Amsterdam is one of the best destinations you can choose for a family vacation in a European city. It is family-friendly and wonderful! It is crowded and peaceful at the same time! It is like being a hero in a fairy tale! It is unique!
It has all you need for parents and children to live an unforgettable experience together!
Some things you have to know about Amsterdam are
1. It is the capital of the Netherlands.
2. Its population is about 1 million residents.
3. It is multicultural.
4. It is famous for tulips, bikes, canals and coffee shops.
Why choose Amsterdam for a family vacation?
Amsterdam is an ideal destination for families for many reasons, some of which we list below:
1. It’s a beautiful city with its characteristic architecture. It’s full of picturesque canals, adorable neighbourhoods and crowded parks that make you want to stroll around. However, at the same time, there are so many peaceful places to explore.
2. It is traveller-friendly, as it’s easy to bike everywhere or use public transport. Public transportation is very well-organized without delays. Walking is another possible way to explore the city or at least a big part of it to feel the rhythm.
3. There are bicycle lanes everywhere, even outside the city. So you can visit other places close to Amsterdam by bike.
4. There are many big parks to get some rest, play or enjoy a picnic. That’s a good idea to live like locals for a while and to catch the city feeling.
5. There are smaller parks or playgrounds in almost every neighbourhood. So it is pretty sure that kids will find a place to play and parents a place to enjoy a takeaway coffee.
6. There are many places to visit if you are interested in art, especially painting.
7. There are many places to visit near the city, at a distance of less than an hour by train.
8. It is safe. You feel safe walking, biking or sitting on benches or parks.
9. People and the overall atmosphere make you feel comfortable and leave anxiety and stress behind.
10 Things to do in Amsterdam with kids:
1. Visit Artis Royal Zoo. It’s a nice place, like a big park with trees and a wonderful garden, where it’s so pleasant to walk around apart from seeing the animals. There is also a great playground and places to stop for coffee and snacks.
2. Visit Nemo Science Museum. It’s a must-visit place in Amsterdam for families with kids. It’s the largest science museum in the Netherlands. It’s kids-oriented, a 3-floor place to play and experiment with science. Its innovative building and the great view from the top guarantee an unforgettable experience.
Note: The small distance between Artis Royal Zoo and Nemo Science Museum permits you to visit them in one day.
3.Visit Amsterdam Bos. It’s not only a park where you can bike, play, enjoy a picnic or do sports. It includes a forest with tall trees where you can climb and live an exciting experience, feeling like Tarzan and jumping from one tree to another. You should book your position in advance and then let the adventure begin!
4. Visit a park. There are many parks so you can choose the one nearer to your accommodation. Flevopark, Vondelpark and Westerpark may be some of your choices. We have loved Flevopark for its playground. Westerpark has beautiful places to enjoy a cup of coffee, a beer or a snack. If you are lucky, you may find art exhibitions inside Westerpark. For some of them, you may have to book tickets in advance. Vondelpark is the largest city park in Amsterdam and the most famous park in the Netherlands.
Apart from the parks mentioned above, there are more parks to visit in other areas. You can choose the one that fits better in your travel plan. In general, it’s sure that you will enjoy every single moment in the parks since kids can feel free to run and play. Let yourself feel like a kid and live the moments!
5. Canal cruise. Cruising down the famous canals during a boat tour is a unique experience in Amsterdam. It permits visitors to get a different perception of the city. Kids will be excited.
6. Stroll. Amsterdam is a beautiful city. It would be great for you and your kids to stroll around with some breaks for snacks, coffee or photo shooting. It would be nice to let kids observe the city, the buildings, the roads, the bicycles and the people without organized activities and time limits.
7. Visit museums, such as Van Gogh Museum. Many museums in the city may satisfy even the most demanding art lovers. Van Gogh Museum may be one of your choices, easily combined in one day with other museums in Museumplein, such as Rijksmuseum. Rijksmuseum is the biggest museum in the Netherlands.
Tip: You should book your tickets in advance, especially for tourist hotspots such as Van Gogh Museum.
8. Anna Frank is one of the most famous places for sightseeing in Amsterdam, especially if you are a history lover. Like Van Gogh Museum, check for tickets in advance to schedule your visit.
9. Visit Windmills. Zaandam is a small village, very close to the city by train. It’s picturesque and peaceful. Great place for a long walk and photo shoots!
10. Visit Zandvoort aan Zee. If you wish to realize that you are in the Netherlands (area below sea level), you should visit Zandvoort aan Zee. It’s in North Holland. It’s the beach closest to Amsterdam. Many kilometres of golden sand, beach bars and restaurants are there for you! It used to be a fishing village, but it has become a famous resort, especially for the summer months.
It’s for sure that there are more wonderful places to visit in Amsterdam since it’s one of the most beautiful European cities. You will love it! And your kids will love it too! It is a place you can’t forget and want to visit again and again. You feel comfortable and relaxed there, especially when the weather is good.
Our experience and some more tips
The places mentioned above are those we had chosen during our first family 7-day vacation in Amsterdam. We had been there as a couple, but it was our first time in the city with three small kids, 5, 6.5 and 8.5 years old. Our trip was an unforgettable experience for all of us that helped us to make memories as a family since it was our first family trip abroad.
Some photos of our family vacation in Amsterdam are published on Parents of 3’s Instagram account.
After all, we can say that we made good choices with the places we visited. If we could give you two tips, those would be the next ones:
a. It’s critical to check all the places you intend to visit on the map and organize a plan with destinations per day to avoid unnecessary travel that brings tiredness and grumbling.
b. It may be better to visit fewer places and spend more time strolling around and enjoying the parks.
Extra information:
PS1. If your accommodation is close to Javaplein, ask us for the best Italian pizza.
PS2. If you need extra help preparing your vacation, your luggage and travel kits to keep your kids busy and excited, check our post “Organize your trip”.
PS3. You can use our printable about Amsterdam to keep your kids busy so as to have some minutes to enjoy a cup of coffee.
Have a nice trip,
George & Vassiliki.