Last Updated on November 30, 2020
When one thinks of Amsterdam, coffee shops and the Red Light District may come to mind. Not exactly family friendly, right? Wrong. Amsterdam can also be super family friendly, as proven by mine and JC’s trip there in September with my parents, brother and his girlfriend. Below you can find a list of everything we did in Amsterdam with my family over our 3-day trip so you too can enjoy the beautiful city of Amsterdam with family. And what to do when your mom wants to grab a cappuccino at one of the many coffee shops? Just tell her you’d prefer a Starbucks instead.
Visit the Anne Frank House
Anne Frank, who died at the age of 15 in a Nazi concentration camp, is known the world-over for her novel The Diary of a Young Girl, which was published after her death. A visit to the house where her and her family lived for 2 years while hiding from Nazi Germans is a must-visit when in Amsterdam. You should definitely book your ticket ahead of time, as the queue to get tickets day-of is usually very long. We also did the 30-minute introductory tour before the visit which I highly recommend, especially if you want a refresher on Anne Frank’s story. Buy your tickets here.
Spot Crooked Houses in Amsterdam
Look closely and you will see that many of the houses in Amsterdam seem to be precariously tipping forward. This is because of the decay of the wooden foundation over time, especially the houses near the canals, where the water has caused the wood to rot, tipping the houses. You can find some of the most crooked houses here.
Bike through Vondelpark with family in Amsterdam
One of the most ubiquitous images of Amsterdam, besides the canals, is of bike-lined streets. However, for those not used to it, biking on the streets of Amsterdam can be a bit daunting, which is why taking rental bikes through beautiful Vondelpark is a great alternative. The park also has a self-service cafeteria style restaurant inside of it with outdoor seating, so you can take a break from biking and grab a bite and a beer.
Museum Hop with your family in Amsterdam
Amsterdam has some very beautiful and famous museums, such as the Rijksmuseum featuring a vast collection of Rembrandt and the famous ‘Night Watch’, as well as the Van Gogh Museum, with the largest collection in the world of Van Gogh artwork. All ages can enjoy a day or half-day spent viewing the collections on display at either of these musuems.
Take a Sunset Canal Tour
The best way to see Amsterdam is by boat, and at sunset, the view is even more spectacular. Once the sun goes down, the bridges are illuminated with lights and one of the best views is of three bridges all lit up, one after the other. We took a semi-private canal tour (so 8 people total) with Rederij Paping Canal Tours Amsterdam. Wine and snacks were even included on board. Definitely get a seat at the front of the boat for the best views and photos of the bridges.
Do an Escape Room
One of the highlights of our trip to Amsterdam was our time spent in the Amsterdam Catacombs Escape Room. By far the most difficult and scariest Escape Room we have ever done, it is a fully immersive experience with live actors and takes place in real catacombs underneath an actual church. Definitely not for the faint of heart nor those who do not appreciate being scared shitless; only 10% of visitors successfully escape. Highly recommend!
And that’s it for our recommendations for Amsterdam with family. Have you visited Amsterdam with your family? Let us know about it in the comments below!
Want more family vacation ideas? Check out our trip with JC’s family to Croatia!
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