Off to Amshterdam Jah!

Bonkers the Dog

Bonkers the Dog

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Indeed we are.

The four of us and the new Pilote, whoohooo!

Off From Newcastle straight into Amsterdam in a couple of weeks.

Can anybody recommend a nice place to park up for 2-3 nights so we can get into the city and see the sights.

Any hints and tips for the area or onward travels would also be appreciated. Please bear in mind I will have two young kids with me, 10 & 7, so unfortunately the itinerary can't include hash cafes or the red light district! Everything else is fair game. The great museum and the art gallery are a given...

Fire away.
 
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Bonkers the Dog said:
Indeed we are.

The four of us and the new Pilote, whoohooo!

Off From Newcastle straight into Amsterdam in a couple of weeks.

Can anybody recommend a nice place to park up for 2-3 nights so we can get into the city and see the sights.

Any hints and tips for the area or onward travels would also be appreciated. Please bear in mind I will have two young kids with me, 10 & 7, so unfortunately the itinerary can't include hash cafes or the red light district! Everything else is fair game. The great museum and the art gallery are a given...

Fire away.
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In view of the children being with you I can’t help sorry.

I had a right fun itinerary lined up until I got to that part
 
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You could pop up to Edam and see the cheese and the lovely village. There is also a campsite at the sea side of the village.
Phil
 
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Ahh...Chris, sadly we must all grow up and put our youth behind us. Saying that, what did you have in mind? Purely so I know where to avoid of course...ahem.
 
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Cheese factory, yesssss please. this would please SWMBO, she like cheese, I may take her there; oh the romance! We did the cheese factory for Arran Cheddar when were on , well...Arran. Hands down the finest cheddar I have ever tasted gromit!

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Bonkers the Dog said:
Ahh...Chris, sadly we must all grow up and put our youth behind us. Saying that, what did you have in mind? Purely so I know where to avoid of course...ahem.
Click to expand...

I won’t go there. My last trip was with a rugby tour about 25 years ago.

I know we went to Amsterdam but that’s about all I remember:whistle:
 
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You could stay at City camp, its ore like an Aire than a campsite but nice and easy for city center. You come out the gate turn right and an easy 10 minute walk to the free ferry which takes you to the back of central station, the ferry runs every 15 mins during the day then every 30 and last one leaves city about midnight.

We've also stayed at https://www.campingzeeburg.com/ which might be better for the kids as they have a play area and small petting zoo with some goats and their animals. The only downside when we stayed was how busy it was and you could certainly smell something in the air, even though it was busy there was no issues with misbehavior as they have security on at night. Again its a 10 min walk then Tram right into city center.

I would recommend a canal trip where you can get on and off, one of the stops was near a lovely big park with waffle and ice cream stalls.

If you've never been to the Red Light district its worth a walk through on your own just for the experience and night time is far better ;)
 
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TBH you will be very hard pushed to go anywhere in Amsterdam without smelling and seeing things your kids really shouldn't

Brings back vivid recall of MIL walking with me beside a canal, she suggested trying the side road, next thing we have a row of black women virtually naked in shop windows right alongside us

Every café smells of things I have heard about but so far always avoided, other than our three days in Amsterdam when I possibly consumed more passive smoked drugs that is good for me


edit Gouda was nice, an aire right in the middle of town, few € well spent plus back end of bulb season all around there
 
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Me and Mrs CC went on a 3 day trip there about 4 years ago, as we were walking through the red light area I said to Mrs CC I fancy a Chinese takeaway, she said you can’t be hungry as we have just had dinner.
I then looked at the window to the side and there was a lovely Chinese girl sitting there:rolleyes:
Very funny wife said, and no you cannot have a Chinese:(
Bloody spoilsports these wife’s:D
 
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Don't worry, I'm ex merchant navy and a retired cop. very little phases me. If the kids see it they see it; it's all part of life's rich tapestry!

Some good suggestions there folks, cheers. Keep em coming. I will check them out as we talk...

