Amsterdam & Paris - Itinerary
 

Any feedback on the below itinerary for a family of 4 (2 kids - 9 & 4)?

Friday, May 13, 2016 - Fly from JFK@ 11:55 PM

AMSTERDAM – 3 NIGHTS
Saturday, May 14, 2016 - Reach Paris at 1:00 PM; train to Amsterdam; hotel check-in & sleep
Sunday, May 15, 2016 – Visit Amsterdam
Monday, May 16, 2016 – Day trip to Bruges
PARIS – 5 NIGHTS
Tuesday, May 17, 2016 - Reach Paris early afternoon; local sightseeing
Wednesday, May 18, 2016 – Day trip to Mont St Michel or local Chartes
Thursday, May 19, 2016 – Hop on-Hop off bus tour
Friday, May 20, 2016 –Eiffel Tower, Montmartre, Notre Dam etc
Saturday, May 21, 2016 – Day trip to Versailles &/or Giverny
Sunday, May 22, 2016 – Louvre Museum & fly to NY@ 7:35 PM; reach 9:45 PM

<i> Amsterdam & Paris - Itinerary
Posted by: Himanshi on Jan 28, 16 at 2:54pm</i>

That itinerary would be OK for a couple but very iffy for two kids. Instead of Amsterdam stay in the Hague and visit Madurodam and Duinrell in Waasenaar. You will also like those places.

A day trip to Bruges from Amsterdam would be, for me, a very long day. I'd do something closer to Amsterdam.

We recently visited Rotterdam and loved it, and I suspect children would like the Maritime (Port) Museum there. You can also visit Kinderdijk from there and have a look at a number of windmills.

The Hague, with a trip to Delft, would also work, as spaame says.

oopps--didn't look at your Paris part.

A day trip to Mont St. Michel from Paris is way too far. That would be even worse than Bruges from Amsterdam, IMO.

Chartres would be doable, but you have two day trips in five days. To me, that's one too many. My sense is that children would like Versailles the best of any of the day trips.

Last summer I stayed in Amsterdam and day-tripped to the Hague to see the Mauritshuis and Escher museums, but I had no kids in tow. An art-themed vacation probably won't go over well with them.

If the weather is nice, maybe spend an afternoon in Vondelpark and let your kids play with local kids instead of an outing elsewhere.

In Paris, I wouldn't want to take the hop on and off bus, especially with children. I would rather walk around the central sights and spend some time in the parks. And I wouldn't want to take two day trips. I don't know how much your kids like to travel, but there is too much moving around for me. You could walk along the Promenade Plantee, a landscaped pedestrian way along an old railroad viaduct. A boat ride on the Seine might be nice. I think I might go to the Louvre a different day, not the day of departure, as it can take some time navigating the museum, just getting in and out, and I wouldn't want the pressure of having to make the flight.

I have not been to Versailles for many years, but reports here have made it sound very crowded. But there is a very large park there that could be fun to explore with children to get away from the crowds inside.

You have three nights in Amsterdam, so two days and you want to spend one of those days doubling back, half way to Paris?
Spend your two days in Amsterdam, there is enough to do, especially as you will probably still be tired after such a long day getting to Paris and then to Amsterdam.

If you want to see Brugge then do it on the way to Paris. stay a night there then carry on, and scrap Mont St Michel as a day trip which is just not feasible.

Are you doing this trip in addition to your France trip? Instead of the France trip? Or not doing this one at all. I am confused.

A day trip to Bruges is a long long day trip - much better to spend a night in Bruges by:

Taking the train from Amsterdam to Bruges (about 3.5 hours), spend the day and night there (the city really is sweet after day tripping hoards have gone and the old humpbacked wooden drawbridges are sublimely illuminated along with the ancient facades lining the ancient canals of what once was one of the world's largest ports in medieval days

then take the train either via Lille or Brussels to Paris (both routes about 3.5 hours and 1 change of trains).

This will save you going back and forth to Bruges from Amsterdam and lessen travel time as well as giving you a chance to see Bruges in a more relaxed factor.

Day trips to Mont-Saint-Michel are easy but long - take a TGV train to Rennes then buses from the station that are coordinated with several morning TGVs from Paris that take you right to the Mount and back the same way.

Chartres is about 1.5 hours from your Paris hotel by metro and train each way.

For lots of info on trains check www.seat61.com- great info on discounted tickets available if you book really early thru www.voyages-sncf.comor www.capitainetrain.com for trains in France or www.thalys.com for Amsterdam to Bruges or Bruges to Paris - and check these informative sites for lots of info on trains in general (like 1st vs 2nd class, etc) - www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com.

I would try to put one more day into Amsterdam at the expense of Paris.

Consider slowing down. I know w/ my kids (now age 9 and 12) after long flights we need to stay put, not get in a car, on a bus, or on a train for long trips (e.g. more than an hour) to go see other stuff. Why not focus on things in and around Amsterdam in your time there? I took my kids two years ago, so they were very close in area to your children.

My kids liked the canal boats, eating treats, and NEMO is fantastic for kids. The library is next door to NEMO and has a great cafeteria on the top floor that overlooks the city. The food is fantastic, lots to choose from (wood burning pizza over - very kid friendly foods). At the bottom floor is a giant "mouse house" with detailed rooms of typical Dutch style that is fun to look at. The Maritime museum is moderately interesting for kids (my kids LOVED the replica boat they could climb all over, but weren't into the museum contents very much). The Amsterdam city museum as an entire section for children - designed around an actual inhabitant of the building many hundreds of years ago. It is interesting for adults and children, and much better than a 3.5 hour each way train trip to take in a city that won't interest them much. I have been to Madurodam a few times, both as a child and as an adult. I honestly think that adults might get more out of it than children - although it is pretty cool. If you want a short trip out of Amsterdam consider Amersfoort which is a cute little village and very near by.

