Tips for a local Kingsday experience in Amsterdam?
Apr 7th, 2017, 03:23 AM
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Tips for a local Kingsday experience in Amsterdam?
Hi, I’ve been wanting to visit Amsterdam on Kingsday for a while, and finally booked my trip for this year! From what I’ve heard, it sounds quite massive. Does anyone have some good local tips on what to do? I would really like to get a ‘local’ experience, not just the main touristy things. Any ideas?
Thanks!
Beth
Thanks!
Beth
Apr 7th, 2017, 05:55 AM
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http://www.iamsterdam.com/en/visitin...s-on/kings-day
Many of the events and parties require you to buy a ticket in advance.
Unless you really want to attend one of those just enjoy walking the streets and the massive jumble sale that goes on. In the Vondelpark is usually for kids to sell stuff, but you will find kids with stalls, or playing music to raise money everywhere Traditionally the money raise was then spent on Mothers Day but I don't think that is the case any more.
Across the harbour there is also the NDSM festival with free music, and kids stalls.
The whole city will be crowded, and public transport gets disrupted, so be prepared for a lot of walking. You can always escape back to your hotel if it gets too much.
I would have suggested going to somewhere like Haarlem for a more Dutch experience, but as the trains can stop running to Amsterdam if there are too many people you could end up stranded there, so better to stay in the city. The ferries (free!) keep running no matter what so you can safely head over to the NDSM festival.
Do wear something orange!
Many of the events and parties require you to buy a ticket in advance.
Unless you really want to attend one of those just enjoy walking the streets and the massive jumble sale that goes on. In the Vondelpark is usually for kids to sell stuff, but you will find kids with stalls, or playing music to raise money everywhere Traditionally the money raise was then spent on Mothers Day but I don't think that is the case any more.
Across the harbour there is also the NDSM festival with free music, and kids stalls.
The whole city will be crowded, and public transport gets disrupted, so be prepared for a lot of walking. You can always escape back to your hotel if it gets too much.
I would have suggested going to somewhere like Haarlem for a more Dutch experience, but as the trains can stop running to Amsterdam if there are too many people you could end up stranded there, so better to stay in the city. The ferries (free!) keep running no matter what so you can safely head over to the NDSM festival.
Do wear something orange!
Apr 7th, 2017, 06:11 AM
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****Does anyone have some good local tips on what to do? I would really like to get a ‘local’ experience, not just the main touristy things. Any ideas?***
What to do is get out of Amsterdam. That will get you a more local impression of Koningsdag.
Willem-Alexander and Máxima will be in Tilburg. http://tilburg.com/agenda/koningsdag-in-tilburg/
Other things to do:
https://festivalfans.nl/events/koningsdag/
What to do is get out of Amsterdam. That will get you a more local impression of Koningsdag.
Willem-Alexander and Máxima will be in Tilburg. http://tilburg.com/agenda/koningsdag-in-tilburg/
Other things to do:
https://festivalfans.nl/events/koningsdag/
Apr 7th, 2017, 07:07 AM
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As I said the problem with getting out of Amsterdam could be getting back in again.
You do not want to go to Tilburg. It will be packed.
If you want to try something different head to Utrecht the evening before for Kings night - they always celebrate the evening/night before.
Actually in most places it is a rather boring day in my experience. We avoid Amsterdam and usually just stay at home and hope for good weather!
You do not want to go to Tilburg. It will be packed.
If you want to try something different head to Utrecht the evening before for Kings night - they always celebrate the evening/night before.
Actually in most places it is a rather boring day in my experience. We avoid Amsterdam and usually just stay at home and hope for good weather!
Apr 7th, 2017, 08:27 AM
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<i> Tips for a local Kingsday experience in Amsterdam?
Posted by: BethanyBefore on Apr 7, 17 at 7:23am</i>
Here is a photolog of one of my experiences at King's Day, when it was still Queen's Day, http://www.enjoy-europe.com/travelog/QueensDay2008.htm. Don't be put off by the naysayers. This is THE party. Public transport within Amsterdam will be shut down. No problem because the action is easily walkable. Get a map of the city center. It can get confusing but everybody speaks English. The Centraal Station was closed once in the last ten years when it became too rowdy and dangerous on the platforms. As you can see I stayed in Haarlem and took the train to Amsterdam and back. You won't find many foreign tourists but half of the Dutch population will be in town.
Don't forget to go to Keukenhof, a magnificent tulip garden.
Posted by: BethanyBefore on Apr 7, 17 at 7:23am</i>
Here is a photolog of one of my experiences at King's Day, when it was still Queen's Day, http://www.enjoy-europe.com/travelog/QueensDay2008.htm. Don't be put off by the naysayers. This is THE party. Public transport within Amsterdam will be shut down. No problem because the action is easily walkable. Get a map of the city center. It can get confusing but everybody speaks English. The Centraal Station was closed once in the last ten years when it became too rowdy and dangerous on the platforms. As you can see I stayed in Haarlem and took the train to Amsterdam and back. You won't find many foreign tourists but half of the Dutch population will be in town.
Don't forget to go to Keukenhof, a magnificent tulip garden.
Apr 7th, 2017, 09:40 AM
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DO be put of by the naysayers, please. It depends on the weather, but if it's nice, expect a packed centre of town, lots of drunk people and many, many visitors from the provinces who think that anything goes in Amsterdam and go there to get gloriously drunk and to hell with it. Most Amsterdammers not intent on making a quick buck by putting up the contents of their attic for sale, will get out of the city.
spaarne, your 2008 experience simply isn't recent enough. I think Amsterdam has become more grim, especially as now, there are so many tourists wanting to have a "local experience". No offence, OP, but King's Day is a special kind of hell: no good experience to be had there.
