straight out of the Netherlands, complete with a canal and working drawbridge.

    It’s a perfect photo spot and a peaceful place to take in the scenery before grabbing lunch.

  • View of the Pella Canal and the working drawbridge
  • View of the Pella Canal with the New Amsterdam Hotel in the background
  • View of the Pella Canal with trees hanging over it
  • View of the Pella Canal and the New Amsterdam Hotel in Molengracht Plaza.
  • Liberty Kitchen outdoor seating area in Molengracht Plaza in Pella

    • 8. Explore the Pella Historical Village

    Located at the same spot as the Vermeer Windmill Tour, the Pella Historical Village is a hands-on history lesson with 22 historic buildings, costumed mannequins, and interactive exhibits.

    There is a separate admission price for the Historical Village, but I highly recommend exploring it if you haven’t before—it’s actually very kid-friendly.

    Kid favorites include:

    • 1850s working bakery
    • General store with a shopping list activity for different age groups—kids fill out fun questions as they explore the shelves, making it a super engaging stop
    • Puppet theater
    • Koi pond near the mill and blacksmith shop
    Shopping list activity for kids of different ages with pencils in a glass jar at the General Store in Pella's Historical Village.

    Mom Moment: My kids could spend forever at the puppet theater, making up silly shows for anyone who will watch. The koi pond is another favorite—they name the fish every time like they’re old friends.

    Kids putting on a puppet show at Pella's Historical Village Museum

    Your ticket allows you to come and go throughout the day, so you can take a lunch break and return later.

    • Outside of Pella's Historical Village with brick walkways and the Vermeer windmill in the background
    • Cardboard cutout of the wife of a general store owner in the general store at the Pella Historical Village
    • Costumed mannequins from the Netherlands

    9. Visit the Scholte House Museum & Gardens

    The historic home of Pella’s founder, Hendrik Scholte, is filled with beautiful antiques and artifacts.

    The gardens are especially gorgeous in spring and summer, and even if you don’t want to pay for admission to tour the home, you can still walk through the garden for free.

    10. See a Show at the Pella Opera House

    Built in 1900, the Pella Opera House is worth visiting for its architecture alone.

    Take a self-guided tour or check the schedule for concerts, plays, and special events

    11. Stand in Giant Wooden Shoes

    Outside the Vermeer Windmill, you’ll find giant yellow Dutch shoes—the perfect family photo spot.

    There’s also a smaller pair near the Visitor Center windmill by Central Park.

    We make it a tradition to take a picture in the wooden shoes every time we visit. It’s so much fun to look back at all of those photos and see how much the kids have grown over the years.

    Boy standing in a yellow pair of wooden Dutch shoes next to a cardboard cutout of a character in front of Pella's windmill visitor center

    12. Play at Wonder Spelen Inclusive Playground

    Less than a mile from downtown, this fully fenced-in inclusive playground features:

    • A windmill play structure
    • Tiny house, restaurant, and fire station play sets
    • Interactive math and music games

    The rubber flooring is stroller-friendly, and restrooms are on site.

    My kids really love this playground each time we visit—it’s always a highlight of our Pella trips and a great way to let them burn off some energy before heading home.

  • Windmill on top of the playground at Wonder Spelen Inclusive Playground
  • View of the Wonder Spelen Inclusive Playground including the landscaping in Pella
  • Yellow Farmer's Market Cafe tiny building section of the playground at Wonder Spelen Park in Pella
  • Tiny firetruck shaped fire station with a tunnel to the Farmer's Market cafe tiny building
  • Three boys standing underneath the large blue arch interactive game at Wonder Spelen Park in Pella
  • Two different times of swings that are inclusive at the Wonder Spelen Playground in Pella

    • 13. Enjoy Lake Red Rock

    Just a 10-minute drive from Pella, Lake Red Rock offers hiking trails, picnic areas, and views!

    14. Celebrate the Holidays in Pella

    If you visit in December, Pella feels like it’s been plucked straight from a Hallmark Christmas movie.

    Twinkling lights line the streets, shop windows glow with festive displays, and carriage rides add an extra touch of magic.

    Pella, Iowa Visitor Information Center shaped like a traditional Dutch windmill, decorated with Christmas garlands, bows, and twinkling lights against a dark winter night sky.

    I’ve attended Pella’s Christmas Tour of Homes and Kerstmarkt: Pella’s Dutch Christmas Market, which usually happen at the same time, and it’s another stunning season to experience this charming town.

    Between the festive décor, unique shopping, and the cozy holiday atmosphere, it’s a trip that’s just as memorable as Tulip Time—only with a winter twist.

    Evening scene at Kerstmarkt, Pella’s Dutch Christmas Market, with people browsing festive wooden vendor stalls decorated with garlands and lights. The brick-paved walkway leads toward a tall clock tower in the background.
    Kerstmarkt Pella’s Dutch Christmas Market

    15. Take a Seasonal Photo Walk

    Whether it’s tulips in spring, colorful leaves in fall, or snowy streets in winter, Pella is incredibly photogenic and worth visiting in any season!

    Illuminated light tunnel at night in Pella, Iowa, with thousands of twinkling white lights forming an arched walkway. People stand at the far end of the tunnel, with the Pella sundial lit up in the background as part of the holiday display.
    Christmas light tunnel in Pella’s Central Park

    When to Visit Pella

    • Spring: Tulip Time Festival (early May)
    • Summer: Lake Red Rock, outdoor dining, and downtown events
    • Fall: Fewer crowds, beautiful leaves
    • Winter: Holiday lights and events

    Where to Eat in Pella with Kids

    • Jaarsma Bakery – Famous for Dutch letters
    • Vander Ploeg Bakery – Another local pastry favorite
    • Smokey Row Coffee – Sandwiches, coffee, and ice cream
    • Windmill Café – A cozy, family-friendly spot with hearty breakfast and lunch options and a kids’ menu—perfect before or after exploring downtown.
    Exterior of the Windmill Café in Pella, Iowa, with its pastel yellow and blue storefront, large sign above the entrance, and a black bench on the sidewalk.

    Final Thoughts on Visiting Pella, Iowa

    Pella may be a small town, but it’s packed with charm, history, and fun activities for families.

    Whether you’re here for the tulips, the windmills, or just a peaceful day exploring, you’ll leave with full hearts (and probably a box of pastries).

    👉 Want to make sure you don’t miss a thing on your trip to Pella?

    Download my free Checklist: 15 Things to Do in Pella with Kids and keep all the must-do attractions in one easy spot!

    And for more family-friendly Iowa day trip ideas, check out my other Des Moines area day trip guides.

    May you LOVE your adventure. KW

    Similar Posts

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *