As it's getting sunnier and (hopefully!) warmer, I've come up with a list of activities to do in and around Groningen. Click "Read More"!

SPRING THINGS

Go for a guided tour of Groningen on a Saturday afternoon. Book beforehand at the tourist office by calling + 31 50 313 97 41, or by e-mail to info@vvvgroningen.nl, or stopping by.
Or by boat! ‘t Peddeltje canoe hire is located under the Herebrug bridge by the main train station; pedal boats are also for hire here. The company is open daily from 10 am until 7 pm. For more information, call 050-3180330.

Climb the Martini tower, but wear comfortable shoes and a jacket. The wind is fierce up there and it can get quite chilly.

Go wadlopen or walking through the mud during low tide. This is a fun “authentic” Dutch experience. The Wadden Sea is just north of Groningen, an area of great natural beauty full of seabirds and some seals. There are islands to explore; all you need to do is take the ferry. You can bike there or go by train or bus. But beware the high tide! Only go wadlopen with an experienced guide.

Go sailing at Leek at the "Leekstermeer" or Paterswolde at the "Paterswoldse Meer".

Go for a hike in the Nanningabos near the Heineburen hamlet, about five kilometers south of Marum.

Hortus Botanical Gardens
The gardens are in Haren, which is a nice, relatively short cycle ride south of the city. Dating back to 1626, the gardens are more than 21 hectares and feature a Chinese Feng Shui garden from the Ming dynasty, an insectarium and parrots, which you can feed! There is also a nice eetcafé, where you can eat or just have a tea or coffee. The gardens are owned by the University and are the largest botanical gardens in the Netherlands. Admission is 4.50 for adults and it is open every day from 9.30 - 17.00 hours.
www.hortusharen.nl

Hunebedden in Drenthe
A little longer trip, which you can still do by bike (better bring a picnic!) are to visit the Hunebedden in the province of Drenthe. Hunebedden, or prehistoric stone monuments (thinks Holland’s version of Stonehenge), in Dutch means passage grave, also known to the layman as dolmens. There are 54 hunebedden within a 30 km radius, so if you’ve got the time and energy, they are definitely worth the visit!
www.hunebedden.com

Bourtange
In the province of Groningen, Bourtange is a star-shaped fort originally built during the Eighty Years' War (c. 1568–1648) when William I of Orange wanted to control the only road between Germany and the city of Groningen which was controlled by the Spaniards. Today it's a lovely open-air museum and visitors feel like going back in old times.
There are lots of activities that take place there during the year, including presentations of canon shootings, guided tours across the fort, and a middle age festival. If you go by bike, be sure to take a picnic. You can also get there by train, from Groningen to Winschoten, and then you’ll take bus 12 to Vlagtwedde and then change again to bus 72 for Bourtange.
www.bourtange.nl (only available in Dutch and German)

May Fair in Groningen
In Groningen city centre from 7 through 16 May, during which the Vismarkt and Grote Markt squares will be filled with attractions like a haunted house and bumper cars, as well as entertainment for both young and old.
http://www.kermisingroningen.nl/