At the end of March, I read an interesting article about a brand new indoor theme park Comics Station Antwerp that would open its doors in the heart of the city of Antwerp in April. Located inside one of the most beautiful train stations in the world, Comics Station is a unique concept, the first of its kind in Belgium. In my Travel Objectives 2017 I clearly stated that we want to visit interesting Belgian locations with the kids. So I booked our tickets online for the whole family as soon as the online reservation site was opened.
Belgian Comic Strips
Comics Station Antwerp is a unique experience for the whole family. Not only it is a great place to spend a rainy afternoon with your kids, it also introduces visitors to the most popular Belgian comic heroes.
Comic strips occupy a very important place in the Belgian culture, and some Belgian comic characters are widely known all over the world. At Comics Station Antwerp you will not only meet the most popular characters like The Smurfs or Lucky Luke, you’ll get to know Spike and Suzzy (Suske and Wiske), Jommeke, The Kiekeboes, and many more. Even if you know nothing about Belgian comic strips, you will still be able to enjoy the visit to the Comics Station. It offers a great combination of an indoor playground and a theme park in one, with plenty of fun activities for young and old.
Comics Station Antwerp – our experience
We arrived on a Monday morning around 10 AM at the opening of the park. There was no queue and we didn’t really know what to expect when we first arrived at the Comics Station Antwerp. It seemed a bit confusing at first and we didn’t know where to start as there are different floors. So we started at the lowest floor.Kids immediately started to climb the wall and explore the first attractions.
After exploring some attractions, we noticed the biggest indoor slide in the world. With over 22 metres high and 51 metres long, it’s a thrilling experience you will not quickly forget and kids immediately slided a few times down while we were enjoying a coffee and tea. At each floor you can find relax points for a drink or snack.
At each floor you will find all kinds of interactive games and challenging activities that bring comic stories and characters to life. Step into the time machine with Spike and Suzzy and try to find your way back by solving all kinds of assignments, including a foggy laser adventure. Afterwards, grab a magic stick and help The Smurfs keep Gargamel and his cat Azrael away and prepare a party in The Smurfs forest. For more thrills, try one of the mechanical rides, or fight the Daltons along the side of Lucky Luke. Unfortunately the 3D theatre show was not open yet but I guess that is now open for the public.
Around 1.30 PM we went for lunch in the Comics strip restaurant and enjoyed a good warm lunch. After lunch, kids also enjoyed an indoor playground that stretches over several floors. Around 4 PM we explored once more the best interactive games and attractions. We ended the day with a quick fotoshoot with the Kiekeboes and the kids did a few more slides from the indoor slide. Around 4.30 PM we decided to go home and take the train home. Kids had a great day full of fun and adventure. We all had great fun !
So one thing’s for sure: Comics Station Antwerp guarantees a unique experience for the entire family: parents, grandparents, children, teens …
Practical information
With the train we can easily reach the city of Antwerp as this takes us only 30 minutes from Lokeren and we avoid the traffic jams at the Kennedy tunnel.
• Comics Station Antwerp is conveniently located right at the back of Antwerp’s Central Station. It’s therefore extremely easy to reach, even if you are coming from outside of town. On top of that, kids under 12 travel free on Belgian trains.
• Comics Station is fun for all ages, and ideal for kids of 4 to 14 years old.
• There are several dining facilities at the Comics Station.
• Unfortunately, there is no free Wi-fi available at the moment.
• Comics Station is open on weekends, Wednesday afternoons, and during Belgian school holidays.
• For more practical information, check the official website of Comics Station Antwerp
If you want to visit more tourist attractions, read blogposts from Jurga who writes the great blog Full Suitcase. She describes the main highlights not to miss in Antwerp, as well as some off the beaten path experiences in Antwerp with kids.
Pictures of our adventure @ Comics station
One Response Comment
I also spent a really good time there with my mates during my last journey and came back with a lot of pleasant memories.