If you are looking to visit Amsterdam with kids for a couple of days and don't know where to start or what to do first, look no further! This ultimate guide for a 48hr trip to Amsterdam has got you covered.
Spring break was fast approaching and I really, I mean really, needed a break and a change of scene. Also, I love travelling and exploring new places anyway, and even more so with my kids (12 & 8 yrs old), so this felt like the perfect time for a quick getaway. Problem was I hadn't booked anything, we didn't have the largest budget, and could only spare 2-3 days for a trip due to other commitments. In other words, I had my work cut out for me.
As I'd always wanted to go Amsterdam, it was first on my list. Yes, I know - 48 hours to travel to and from another country, and explore a new city, with kids, sounds a bit too much, but there was nothing stopping me! And guess what? Not only was it doable, it was BRILLIANT. The key was doing all the research beforehand and have a plan in mind on how to divide up the days. And now that we are back and the trip was beyond successful, I've put all the information together so that you don't have to spend endless hours researching.
The Actual "Travelling" Bit
It was a Tuesday when I decided we would be going to Amsterdam on that coming Sunday. That's right - I gave myself 4 days to get it all sorted out. Getting us there and back was my biggest hurdle. Flight tickets from London to Amsterdam for the 3 of us on any airline were extortionate - no surprises there; it was Easter break, and last minute.
Luckily, as we live in the UK we had other options. Turns out, the Eurostar was equally expensive and driving through the Euro-tunnel was too. Which left one last - and very affordable - option: driving to Amsterdam and crossing the English Channel on a ferry. And that's what we did!
We headed out on Sunday early morning, drove to Dover, hopped on the ferry to Calais, bonjour France, au revoir France, easy drive through Belgium and hello Netherlands and welcome to Amsterdam! It was a long (but not too long) drive, but very straightforward and very pleasurable. Disclosure #1: I love driving. And the kids really enjoyed it too - no airport queues, security checks, waiting times. Disclosure #2: They didn't particularly enjoy the ferry crossing on choppy waters, but it was just 1.5hrs and over pretty quickly!
So here's how it went...
Day 1 - Arrival in Amsterdam
We arrived in Amsterdam around 4pm, checked in at our hotel (more on that later), got changed and were out the door to visit our first museum: Ripley's Believe It or Not. It was SO much fun, and the perfect attraction to visit after a long day of travelling. The kids loved it, and so did I!
We then headed to dinner at an authentic and very cool Dutch restaurant called The Five Flies. Housed in five interconnected 17th century canal houses, the restaurant is considered a culinary museum because of the original Rembrandt etchings and gold plated leather on the walls dating back to the 17th century. Unlike any other restaurant we have been before, with its ambience, it was an experience in itself. And the food was really good too!
Fed, happy and exhausted, we walked back to the hotel for much-needed sleep!
Day 2 - A Full Day Of Exploring
After a great sleep and a big breakfast we were ready to visit the amazing NEMO Science Museum. The NEMO is cool. It is super cool. First of all, it is awe-inspiring upon approach - designed by mega-architect Renzo Piano, it looks like a ship on the harbour. And once you're in it, you've got 5 floors of exhibitions, demonstrations and experiments that everyone (young and old) can get involved in and learn all about natural and scientific phenomena by doing. All of the exhibitions are interactive! After 3 hours of exploring EVERYTHING, we had a quick lunch on the top floor where there is a great cafe/restaurant with a stunning terrace.
I can easily say that the NEMO is by far one of the best museums we've ever visited.
Once we were done at the NEMO, we walked to the beautiful and grand Central Station to take a short 5' ferry ride across for our next attraction: This Is Holland. This is a 5D immersive experience on a flight simulator that virtually takes you around Holland, preceded by a short & fun introductory presentation on the country's history. Hard to describe, but by far the highlight of our trip and a must-do if you are visiting Amsterdam!
