Amsterdam is one of those places that works for just about everybody. Young adults flock here to party, groups of friends visit for weekends away and now families are seeing the appeal of this kid-friendly city.
I can’t emphasise enough how child-friendly everything seemed to be: there are playgrounds on literally every corner, kids cycling in the street (without helmets), pedestrianised roads and amazing tourist attractions for children. Plus, pancakes and stroop waffles pretty much everywhere you go.
What to see
- NEMO Science Museum – this is the best Science Museum we have ever been to. We could’ve spent days here exploring all the collections, which were nearly all interactive and kid-friendly. Set over 4 floors, with a beautiful rooftop terrace cafe, you’ll need at least one full day to see it all, if not 2. Our kids’ favorite part of the holiday, hands down.
- ARTIS zoo – a tropical park of paradise in the middle of the city. There’s a huge selection of animals (we saw elephants, lions, monkeys, crocodiles, zebras, giraffes and more) as well as a butterfly house, cinema and reptile room, all surrounded by beautiful botanical plants and greenery, so you feel like you’ve completely left the city.
- Vondelpark – we had an unusually sunny day during our trip, so we visited Vondelpark to spend a day outdoors. There’s a toddler paddling pool and plenty of play areas, as well as heaps of running trails and safer areas to cycle.
- Next time we want to visit the Maritime Museum!
Where to go
- Jordaan – this lively neighborhood feels local and residential, without the harsh crowds of the inner Centrum. There are streets and streets of cool cafes, bakeries, coffee shops and boutiques running from the hip Spaarndammerbuurt area and popular shopping street Haarlemmerdijk, down to Centraal Station and ‘9 Streets’.
- 9 Streets – a picturesque collection of canal-lined streets with the most exclusive boutiques, independent stores and Instagram-worthy houses. A must for exploring on foot.
- Visit the Noordermarkt – a Saturday market filled with fruit and veg, local cheeses, great produce and hippie stalls. If you can, visit Saint-Jean Bakery (although the queue is usually down the street) and enjoy your culinary gatherings at a cute nearby park, De Noorderspeeltuin.
- Take a day trip – since train links here are quick and good value, it’s easy to visit nearby towns such as Rotterdam (45 minutes), The Hague (50 minutes) or Zandvoort (45 minutes) where there’s even a sandy beach!
What to do
- Rent a cargo bike – the locals’ favorite way to see the city. Despite great tram links and buses, cyclists rule here. There are lots of options for families, including cargo bikes and baby bike seats so you can get around the city (we managed it as a couple balancing 3 kids under 10!)
- Paddle board or cold swim – in certain areas of the city (like Houthaven) there are steps down to the water, so you can swim or paddleboard on the calm waters. Many homeowners here have boards or boats on the dock outside.
- Take a boat tour – there are lots of canal tours to take or private boats if you want to explore the canals without the heavy step count
- Discover the playgrounds – our kids joined in with locals playing soccer at the end of the street, and we found a mini play area next door to our breakfast restaurant so they could play while we waited for our food. They’re everywhere!
Where to stay
We stayed at the beautiful Houthavenkade Residence in the up-and-coming district of Houthaven, just north of Centraal station.
Browse all our family-friendly vacation rentals in Amsterdam.
- https://www.kidandcoe.com/destinations/vondelpark/the-hendriklaan-residence
- https://www.kidandcoe.com/destinations/rivierenbuurt/the-churchill-laan-residence
- https://www.kidandcoe.com/destinations/oud-west/the-jan-hanzenstraat-ii-residence
- https://www.kidandcoe.com/destinations/watergraafsmeer/the-tuin-van-hera-residence