Amsterdam

Why we went…

Thanksgiving is a great time to visit Europe. First, it is not Thanksgiving in Europe so all tours, sites, restaurants, shops and museums are open. Also, Europeans are not traveling with their families and Americans are mostly traveling within the United States to visit family, so cities are not overcrowded with tourists. I was excited to share some of the worlds most amazing museums with my kids, explore the canals, and visit the Anne Frank House. Amsterdam also has a direct flight from LAX which makes it easy for a short four night trip.

How we got there…

We flew…

Where we stayed…

Intercontinental Amstel Hotel, Amsterdam (IHG) – We stayed on points at this charming hotel in Amsterdam. The hotel was beautiful and felt very majestic and old world. The hotel wasn’t in the best location for walking around the city. We had take ubers and taxis to get to the center of town, but that was easy enough to do.

What we did…

The best thing to do in Amsterdam is walk or bike around the city even in the rain! If its rainy and chilly, good waterproof shoes, proper clothing and a clear domed umbrella keep us mostly dry and comfortable all day long.

Amsterdam has some of the most amazing museums housing some of the greatest art in the world. The Van Gogh and Rijksmuseum are in the same part of town. We decided to do them on two seperate days, but you can do them in one!

The Van Gogh Museum lived up to its expectations. Highlights were Van Gogh’s Bedroom and the Sunflowers. This is an easy museum to navigate and can easily be done in an hour.

The Rijksmuseum is a must do. We saw some of the greatest Rembrants, Rubens and Vermeers (my favorite). This is a big museum. We tend to spend about an hour in a museum with the kids so we don’t bore them and turn them off from visiting museums. We google “top works to see at … museum” and surgically plan our visit.

The Anne Frank House is a must in Amsterdam. Ainsley, 8 years old, was captivated by her heartbreaking story and the strength of a little girl not much older than herself.

We opted for a private canal tour. It was a great way to see the city. Our boat captain was knowledgeable and great with the kids. During the Christmas season, they light up the canals with Christmassy light displays and offer night canal tours.

The kids also loved the cheese and tulip museum! These are quick stops but a fun way to break up walking around the city.

What we ate…

We love a good food hall! Food Hallen was awesome for a more casual dinner. We especially loved the gin and tonic bar and the de Ballenbar dutch bitterballs. This is also a great option if you are looking for more international cuisine. They have everything from tacos, to hotdogs, to dimsum.

The kids loved trying the dutch pancakes at Pancakes Amsterdam. They have a few locations in the city. They are huge and super thin. Spencer got his with mango and Ainsley got hers with nutella. Something for everyone!

For our fanciest meal, we ate at Guts and Glory. Hip, modern and a fresh rotating menu. Unfortunately, this spot seems to have closed. We were there pre-pandemic. I love using the Eater website to search for great restaurants anywhere we go.

Brouwerij’t IJ checked a couple boxes for us. Not only did we get great craft beer and some kid friendly snacks, but we also got to see a classic dutch windmill! Since we weren’t exploring the countryside on this trip it was nice to get a picture in front of a windmill in the city.