After a great dinner at Satchmo, we finished the day with a beautiful canal cruise. There are plenty of companies and boats dotted around the city and you can just hop on any of them; most of them don't require advance booking.
You simply cannot visit Amsterdam and not go on a canal cruise - it's so worth it and a great way to admire the architecture, the beauty and quirks of the city and learn anecdotal information on its history.
What a day! We managed to fit in so much, the weather was on our side with beautiful blue skies and we had the best time.
Day 3 - Final Day
Our final day in Amsterdam was going to be a short one as we had to head out of the city at 2pm for our drive back to Calais and our journey home. So I had arranged for us to visit the MOCO Museum (Modern & Contemporary Art) which was fantastic.
Housed in a townhouse known as Villa Alsberg, MOCO Amsterdam (there is one in Barcelona too) exhibits works of Basquiat, Banksy, Jeff Koons, Damien Hirst, Tracey Emin, THE KID, Andy Warhol, among others. Not too big in size but with a really cool collection, we all really enjoyed it.
And that was it! After a 30min walk back to the hotel with a quick lunch stop on the way, we checked out and begun our journey home.
It may have been a quick, jam-packed trip, but it was SO worth it and we got so much out of it. It was enough to get a good sense of the city and culture, and also have all these fantastic experiences.
Some Useful Tips
Tip #1: Book attraction tickets in advance
Yes, I booked the trip last minute, but I made sure I had booked all the museum and attraction tickets online in advance - as soon as I knew we were going! Especially if you are going during a busy period like school holidays, since all these places get really busy. I really wanted us to visit the Van Gogh Museum but tickets were sold out 2 weeks in advance. I also overheard guests at the hotel who were trying to get tickets for NEMO and This Is Holland for the same day as us and couldn't get any. Plus, it saves you tons of time when you're there knowing what you're going to do instead of trying to figure it out on the day.
Tip #2: Getting Around
Amsterdam is relatively small and you can get pretty much anywhere by foot. It's a great way to explore the city, make fun stops along the way and discover hidden gems. We had to catch a cab only once when we were running late, but we walked everywhere else and it was beautiful.
If you're not a fan of walking, Amsterdam has a great network of trams and underground trains that will get you anywhere. Taxis are everywhere too but you get stuck in traffic and they are pricey.
Tip 3#: Pancakes, Waffles & Churros
If you've got a sweet tooth, then you've got to try these! There are places dotted around the city, so you can't miss them.
Where To Stay
There is no shortage of hotels and places to stay in Amsterdam - whatever your budget, tastes, preferences are - you name it, they've got it!
We booked through Hotwire, which I absolutely love. You put in all your parameters (hotel class, area, etc.) and what you are looking for and they instantly come up with their "hot" deals, i.e. hotels at heavily discounted rates. For the best deals, the catch is that you don't always know what hotel you are getting until after you've pressed the "confirm booking" button, but they give you clues along the booking process. It's SO worth it though!
This time we stayed at the Anantara Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky at 30% off (I couldn't believe it when the hotel name was revealed once I booked!), and the hotel also upgraded us once we arrived (couldn't believe this either!)!! The Anantara was beautiful, super central right on Dam Square, and the service was excellent; they really looked after us. Oh, and the breakfast buffet was to die-for!
For Next Time
While we managed to do, see, and visit so much in 48hrs in Amsterdam, there are a few more I wish we had time for and that are definitely worth a visit:
The Anne Frank House where Anne Frank and her family went into hiding during WWII.
The Van Gogh Museum (remember, this gets super busy, so if you planning to go make sure you book your tickets way in advance)
The Rijksmuseum, the national museum of The Netherlands dedicated to Dutch arts and history.
Our 48hrs in Amsterdam were definitely worth it. I am so glad that, even though we didn't have tons of time, I decided to do it anyway. We explored and we experienced new and exciting things, and came back with our hearts and souls fully recharged.
Amsterdam is definitely a great destination to visit with kids, and we will definitely be going back for the rest!
Until next time... vaarwel!
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