Please sign in to post.
Holiday Sale! Save 20% Storewide!

Itinerary and restaurant recommendations - with a teen!

Posted by on

Hi; my family, including 16 year old, will be traveling to Amsterdam and Paris in April (I’m listing my full draft itinerary below). My son is very sporty (especially soccer / futbal), has a moderate interest in history but is not interested in art. My husband and I both have a high interest in history. We also prefer smaller, personalized things vs mass tours/crowds. A few questions:

  • Does anybody have any other itinerary recommendations? Tours we may want to consider? Specific boat tours? (My son will turn 16 while there so I want to gear things towards him a lot!)
  • Are there any restaurants you would recommend overall? My husband has food allergies (gluten and eggs) so we need places willing to accommodate.

Thank you!

  • Day 1 - Arrive Amsterdam — Hop on / off bus or boat
  • Day 2 - canal tour; Anne Frank house; foodhallen; A’dam lookout (or, city tour?)
  • Day 3 - Keukenhoff
  • Day 4 - Ajax tour; resistance museum; tbd - Van Gogh museum
  • Day 5 - early lunch; 1pm train to Paris; night Seine ride
  • Day 6 - city tour (?); Eiffel Tower; walk around Le Marais
  • Day 7 - Catacombs and Le Musée de la Liberation de Paris; walk around Latin quarter
Posted by
1587 posts

When exactly will you be visiting? There are lots of holidays in April that could impact your visit.
The Hop on hop off bus is of little to no use in Amsterdam. The streets in the Canal Zone are too narrow and small for the bus to ride through, so the bus has to circle the most beautiful part of Amsterdam instead of riding thru it.
It’s a much better idea to take a canal cruise.

Most, if not all restaurants will cater to those with allergies. Do you have a specific type of cuisine in mind? And what is your budget in Euros or dollars?

Posted by
42 posts

Thank you so much! We will be there mid month. I will definitely skip the bus tour, is there a different tour, either group or private that you would recommend? Or areas we should just wander around? Is it worthwhile to go outside of Amsterdam at all? I’ve heard it’s lovely but with such a limited time, I’m not sure. Budget for meals is somewhat flexible, as I don’t mind spending more at one meal if I go a little cheaper at another meal, I just don’t want five star, over the top dinners! I would like most dinners, including beverages, to be <$75 (69 eu) pp. Lunches I hope to be much less! Thank you so much!

Posted by
33810 posts

are your days set - do you have a specific reservation for the Ajax tout (for the lad?) to be sure there is nothing on? I'd try to get to Keukenhof on a weekday with good weather, but you won't know the weather until you arrive.

You need tickets for the Anne Frank house way way in advance. Do you have them?

The Foodhallen can be quite busy - it always has been crowded when I have been there. Might it be slightly difficult to ask to be sure about your husband's food requirements? (I like the dim sim)

Presumably you will go for the Thalys to Paris? If so, reservations well ahead are cheaper.

Posted by
42 posts

Thank you! We just booked the Thalys and are going to start on other reservations soon! Good point about Foodhallen!

Posted by
1951 posts

Regarding food with kids, my daughter loves Dutch pancake houses. I'm sure they're better and worse, but all of them are pretty good as far as I've experienced. Not too expensive, friendly casual, often a very well trained chef in the kitchen so if you order the steak with béarnaise sauce instead of a pancake it's surprisingly good.

It feels like no matter where you are in the Netherlands If you search for a pancake House on Google maps there's one within 10 minutes walk.

Edit to say that of course I'm sure you already know that pannekoeken are an anytime food with savory as well as sweet options :)

This topic has been automatically closed due to a period of inactivity.