Amsterdam and beyond, need some help.
Aug 16th, 2019, 09:47 AM
#1
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Amsterdam and beyond, need some help.
My DW and I, 61 and 59 years old, active, foodies, are going to Amsterdam for our 20th anniversary
April 16- 27. Tulips are Lynn’s favorite flower and they should be peaking on April 22. We would usually give ourselves more time to see a country but we have an aging Chocolate lab that we don’t want to leave for too long.
We we have all but three nights planned and are looking for ideas for those three nights. So hear goes.
April 16-20 Amsterdam. Airbnb near Rijksmuseum. We will concentrate on all that Amsterdam has to offer we have arrival day plus three full days.
April 20-23 We are renting a car and making our way To Leiden. We will do day trips from there, of course see the Kukenhauf and do some other day trips from their. We’re staying 3 nights as I didn’t want to move on, on our big day.
So I need help with the 3 remaining nights.
April 23-26? Should we set up shop in Delft or maybe that would be day trip from Leiden? Oh what to do. I’m also into photography and it looks like I’ll have lots of opportunities for that.
April 26 we have a hotel near Amsterdam airport for an early morning departure on Kings day.
Thanks in in advance for any suggestions or “what are you doing that for”.
Mark
April 16- 27. Tulips are Lynn’s favorite flower and they should be peaking on April 22. We would usually give ourselves more time to see a country but we have an aging Chocolate lab that we don’t want to leave for too long.
We we have all but three nights planned and are looking for ideas for those three nights. So hear goes.
April 16-20 Amsterdam. Airbnb near Rijksmuseum. We will concentrate on all that Amsterdam has to offer we have arrival day plus three full days.
April 20-23 We are renting a car and making our way To Leiden. We will do day trips from there, of course see the Kukenhauf and do some other day trips from their. We’re staying 3 nights as I didn’t want to move on, on our big day.
So I need help with the 3 remaining nights.
April 23-26? Should we set up shop in Delft or maybe that would be day trip from Leiden? Oh what to do. I’m also into photography and it looks like I’ll have lots of opportunities for that.
April 26 we have a hotel near Amsterdam airport for an early morning departure on Kings day.
Thanks in in advance for any suggestions or “what are you doing that for”.
Mark
Aug 16th, 2019, 10:12 AM
#2
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If you have a car and love tulips head to the Noordoostpolder in Flevoland for bigger fields which are not as ooverrun by tourists, and someof which allow you into the fields. There is an easy to follow tulip route set out every year. In the same area is Urk, a former island, and Schokland, a Unseco heritage site, Blokzijl, may be worth a visit too. You could then head up into Friesland or go and explore the Weerribben national park, renting an electric motorboat.
In fact you could head north and go up through Noord Holland, full of tulips, over the Afsluitdijk into Friesland and then go down to the Noordoostpolder. It would be tricky to do it all from one base, but not impossible. You could look at staying in Harlingen (where I live so I am biased) for a night or two -tulips around here too, and sailing ships and sea, then drive down the Ijsselmeer coast, drive the tulpen route, and stay a night in say Elburg before heading to your last night hotel. It gets you away from the tourist hordes and gives you another view of the Netherlands.
In fact you could head north and go up through Noord Holland, full of tulips, over the Afsluitdijk into Friesland and then go down to the Noordoostpolder. It would be tricky to do it all from one base, but not impossible. You could look at staying in Harlingen (where I live so I am biased) for a night or two -tulips around here too, and sailing ships and sea, then drive down the Ijsselmeer coast, drive the tulpen route, and stay a night in say Elburg before heading to your last night hotel. It gets you away from the tourist hordes and gives you another view of the Netherlands.
Aug 16th, 2019, 10:17 AM
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If you go that route (which I would recommend), do also look into staying in Harderwijk. You would also have the opportunity to divert to Museum Kröller-Müller and Hoge Veluwe. (Radio Kootwijk is also an interesting monument to visit)
By the way: Leiden is an excellent base: 45 minutes from Delft, 15 from The Hague, 30 minutes from Amsterdam and 10 minutes from Schiphol. I'm biased, because Leiden University is my alma mater.
By the way: Leiden is an excellent base: 45 minutes from Delft, 15 from The Hague, 30 minutes from Amsterdam and 10 minutes from Schiphol. I'm biased, because Leiden University is my alma mater.
Aug 16th, 2019, 12:49 PM
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If you do the route I suggested you might also enjoy the Kazematten Museum at the Fries end of the Afluitdijk and the Wadden Centre, which is where you park for the kazematten museum.
https://afsluitdijkwaddencenter.nl/?lang=en
https://www.kazemattenmuseum.nl/en/
https://afsluitdijkwaddencenter.nl/?lang=en
https://www.kazemattenmuseum.nl/en/
Aug 16th, 2019, 01:10 PM
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April 25, 2020 is the flower parade day. Decide if you want to be part of it or stay clear out of the parade routes as they will block off the traffic during the parade. The middle 1/3 of the web page at this site describes the lengthy parade route and the approximate timing.
https://tulipfestivalamsterdam.com/e...r-parade-2020/
https://tulipfestivalamsterdam.com/e...r-parade-2020/
Aug 16th, 2019, 07:55 PM
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Hi,
If your wife loves tulips, then the Keukenhof should be in your itinerary. And its perfect, On April 20 when you are travelling from Amsterdam to Leiden is the flower festival. So it could make a nice stopover.