And despite spaarne's claims, in my experience, there always is disruption on King's day. This mostly has to do with crowds traveling into the city at 10 am, and traveling out again at about 6pm. If you want to get outside of Amsterdam, one trick is to take the metro out to the Bijlmer/Arena station and get on a train to Utrecht, or go to Duivendrecht and get on the intercity service to The Hague and further on. Utrecht on King's day is nicer than Amsterdam.
spaarne, your 2008 experience simply isn't recent enough. I think Amsterdam has become more grim, especially as now, there are so many tourists wanting to have a "local experience". No offence, OP, but King's Day is a special kind of hell: no good experience to be had there.
And despite spaarne's claims, in my experience, there always is disruption on King's day. This mostly has to do with crowds traveling into the city at 10 am, and traveling out again at about 6pm. If you want to get outside of Amsterdam, one trick is to take the metro out to the Bijlmer/Arena station and get on a train to Utrecht, or go to Duivendrecht and get on the intercity service to The Hague and further on. Utrecht on King's day is nicer than Amsterdam.
Apr 7th, 2017, 12:24 PM
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This cracks me up. It's like New Yorkers talking about Times Square on New Year's Eve: nobody goes there any more because it is too crowded. Most such events attract suburban teenagers and twenty-something partiers who quit once they grow up. Adults wouldn't go unless they were out of towners. But why wouldn't a tourist go?
I would want to go to King's Day for the giant jumble sale, the only day in the whole damned year that the uptight Dutch are permitted to sell their stuff to each other. Yard sales in the US and boot sales in the UK are a way of life. No wonder the Dutch have to smoke dope and get drunk in the streets and stay out late making noise. No boot sales! How else would you work off the stress of life?
I would want to go to King's Day for the giant jumble sale, the only day in the whole damned year that the uptight Dutch are permitted to sell their stuff to each other. Yard sales in the US and boot sales in the UK are a way of life. No wonder the Dutch have to smoke dope and get drunk in the streets and stay out late making noise. No boot sales! How else would you work off the stress of life?
Apr 7th, 2017, 02:16 PM
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Most such events attract suburban teenagers and twenty-something partiers who quit once they grow up. Adults wouldn't go unless they were out of towners. But why wouldn't a tourist go?>
I was in Centraal Station watching the trains ejaculate their hoards of then Queen's Day revelers - yes many were young adults and older teens ubiquitously carrying cases of Heineken or Amstel beer!
But they tend to gather in their own places it seemed -like near the concerts on Museum Plein and I saw lots of older folks too -especially jazz bands, etc on boats.
It was a great thing to witness and not everywhere mobbed. It was a bit weird seeing high school age kids sitting on benches smoking cannabis many places and drinking beer.
I was in Centraal Station watching the trains ejaculate their hoards of then Queen's Day revelers - yes many were young adults and older teens ubiquitously carrying cases of Heineken or Amstel beer!
But they tend to gather in their own places it seemed -like near the concerts on Museum Plein and I saw lots of older folks too -especially jazz bands, etc on boats.
It was a great thing to witness and not everywhere mobbed. It was a bit weird seeing high school age kids sitting on benches smoking cannabis many places and drinking beer.
Apr 7th, 2017, 02:26 PM
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A fortunate local will have access to a boat and will be cruising the canals with as many friends at his boat will carry. If you can find a table at a canal side cafe, you will have a front row seat.
Apr 7th, 2017, 11:52 PM
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In reply to this question http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...omment-9942018
again I will refer you to my answer
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...omment-9941785
Amsterdam is touristy. When I was in the NL we never went too far to enjoy the day. My SIL and wife will not be going too far from Rotterdam.
again I will refer you to my answer
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...omment-9941785
Amsterdam is touristy. When I was in the NL we never went too far to enjoy the day. My SIL and wife will not be going too far from Rotterdam.
Apr 8th, 2017, 06:30 AM
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Bethany has booked somewhere in Amsterdam because she's always wanted to do go to Kingsday - so go there, and not somewhere else!
My kids love it - I last went years ago, and even then it was too crowded for me. There will be mostly Dutch people there, some of them tourists from other places in the Netherlands. But I know plenty of people who live in Amsterdam who stay for Kingsday.
Drink lots of beer and eat broodje kroket and friet - it's what the locals do. And wear something orange.
At least you'll have a hotel to go back to when it gets too busy.
Have fun, hope the weather is OK!
My kids love it - I last went years ago, and even then it was too crowded for me. There will be mostly Dutch people there, some of them tourists from other places in the Netherlands. But I know plenty of people who live in Amsterdam who stay for Kingsday.
Drink lots of beer and eat broodje kroket and friet - it's what the locals do. And wear something orange.
At least you'll have a hotel to go back to when it gets too busy.
Have fun, hope the weather is OK!
Apr 8th, 2017, 10:10 AM
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Much depends on the weather though. Rain will make it into a miserable affair
Here's a video of last year's KD, cold, but dry and sunny.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fajPgUDfvO0
Here's a video of last year's KD, cold, but dry and sunny.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fajPgUDfvO0
Apr 25th, 2017, 03:17 AM
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Hey Guys! Thanks for all the input. I have the feeling that i'll just wander around and try to avoid the major parties at the edges of the city.
A friend just tipped me this app that is kind of a compass and guides you to some hidden gems in the city: https://www.facebook.com/wyzer.co/po...55670921411223
Seems like an interesting idea. Anyone know them? Might give it a try!
A friend just tipped me this app that is kind of a compass and guides you to some hidden gems in the city: https://www.facebook.com/wyzer.co/po...55670921411223
Seems like an interesting idea. Anyone know them? Might give it a try!