Consider that kids need more down time than adults - a train ride is more likely to be boring for them rather than for an adult who can enjoy seeing the landscape pass outside the window. Kids need time in a park, or running around, or just eating ice cream. I have taken my kids on international trips since they were babies - and the pace really changes when you travel with kids. The highlights of the trips for them are often a special souvenir, a candy store, or a park that as an adult I might have just bypassed.

I would suggest the same slower pace in Paris - rather than cramming in so many day trips. It is a fabulous city with many many things to see and do.
Also, can you fly open jaw - into AMS and out of CDG? I am taking my kids this summer to both cities and was able to book open jaw into CDG and out of AMS for additional cost of about what the train ticket costs between the two cities. Train between the cities is also 3.5 hours if you take the TGV, closer to 8 on the regular train.

I would cut all 3 of the "day trips". I don't feel 3 nights Amsterdam or 5 nights Paris is long enough to leave the city.

I definitely agree with the post above about finding things that will be more enjoyable for your children.

Sorry - way too many day trips for 2 kids - they will have no time to find a park and just be kids - run around and enhjoy themselves.

I would say this is very rushed for just a couple - no way with kids.

Agree to 2 full days in Amsterdam (one to an amusement park for kids)

If you must see Brugges (I adore it but your time is very limited) just stop there on the day between Amstedam and Paris

Bag Mt St Michel - too far for one day - and Versailles is plenty for kids to go to - but at least it has gardens they can run around in

Also bag the HoHo bus - kids do not want to sit there for hours just looking out of the window. Got to a couple of parks or child activities (carousel or whatever) and at least one boat trip in Paris

I don't want to pile on -- but IMO this is not at all a good plan for a family -- and especially not w/ a 4yo.

Stay IN Amsterdam -- no long day trips from there . . . Maybe Haarlem, but no farther. No Day trip to Bruges -- IF you decide to keep it in the itinerary, then you should stay overnight en route to Paris.

Do NOT try Mont St Michel . . . just HOURS and hours in transit only to encounter massive crowds on the Mont. Chartres -- maybe. Its not a very long train ride. But there is soooooooooo much to see and do in Paris I don't understand cramming so much out of town.

And bag the H-o-H-o bus.

Ok! Thank you all for your suggestions! My kids are used to travelling but I hear you all.

Friday, May 13, 2016 - Fly from JFK@ 11:55 PM
AMSTERDAM – 3 NIGHTS
Saturday, May 14, 2016 - Reach Paris at 1:00 PM; train to Amsterdam; hotel check-in & sleep
Sunday, May 15, 2016 – Visit Amsterdam
Monday, May 16, 2016 – Amsterdam
PARIS – 5 NIGHTS
Tuesday, May 17, 2016 - Reach Paris early afternoon; local sightseeing
Wednesday, May 18, 2016 – Day trip to Chartes
Thursday, May 19, 2016 – Louvre Museum
Friday, May 20, 2016 –Eiffel Tower, Montmartre, Notre Dam etc
Saturday, May 21, 2016 – Day trip to Versailles &/or Giverny
Sunday, May 22, 2016 – Paris Sightseeing & fly to NY@ 7:35 PM; reach 9:45 PM

Great advice above.

I like Bruges, but it is not a decent day trip from Amsterdam. Two days is hardly enough time to see much of Amsterdam, but if you feel you must see a small beautiful city, there are many within 20-50 minutes of Amsterdam. IMHO, Haarlem, Leiden, Delft are all equal to Bruges in beauty and each makes a nice day trip from Amsterdam.

So, see more, just as interesting and beautiful with less time wasted moving around.

Paris.
HOHO bus is dreadful in Paris, actually more like torture. Pick a place or two to really see, perhaps a museum or church and a park during that time rather than sitting, looking out a window.

Le Mont Saint-Michel - too far with small child for such a trip. Besides, your time in Paris is so short and there is so much to do there, why not some of that rather than so much road time?

Are you a huge fan of churches with a strong special interest in blue stained glass? If not, skip Chartres. Is it lovely? Yes. Are there equally lovely things in Paris? Absolutely, yes! Many!

Actually, Suze' advice to skip any day trips from Paris is excellent. The only one I would still include is Versailles. It is so close, has gorgeous gardens where you can rent a boat and paddle the kids around, and is in a sweet town with nice restaurants, etc.

See the Louvre earlier in your trip.

By staying in one place, you will see more, experience more.

Thanks Sassafrass!! I eliminated the day trip to Mont St Michel - don't want to loose a day in train.

Thank you for suggesting town other than Bruges - we might try depending on how it goes.

Chartes - as you said might be lovely but probably not for us so skipping that too.

Thanks again!!!!

Is this a replacement itinerary for the one on your other thread planning Paris & Burgundy, here?

"France - Basic Itinerary"
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-itinerary.cfm

Just to say Amersfoort is NOT a village, never has been. It is officially a city, since the Dutch don't do towns, but it is a large town with an old centre. Great to visit yes, but don't go thinking it is a small village.
Naarden Vesting or Muiderslot would be interesting places to go with kids (or without them!), but not with only two days in Amsterdam.

Hi Mmeperdu- I was looking to see if this makes more sense compared to just France - but I think we will be only doing France this time but thank you for all your help!

Perhaps you should have made that clear at the beginning.