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Not a particularly nice place but Camping Zeeburg is very convenient for visiting the city centre. Other people will probably mention it too. I was there last week. A lot of the pitches are in the process of being re-seeded and therefore it isn't pristine in its appearance. There were a couple of dozen motorhomes there. I paid 86 euros for 4 nights with electric hook up. Bar and restaurant were closed as its low season. You can walk to the tram stop and be in Central station in approx 5 mins. Adult tram ticket costs 8 euros for unlimited travel for 24 hours. The campsite does tend to attract the younger "hippy" types who are there to chill out and smoke weed. They didn't cause any problems and once you've acclimatised the campsite feels safe enough. It was ok for us (a mature couple) as a base. Not totally sure that I'd recommend it for young kids though.
 
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Walked through the zone a few years back siteseeing with my wife and a lovely looking vision waved to me through a low level window, I shook my head and indicated to her I was with my wife....she invited us both in!! To my eternal disgrace lads I refused(n)
 
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The City camp is good ,quiet and was very sedate when we went. Kids will be fine. Also the crossing to the main city was both easy and informative -you go through some fab old warehouses filled with art installations. The markets and museums are fantastic to visit for people of all ages, just strolling along the canals and going into the cafes ditto. The river cruisers are a good way to see the canals, the red light district is a place where children can see the exploitation of the vulnerable by the heartless and it may educate about life’s rich tapestry without traumatising them . Bookshops, toy shops and park spaces abound, if you stay in the city camp there is a fab new trendy area in walking distance in that side of the city housing the A’dam tower and ( I think) an observatory, The A’dam tower has a huge observatory on the top you can see for miles and it has the history of Amsterdam as a UNESCO heritage site. Enjoy x
 
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Heineken brewery is fun couple of hours for the family. Van Gough museum and Vondelpark nearby too (y)
 
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I forgot, there is a "swing' type adrenaline ride on the top of a building across the water from the bus/train station, it may be Cafe Dr Pont or A'dam lookout, I'm sure other Funsters will know the place.
Phil
 
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We’ve done Amsterdam a number of times over the years with kids - from sling/pushchair days right through to solo trips with dad in mid-teen years when we could walk through the red light district (purely for educational purposes!) and they knew what we could smell in the cafes. All part of life’s rich tapestry as you say.

Although relatively compact as a city, kids of 7 and 10 will tire of walking there after a while. Trams are great fun and convenient, a hop on hop off canal tour is an easy way to see lots of great architecture and the main sites. Bikes for a day (easiest hired from next to the Centraal Station, but others too) are a safe and fun way to travel miles. There is a Tourist Info place outside the station where you can buy the Amsterdam Pass (or similar name) which can include museums and public transport free for different time periods.

With smaller kids I’d suggest the Van Gogh museum rather than the much larger RijksMuseum. It has some copies of the Sunflowers the kids can touch too.

If they are up for the Anne Frank Huis, it is very moving, but perhaps a bit much for young kids. It is very busy and essential to book online in advance to save the mile long queue.

Sunday breakfast in a canal-side cafe is a must if you can. Visit the station too - not only for the architecture but because big European train stations are sooo exciting.

And no trip to Amsterdam is complete without eating pickled herring from a street stall and vlaamsfrittes with mayonnaise. Tripadvisor well tell you where the best places are for both at the moment.

Enjoy - the kids will love it. And please post back...part of the fun of this site is hearing of everyone’s travels.

Robin.
 
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The working windmill museum at Zaan just north of amsterdam was really enjoyable, easily reached by train or bus. Big car park there as well, no overnighting though.

Also there in the 70s as a very young and VERY naive matelot.
As above, dont remember much.
 
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PhilMary said:
You could pop up to Edam and see the cheese and the lovely village. There is also a campsite at the sea side of the village.
Phil
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Ah Edam, the only cheese that's made backwards......

I really enjoyed the simulated beer delivery horse and cart ride at the Heineken brewery simple soul that I am. Being pestered by various characters to buy their drugs on street corners I didn't enjoy quite so much.

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What I couldn’t work out is that Anne Frank was trying to keep a low profile from the Germans but some bugger had put signs up telling everybody where she lived(n)

Found her place as easy as that:)
 
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