Amsterdam – a vacation that has it all

Amsterdam, the capital city of the Netherlands might have a reputation for its wilder side with its legal marijuana and its red light district. But there is so much more to this energetic city and its surrounding areas which make it a fabulous vacation even for families with kids.

The Dutch villages and windmills of course are always a charming sight. A short 30-40 minute distance from the city you can explore Kinderdijk, a town and UNESCO World Heritage Site which has the largest concentration of windmills in all of the Netherlands. A couple of the windmills are open to the public and Museum Windmill Nederwaard is climbable to the top with lovely landscape views at every step. Did you know that many of the windmills are actually homes? The kids and you will certainly get an education plus learn that the main task of these lovely structures is to pump water in order to prevent this below sea level town from getting submerged. Who knew, right?

It’s the Venice of the North. The city of Amsterdam has an array of canals by which you can take a canal tour where historic landmarks are in plain view and it is a great way of soaking in some local culture. But then there is the town of Giethoorn just 90 minutes outside the city which is full of colorful Dutch homes with thatched roofs and also an inviting maze of canals where there are no roads or cars. Transportation is limited to bikes, wheelbarrows and anything that floats. This will bring out the little kid in all of us for sure. Learn how to sail the canals with your own mini boat adventure you won’t get lost and you will likely pass a couple of donkeys and ducks along your way!

It’s a beach destination? Of course! The Dutch love their seaside towns and they worship the sun with beach clubs complete with playgrounds along stretches of beach. Take time to swim, build some sand castles, watch the multitude of kites flying atop the waves or hop on the seaside carousel.

So maybe during the winter you won’t be dipping into the sea. However, the Netherlands is a great destination to visit all year long. And right now is the perfect time to visit if you want to experience Amsterdam’s Festival of Lights which runs mid November thru mid-January. You are probably saying – Europe in the winter? Well Amsterdam is a picturesque city especially in the winter. You can take the walking route or take a leisurely canal cruise to view the many creative lights that are lighting up the city. We can even set you and your family up with a private tour if you prefer.