Decided to go to Harwich ferry as a foot passenger to spend a few days in the Netherlands with the OH and Jnr. Using trains and trams to get about. Booked hotels in Amsterdam and Den Haag.

I have been to Amsterdam a couple of times, but for work, so the most I’ve had is an afternoon and evening to wander about with colleagues, mostly around the red light district (which I won’t be taking Jnr to!).

Any recommendations and advice of family friendly things to do in either cities?

My advice is don’t take the train, use up a day or so cycling from Den Haag up LF1 and then right a bit to Amsterdam.

You’ll see some interesting stuff and it’s so easy to cycle in the Netherlands that the family can do it. Even if they are 7 years old. Or a septuagenarian heavy smoker.

Look at the VVV maps to plan a route

That was the original plan, but our holiday at the beginning of the school holidays in the Alps was dominated by the bike, as was a few days away camping last week.

The OH wanted a trip away without the bikes for a change 😯

my OH is 1/2 Amsterdamer and I have convinced her a cycle tour next May from Amsterdam north to the Islands will convince her the Dolomite cycling trip later in the summer next year is still a good idea,

What do you fancy doing in the Dam?

Sleepless – just doing touristy things and seeing the sights really. Anything interesting, must see/do type things. I’ve not really done any research and just really know about the typical Brit “let’s get wasted and do naughty things….” not really possible with a 12yo in tow!

Den Haag – you have to go to Madurodam, especially with kids. Go to the beach/pier/promenade at Scheveningen, and go for a wander or a bike ride through the dunes. Maybe Museon. Eat at Simonis at the harbour. Go see the Vredespaleis, sit in a cafe in the Plein, and wander round the Binenhof and the old town. You could probably visit Delft and see some Delft Blauw being made.

Amsterdam – newly refurbished Rijksmuseum is meant to be spectacular. Van Gogh museum, Anne Frank house, canal trip, all the usual stuff.

The ‘Dam…

As above, the Rijksmuseum is superb. Also, drink at In de Wildeman, and eat at Van Kerkwijk.

louwmann car museum in denhaag is worth a viewing especially with a 12y/o its pretty cool.

If you go to ann franks house, you need to be there early. We turned up late morning and the queue was ridiculous. Meant we had to go to the erotic museum instead.

…..there’s a torture museum too

yeh there are some smart parks just out of town i will ask said wife there names and let you know tonight. only a bus trip away.

The car museum in Den Haag is worth a visit. Just up the road from Den Haag in Wassenaar is Duinrell amusement park which is good for children.

Once you get to Amsterdam maybe take a day trip up to Volendam and catch the ferry over to Markem or even further north to the Groningen coast and go ‘wadlopen’.

The weather is changeable at the moment, one day it’s above 30° and clear skies, the next it’s <20 and thunderstorms so pack for anything!

Maritime museum – I found very interesting and it was good to see a Non-English centric view of the exploration of the world.

The wife and I really enjoyed Den Haag when we stopped off there on a recent bike tour. If the young ‘un is OK with it, the shopping is great, but we also enjoyed just mooching the architecture/sites inbetween cafe stops.

Den Haag – schreveningen – simonis for the prawns and kibbling

the dam – Rijksmuseum and if the weather is alright a wander round the vondelpark is fairly pleasant

Many good suggestions above, though I would disagree on Scheveningen being a good place for the beach – it is often very busy and commercialised. There are better beaches all along the coast ( Kijkduin, Katwijk, Nordwijk Aan Zee ). The only criteria where Scheveningen scores well is accessibility, especially if you are already going to Madurodam.

Leiden and Delft are pretty towns for having a wander around.

Den Haag to Delft is a pretty cycle ride. As above Kijkduin would be my choice of beach along with Ter Heijde – both easily accessible if you hire bikes – in the season there are some nice beach bars set up – usually on stilts to avoid the tide! Scheveningen does get rammed but it’s worth a stroll along the prom and there are some decent seafood restaurants around in the harbour.

I used to surf Scheveningen a lot when I lived over there – mainly in winter – the south side of the harbour is a surprisingly decent wave on a big North swell. It’s also really popular for kite and wind surfing (there’s a reason for that…).

