With the sun peeking through the clouds and the summer coming closer and closer, it is finally time to emerge from our student rooms. As much as I am a fan of staying in and relaxing on the weekend, I have recently felt the desire to catch the sun whenever possible. It is like a glimpse into the warmer months that are usually filled with spending a significantly higher amount of time outside. Groningen has so much to offer but I catch myself forgetting about some of the things during the darker times of the year. So to jog your and my memory and to get excited for warmer and drier weather, here are my four tips to make your weekend more adventurous.

1. Discover the history and art all over Groningen

Believe it or not, there are over 10 museums spread all over the city for you to explore. Some of them are for free but others require a small entrance fee . Especially with unpredictable weather conditions, going to a museum is always a safe bet and a great way to spend your day. 

One building that you have probably noticed before is the Groninger Museum. It is free for students and is always a fun place to go to. The changing exhibitions are a mix of classical, modern and contemporary art.

Another museum that is maybe a bit more hidden but definitely worth a visit, is the University Museum. Lucky for you, this one is also free for UG students and gives you not only an opportunity to discover the history of the UG but you also get to learn more about the city of Groningen.

Oh, and did you know that Groningen hosts a museum that is no bigger than a shoe box? See if you can find it - little tip, it is somewhere on the Gedempte Zuiderdiep.

Next to that, there are many galeries all throughout the city, where you can admire some local art. Too many to count and therefore enough to make a full day out of exploring them all. This is also a great way to get to know some local Groningers and stroll through the city.

2. Try out something new and get active 

No matter how long you have been in Groningen I feel like there is always something new that you may not have heard of yet. So just walking through the streets and going to a new cafe or restaurant can be a nice start. There is always a place that your friends have recommended to you in the past but you have not managed to get to yet. Well today is the day, go and grab your friends and see if they were right about it or not. 

Another way to try something new, is to try a whole new activity. Groningen could probably provide you with new hobbies to try for months on end, so there are definitely plenty of options for a couple weekends. Let me tell you about some things I recently tried and loved.

If you like solving riddles while being locked in a room with your friends for an hour, escape rooms might be perfect for you. It is a bit more on the expensive side but solving the little mysteries makes you feel like Sherlock Holmes. If that’s not for you, you can pick a more relaxing activity and go to a jeu de boules (Petanque) place in the city. It has such a relaxing atmosphere about it, that it is a great way to get a well deserved break. Depending on your level of expertise, this can either turn into a competition or if you're like me and not very skilled yet , a rather hilarious weekend activity. 

For people who like to try out more sporty places, you are in the right place as this city offers you many different options. Try to jump high at trampoline park Jump XL, try to reach the top of the 'Excalibur', the big climbing wall in Kardinge, or play laser tag or paintball with your friends.

If you are interested in activities on the water, check out Arianas blog about everything the canals of Groningen and other places nearby have to offer for you.

All of this should definitely tire you out for a while and hopefully gives your weekend an adrenaline rush.

3. Go outside!

This is quite a simple one, I admit, but let me give you some ideas for new and fun activities or places that always get me outside. Let's start easy with parks. You might already have your favourite park in mind, it could be Noorderplantsoen, Stadspark or the Oosterpark. All parks are welcome, but have another look at the map of Groningen and check if you might find one that you have not been to or haven't heard of. Grab some friends, put on a podcast or your favourite music and start walking (do take a rain jacket or an umbrella just in case).

If you decide to go to the Stadspark, you can take part in one of my favourite activities - trying to spot as many animals as possible. You can walk past deer, cows and sometimes also horses. If you do not feel like walking a lot, there is always the petting zoo close to the big playground at the entrance of the Stadspark. From bunnies and donkeys to ponies and all kinds of chickens, you can pet them all. To list all animals that you can find and admire might make this blog a bit too long, so I advise you to go and see for yourself.

If you need a bit more of a purpose to leave the house, I have just the right tip for you - geocaching. Geocaching is a game where a "treasure" is sought in a location unknown to others. Originally, you would get the coordinates to find it, but nowadays you usually get a vague description or riddle about where it is hidden. It is a great way to make your walk a bit more interesting and let it take you to new places. If you want, you can also start hiding treasures yourself. The thing I love most about this,is that after you have done it a couple times, you will have some kind of secret knowledge about the hiding places, nobody else knows about.

If you cannot get enough and need more walking routes and ideas, we have just the right blog for you to read next. You can check it out here. (of course after finishing reading this one :))  

4. Take a day trip

Do you have the feeling you have seen all of Groningen and tried everything it has to offer? How about a small day trip then? 

Around Groningen, there are many great places you can reach in around one or two hours by train. If you travel with friends, get a group ticket and your ticket price can be as low as 15. If you travel alone it will cost you around 30-50 euros, depending on the place. Here are my top three tips for where to go during your weekend. 

Let's start closeby - Leeuwarden. You might have heard about it, or maybe you study here (If so, how about a day trip to Groningen?) . With a short train ride of circa 40 minutes, you will arrive in the city centre. 

The University of Groningen has a second campus there and it is definitely worth exploring. The city is not only known for being a great student city but also for being the province capital of Friesland. Meaning, it is a great place to get to know the province and learn more about its culture and history as it hosts various museums focused on friesland.

Have you ever heard about the Venice of the Netherlands? Giethoorn is famous for its canals and waterways all throughout the village. It is mostly car-free, making it a great place to relax and get that weekend feeling. You can go for a stroll around or take a boat to explore Giethoorn from the water. Giethoorn is above Zwolle and can be reached by public transport in less than two hours.

Last but definitely not least, go visit one of the Dutch islands! This sounds more like a summer holiday, but with having islands so close by I also recommend visiting it as soon as the sun is peeking through. For example, the island of Schiermonnikoog can be reached by a one-hour bus ride from the Groninger station with an additional nice ferry ride. Spending a day strolling on the beach, collecting sea shells and grabbing a hot drink afterwards sounds like a great weekend to me!

I hope I could give you some ideas on how to make the most out of your weekend! Keep in mind that it is totally okay to stay inside and read a book or watch a movie. However, if you are in the mood to get active and explore Groningen to its fullest, this is the way! 

If you have any other ideas, feel free to share them in the comments and let your fellow students know.