If you like driving around, why not go a little more south? Middelburg (take the coastal route) Bergen op Zoom or even Antwerp. So many nice places to go to in that area!
Have fun!
If your wife loves tulips, then the Keukenhof should be in your itinerary. And its perfect, On April 20 when you are travelling from Amsterdam to Leiden is the flower festival. So it could make a nice stopover.
If you like driving around, why not go a little more south? Middelburg (take the coastal route) Bergen op Zoom or even Antwerp. So many nice places to go to in that area!
Have fun!
Aug 17th, 2019, 03:29 AM
#9
Original Poster
Thanks everyone, due to time we can’t do both North and south on this trip. I like hetismij2 recommendations of heading north. Thanks Greg for the parade info, we’ll stay clear of that. We’re looking forward to our trip and will report back.
Aug 17th, 2019, 04:36 AM
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It a city we stayed a few years back. It used to be a medieval fortress. We stayed in the oldest hotel in the Netherlands called "De Draak" right at the heart of the city. And we took day trips to Antwerp and Bruges. It was lovely and quiet... didn't meet many tourists.
Aug 17th, 2019, 04:50 AM
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I really enjoyed the Leiden Botantical Garden, it's been there since the 1540's, uncrowded and beautiful.
Get to Keukenhof as soon as it opens. I took the first bus, which had a 10 minute mechanical delay, and didn't get to the park until about 0845. By 0930 the tour buses had started to descend. Took so much of the magic out of the place.
For your 3 nights, it's 1hr 15 minute drive (by google) to Arnhem. You could even drop off the car there and it's a quick 1hr train ride to airport and a bit further to AMS Central. Lots to do in Arnhem. Beautiful park for pictures.
Enjoy your trip. Completely understand your dog situation, our Shep/Lab just turned 13. Great dog.
Get to Keukenhof as soon as it opens. I took the first bus, which had a 10 minute mechanical delay, and didn't get to the park until about 0845. By 0930 the tour buses had started to descend. Took so much of the magic out of the place.
For your 3 nights, it's 1hr 15 minute drive (by google) to Arnhem. You could even drop off the car there and it's a quick 1hr train ride to airport and a bit further to AMS Central. Lots to do in Arnhem. Beautiful park for pictures.
Enjoy your trip. Completely understand your dog situation, our Shep/Lab just turned 13. Great dog.
Dec 30th, 2019, 07:23 AM
#13
Original Poster
Need your thoughts on a couple of more nights. Here's what we have.
4 nights Amsterdam
3 nights Leiden
1 night Harlingen
Thinking about 2 nights Giethoorn, what do you think? Looks interesting.
Last night Airport Hotel Amsterdam before flying out.
Thanks for all the help!
Happy New Year, Mark
4 nights Amsterdam
3 nights Leiden
1 night Harlingen
Thinking about 2 nights Giethoorn, what do you think? Looks interesting.
Last night Airport Hotel Amsterdam before flying out.
Thanks for all the help!
Happy New Year, Mark
Dec 30th, 2019, 07:54 AM
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You don't need two nights in Giethoorn. If you want to visit be prepared for crowds.
Stay two nights in Harlingen and you can also visit Franeker and see the worlds oldest working planetarium, and explore the Wadden coast a bit.
Then I would potter down the Ijsselmmer coast from Harlingen, visiting some of the coastal villages, maybe visit the Woudagemaal if you like that sort of thing, then enjoy the tulip fields in Noordoostpolder perhaps combined with Schokland and or Urk or Giethoorn if you must, and stay in Kampen. You can then drive back to your final hotel through the Veluwe.
Stay two nights in Harlingen and you can also visit Franeker and see the worlds oldest working planetarium, and explore the Wadden coast a bit.
Then I would potter down the Ijsselmmer coast from Harlingen, visiting some of the coastal villages, maybe visit the Woudagemaal if you like that sort of thing, then enjoy the tulip fields in Noordoostpolder perhaps combined with Schokland and or Urk or Giethoorn if you must, and stay in Kampen. You can then drive back to your final hotel through the Veluwe.
Dec 31st, 2019, 06:50 AM
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If you do, I'd opt for Schokland and then a visit to the Maritime Archeological Depot in Lelystad perhaps
https://www.batavialand.nl/collectie...ologisch-depot
https://www.batavialand.nl/collectie...ologisch-depot
