kakijalan

I just realised that we will be arriving in Amsterdam on King's Day (bought our tickets over 5 months ago). Will be traveling with my sister and our elderly parents. Both my sister and I have been to Amsterdam before, and the main goal for our trip is to see the tulips and Rijksmuseum (it was closed for restoration when we were there). As for our parents, they just want to have experience the city, its canals... They can't walk long distances. The rest will be a bonus. We'll be staying near the Sloterdijk station.

Some questions -

1. Will getting to Sloterdijk station from Schipol be difficult on King's Day? We're arriving around 7am.
2. Since it will be congested in Amsterdam, will driving around the countryside, visiting Zaanse Schans or even a trip to Keukenhof be better?
3. How is the city like "the day after"? Will the canal cruises be operating (wondering in case there will be a massive clean up the next day)

Appreciate your advice and suggestions. Thanks!

hetismij2

Kings Day this year is 26April.
It is the first, but I assume it will be the same as when we had Queens Day. The bulk of people go into the city via Centraal Station and Amstel Station.
The train may be fuller than normal for that early on a Saturday morning, but you should be OK.

You shouldn't drive the day you arrive if jetlag is an issue. If you decide to then rent the car at Schiphol and avoid the city. But why not enjoy the party?
The museums are open as normal too, so you can visit one if you prefer. Maybe a good idea to buy your tickets online.
The following day, a Sunday, will be normal for a Sunday, though the cleaning crews will be out early.
Public transport within the city will be tricky on Kings Day, but it is a walkable city.

macanimals

We had the same experience some years ago arriving in Amsterdam at the beginning of a three day weekend for Queen's Day. The train from Schipol was very busy and later in the day-11 or 12 o'clock-they suspended service as it was too packed. The crowds will swell as the day progresses and we enjoyed the party for a while after securing our luggage and checking into the hotel. We got caught in extremely large crowds near the Dam and aside from the rather unsettling feeling of being trapped in the mob, managed to safely work our way to the outskirts and less congestion. It was quite peaceful until late in the day and reports of disturbances near the central train station areas.
I would do as hetismij says and try to enjoy the festivities--the Dutch know how to party and it is quite the cultural experience. Watch for crowds and "choke points" and as our dutch friends said, "You watch her and she watches you". And if the sun shines--well there are no limits to the revelry! The day after we went to the museums and the clean-up crews were in full swing.

PalenQ

no trams or buses run in the city center I believe that day and if you want to go to Zannse Schans you can go from Sloterdijk station to the nearby KoogZaandijk station from which the Zuider Zee museum and grouping of behemoth windills will be a short wallk. No need to rent a car.

Keukehof can be easily reached by taking a train from Sloterdijk south to Leiden from where shuttle buses go constantly to the flower show - assuming it is open on King's Day - trains from Sloterdijk to either Koog Zaandijk or Leiden will not be packed as you're heading away from Amsterdam and by the time you head back most will be heading out!

menachem

erm, the Zuiderzee Museum is in Enkhuizen. Apart from that, yes, Sloterdijk is like a gate to the city, you're well on the outskirts, so you could venture north to Zaandam and Zaanse Schans easily.

In previous years, especially the end of the day was tough on the train system, because people were stopping trains, walking on the tracks. Such shocks to the train system travel far, sometimes blocking the entire area around Amsterdam (as far as Leiden, Schiphol and Haarlem, which are on direct connections) going in or out. So be alert for announcements at the station and work out an alternative route, by bus (easy from Haarlem, Schiphol and Zaanse Schans, a little more involved from Leiden.

If your parents can't walk long distances, consider not going into Amsterdam, as there will be no public transport in the city and you'll have to walk (well shuffle) everwhere. Plus the crowds can be oppressing.

PalenQ

http://www.zaansmuseum.nl/

thanks menachem for the correcto - I was thinking of the Zaanse Museum at Zaanse Schanse which showcases like of the former Zuider Zee, at least when I was there - nothing like the open-air part of the Enkhizen museum but similar IME of seeing both to the Zuider Zee Museum there.

Enkhuizen can easily be reached train and then in season boats from the train station to the museum area, which is not that far to walk thru the pleasant enough town.

menachem

Mind you, in Enkhuizen there will be festivities as well. Expect lots of old world fun and games for children, a mini and more genteel free market thing, and the city all festive in lots of orange. Every town has its "Orange Society" which organizes festivities.

in the 17th century, Enkhuizen was an important magazine town, rivaling Amsterdam

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuHf-Qo1fJU

kakijalan

Thank you everyone for your suggestions. I'm sure the festivities will be exciting... Will check with my parents what their preferences are.