SIX FUN THINGS TO DO IN AMSTERDAM (WITH KIDS)
Payton and I spent three days in Amsterdam at the end of our ten day trip to Europe. This was my third trip to the city so we were able to relax a little bit and there was no pressure to try to see all the big sights. This is why I really recommend visiting a city more than once. The second time around is so much more enjoyable.
GETTING HERE
We arrived on the high speed Thalys train from Brussels into Centraal Station. Thalys trains are similar to plane tickets in that the earlier you book, the less expensive your ticket will be. We purchased our tickets the day prior and followed the instructions from Seat61.com to a tee. We chose a second class ticket and were able to choose our own seats. Don’t worry about the very long lines to board, there was plenty of space above our seats that fit our carry on luggage.
If you fly into Amsterdam Schiphol, you can hop on the train to Centraal Station right from the airport. Just follow the signs to the train, purchase your train ticket from the blue and yellow kiosks and take the escalator down to the train platform.
With a multi-day BTM ticket you get unlimited rides on the bus, Metro or Tram
Once you arrive in Centraal Station you have several options for getting to your hotel.
Walk
Tram
Metro
If you are taking the Metro (which you can take from right inside Centraal Station) or the Tram, you can buy a multi-day BTM ticket which gives you unlimited rides on both the metro, bus and tram. This is the option we chose. Look for the blue kiosks inside the train station. If you get lost or can’t find help, there is a GVB office right in front of the station to the left near where the trams are. Click here for info on getting around Amsterdam.
Buy your tickets to the Anne Frank House Museum at least a month in advance
SIX THINGS TO DO IN AMSTERDAM WITH KIDS
Anne Frank House Museum Hands down this is my number one recommendation if you are visiting Amsterdam (with or without kids). The museum and tour of the attic where Anne and her family hid for two years is so powerful and one of the best museums I've been to. Tickets are required and can only be purchased online. These sell out quickly so if this is on your list, set a reminder on your phone so you can purchase when your date opens up. Tickets go on sale the first Tuesday of the month for the following month. Click here to find out more.
Canal Cruise Amsterdam is famous for its canals and its 17th Century canal rings are even listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. One of the best ways to see the city is from an open-air tour canal cruise. In front of Centraal Station or directly in front of the Anne Frank House Museum is where you can hop on a boat for your tour. We enjoyed the Flagship Amsterdam boat. It’s open-air and they serve drinks. Try to time your cruise for after your tour of the Anne Frank House so you don’t have to back track. You can purchase tickets the same day or in advance here. Consider the weather and time of day when you’re booking.
Visit the Zoo - While visiting the zoo during a trip may not be on your list, let me assure you that we have done this several times while traveling and it’s always a hit with the kids (and adults). We visited the Amsterdam Artis Royal Zoo on our first day here. It was just a short walk from our hotel. The zoo was gorgeous and the exhibits are much more open than what we typically see in the U.S. If you want to give the kids a break from museums and sightseeing, put this on your list. We arrived around 2pm and stayed until closing.
Pro Tip: Make sure to bring cash (euros) because some of the food stands around the zoo didn’t take credit cards.
Visit a Museum (or two) - Amsterdam is home to many world class museums including the Rijksmuseum featuring the works of Dutch masters Rembrandt and Vermeer and the Van Gogh Museum. Both of these museums are within a short walk of each other. Buy your timed ticket online in advance for both museums. Take the Tram to the Museumplein stop to save lots of walking for little legs.
Ride a Bike - Two things that come to mind when I think of Amsterdam are bikes and canals. I gotta be honest, I was a little worried about this one. I haven’t been on a bike since I was a kid, so I was nervous I was going to hurt myself. My teen really wanted to do this so I put my big girl pants on to make it happen. I knew I didn’t want to start my biking adventure on the busy streets of Amsterdam so we chose to ride bikes at Vondelpark.
The park is just a short walk or tram ride away from the museum district, so try to coordinate doing this on the same day you’re visiting the museums. There are many bike rental companies in Amsterdam and I recommend booking a bike rental online in advance if this is high on your list. We ended up renting bikes from A-bike Rental which has a location steps from the park. For just €12 for a one hour rental, I felt this was a steal. We had a blast riding around Vondelpark (and I survived!). Put this on your list!
See the Windmills - You can’t visit The Netherlands without seeing windmills. The Zaanse Schans open air living history museum is the closest option for those visiting Amsterdam. Visiting Zaanse Schans is completely free unless you want to tour the windmills and go inside the living history museums within the park which require a ticket.
We loved walking around the 18th century neighborhood learning all about how clogs and cheese are made, petting the sheep and walking along the canals to the windmills. Plan to spend at least half a day here. There are two options for getting here, the bus (which drops you right in front) or the train (which drops you fifteen minutes away). We’ve done both and prefer the bus which has much less walking.
Pro Tip: If you are visiting Amsterdam, take a look at the I amsterdam card. It’s similar to the City Pass that for one price you gain admission to many museums, tours and activities. Almost every sight I’ve mentioned above is included with the card. As always, price out the sights and tours you’re going to see to make sure you’re getting a good deal.
Happy Travels!
Planning a trip to Amsterdam? See how we used points to stay free here.