The Jordaan area of Amsterdam is nice for a wander with a good selection of cafes and brown bars. I’d definitely recommend a canal cruise – touristy, but gives you a good perspective of the canal system and fills you in on a bit of the history.

It gets slated by people living in Den Haag and Amsterdam but Rotterdam is well worth a trip if you have the time (only 20 mins from Den Haag on train). A really vibrant, modern city with an entirely different feel to the medieval cities – very striking modern architecture and a really impressive waterfront. Good art galleries and museums too. Must sees are the cube houses, Erasmus bridge, get the water taxi to Hotel New York for coffee and apple cake and have a mosey around the Oude Haven and Veerhaven. Harbour tour is also good – takes you right out to the mouth of the Maas to see the huge container ships and oil tankers.

Thanks all, much appreciated. We’re only there from tomorrow til Saturday, so all that seems like plenty to fill our time.

The Volendam suggestion is an interesting one. My previous job meant an annual trip to Volendam (hence the night in Amsterdam on the way through). We used to sponsor a boat and host customers in another customers sailing competition on the Markermeer. Racing these

Another vote for Leiden. Lovely canal side town, a museum there with really good quality Egyptian artefacts, eat/drink at the Einstein cafe. Wander round all day. Sit in V&D’s cafe with a great view of the town from the balcony. I always say it is like a small Amsterdam, without the sleaze and tourists.

Haarlem too is good. Compact town, with a lot of Alms houses/squares. I like the Frans Hals museum/gallery there. Huge church there too.

Thanks for the recommendations good time had by all. Bit hectic at times, but worth it.

Managed canal cruise, Anne Frank’s house, Van Gogh museum, Coster diamond tour (free tour, opposite Van Gogh Museum worth doing found it quite interesting). Lots of walking about, lots of sitting outside cafés.
Went on to Den Haag and after 2 busy days in Amsterdam we took it easy, as it was so hot and sunny headed to Scheveningen beach and messed about in the sea/fried for a bit. Wandered around the city in the evening and the following morning before heading home.

We’ll go back to Den Haag again as there’s lots to do around there, that we didn’t get chance to do.

Bit late to the party, so glad you enjoyed it. Would have suggested most things that were already suggested, plus the windmills at Kinderdijk.

Another vote for Leiden. Lovely canal side town, a museum there with really good quality Egyptian artefacts, eat/drink at the Einstein cafe.

Used to live there for 4 years 🙂

Can give lots more recommendations for dining and drinking if anyone is ever headed that way. Einstein used to do ace Thai food on a Sunday/Monday evening.

edit: PS Den Haag has a red-light district too. You find this out when walking from Den Haag HS station (that’s the one on the Amsterdam-Rotterdam main line rather than Den Haag Centraal) in to the centre via the side streets 😉

We did that walk Saturday morning Andy, although along a main-ish road just the other side of China town, I did get the impression that it might be an “interesting” area by the number of places offering a massage.

Found a decent bike shop along there though, managed to get a long sleeve merino wool Nke jersey for €30. http://www.mammoet.nl/

Mammoet isn’t near the Street Of Negotiable Affection, that’s between HollandSpoor train station and Centraal Station.

No idea cranberry, we walked out of Chinatown, down Stationsweg (past Mammoet) to HS. The area looked like it had the potential to be dodgy.

Can I point out that my knowledge comes from the route of the 17 tram, which goes past the end of TSoNA, rather than in (any) depth personal experience.

Hammerite – you’ll notice that no one above put “the region around Hollandspoor” as one of the attractions of DH – the genteel and leafy suburbs of Wassenaar it isn’t. 🙂

Unlike Amsterdam where that area is an attraction! We skirted round it with Jnr quite quickly, luckily he was more interested in the ice cream he was eating.

Hammerite – you’ll notice that no one above put “the region around Hollandspoor” as one of the attractions of DH – the genteel and leafy suburbs of Wassenaar it isn’t.

Let me correct that, then. Bierkade has a number of great pubs and restaurants, and is one of the most interesting areas in what is generally a very boring and conservative small town.

Also, there is a restaurant at the top of the nearby very tall building that gives a view over most of Holland, and a good bike shop just at the other side of HS station.