By: Zosia
Historical Leiden We are huge fans of traveling off season; there are fewer crowds so your wait times for everything from museums to restaurants are less, hotels often have lower rates and because you aren't battling the crowds you can actually get nice pictures without being photo bombed. With all this being said, we recently spent a week exploring the Netherlands and discovered that this land of canals, windmills and cheese is an incredibly family friendly destination.
We quickly discovered that bicycles are the preferred mode of transportation here with people of all ages and family configurations taking advantage of the dedicated travel lanes, traffic signals and bicycle parking garages that are located in every city and town. Entire families travel by bicycle with the youngest family members strapped into baby bicycle seats attached to their parents bicycles and older siblings trailing behind powered by their own peddling. You too can opt to travel by bicycle but we chose to take advantage of the amazing train network to visit six must see destinations in Southern Holland.
First up was Leiden, which also served as our home base for the week. Leiden is home to the oldest university in the Netherlands and was the birthplace of Rembrandt. To take in some of his masterpieces you can visit the Museum De Lakenhal which is located in the famous Cloths Hall which dates back to 1640. Another great spot to visit is the Leiden American Pilgrim Museum. Here you can go back in time and get a glimpse of what life was like before the Pilgrims embarked for their new life in America. But if the weather is nice simply get out an explore. Leiden has the second largest pedestrian area in the Netherlands (with Amsterdam being first) so there are miles upon miles of cobblestone streets you can meander through. You can zig zag over the canals, feed the ducks and enjoy a leisurely meal in one of the many sidewalk cafes. And because this is a university town, the pricing at many restaurants is geared towards students.
We quickly discovered that bicycles are the preferred mode of transportation here with people of all ages and family configurations taking advantage of the dedicated travel lanes, traffic signals and bicycle parking garages that are located in every city and town. Entire families travel by bicycle with the youngest family members strapped into baby bicycle seats attached to their parents bicycles and older siblings trailing behind powered by their own peddling. You too can opt to travel by bicycle but we chose to take advantage of the amazing train network to visit six must see destinations in Southern Holland.
First up was Leiden, which also served as our home base for the week. Leiden is home to the oldest university in the Netherlands and was the birthplace of Rembrandt. To take in some of his masterpieces you can visit the Museum De Lakenhal which is located in the famous Cloths Hall which dates back to 1640. Another great spot to visit is the Leiden American Pilgrim Museum. Here you can go back in time and get a glimpse of what life was like before the Pilgrims embarked for their new life in America. But if the weather is nice simply get out an explore. Leiden has the second largest pedestrian area in the Netherlands (with Amsterdam being first) so there are miles upon miles of cobblestone streets you can meander through. You can zig zag over the canals, feed the ducks and enjoy a leisurely meal in one of the many sidewalk cafes. And because this is a university town, the pricing at many restaurants is geared towards students.
Along the canals of Amsterdam Of course no trip to the Netherlands would be complete without a visit to Amsterdam. Despite the city's reputation for being a mecca for less than savory endeavors, there are many family friendly activities to be found. My advise is to arrive by train and don't even attempt to navigate the city's narrow and winding streets by car. The train station is an architectural masterpiece unto itself and is well connected to the city bus and tram lines. Do visit the tourist information center in front of the train station. Here you can pick up a well marked map of the city and have the clerks at the center point out the walking route that helps you avoid the infamous Red Light District. By far the best way to get around Amsterdam and see the sights is on the Hop-on Hop-off canal bus which puts you right on Amsterdam's famous canals. Tickets are available at the visitors center and from here you can easily navigate the entire city, hopping off to enjoy such kid friendly sites as the fabulous playground in Vondelpark, Amsterdam's oldest park, Artis, one of the oldest zoos in Europe and Nemo, Amsterdam's science museum which is geared towards visitors aged six and up. We spent hours here and enjoyed every moment of it.
The first World Peace Flame Monument located outside of the Peace Palace in the Hague Because we were in the area and it was only one train stop away from Leiden, we decided to spend a day in Den Haag or The Hague as it is known to the rest of the world. Den Haag is the seat of Dutch government and home to Parliament as well as embassies from around the world as well as the International Court of Justice, I wasn't expecting this city to be particularly child friendly but in fact, I was pleasantly surprised at just how many activities there were for children to enjoy. My son was particularly intrigued by the World Peace Flame Monument and its surrounding rock garden. This eternal flame pays tribute to the hard work and effort that goes into sustaining world peace. Surrounding the flame are rocks that have been contributed by every free nation in the world. We made a game of finding and identifying the rocks from the various countries we had visited. Next up and weather permitting, as it did briefly for us, head out to Scheveningen Beach where long stretches of sand and miles of boardwalks just invite you to run and play along the beach. During warmer weather you can stretch out and bask in the sun but even in the winter you can enjoy the peace and solitude of the crashing waves. When the clouds and rain rolled in we headed to Omniversum, the only IMAX theater in the Netherlands. Different movies run throughout the day and while most are in Dutch, you can buy a set of earbuds for 1 Euro (or bring your own) and listen to the translation in English).
As much as I enjoy visiting big cities, its the smaller towns that are really the main attraction for me. So when we visited the town of Gouda, I immediately fell in love. This is a town where cheese rules and cheese shops, offering numerous samples abound. Whatever your fancy, aged and sharp of infused with herbs, spices or even coconut there is a cheese for you. But Gouda is more than cheese. There are canals, cobblestone streets and stunning architecture. The centerpiece of the town is the stunning Stadhuis, or old city hall. For a minimal entrance fee you can explore the nooks and crannies of the building, wander through narrow hallways and climb to the top where you are rewarded with a bird's eye view of the town. Delftware, the blue and white potter hand painted in Delft is world famous so naturally this town was also on our list of must see towns. Again, it is completely charming, filled with historic buildings, and again family friendly. They even have a website dedicated to activities for the smallest members of your family. Our favorite activity was tour the famous Royal Delftware factory, where if you make a reservation ahead of time you and your children can participate in a paint your own Delftware workshop. This just might have been the highlight of our entire week.
Last but not least on tour of the Netherlands was a stop at the UNESCO World Heritage Kinderdijk windmills. We had visited before but enjoyed it so much that we returned on my son's request. Here you can take a boat ride along the canal, watch a film about the history of Dutch windmills and the role they play in the area's water management system and explore the windmills both inside and out. We love to climb up the narrow staircases of the windmills and get a glimpse of what life was like for the millers and their families who lived, worked and played in their magnificent structures.
So, if you get a chance to visit the Netherlands, go! It is a beautiful country that makes for the perfect family vacation. There are canals, bicycles and windmills, clogs and cheese. There is so much to see and do that a week simply isn't enough. Which is why I know we will definitely be returning.
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