Hello: I'm planning a family trip for early August 2024 and, due to a conference, I will be in Dusseldorf for a few days. After the conference, I was thinking of spending 7 - 10 days split in 2 different cities with my wife and kids (4 & 6 year old girls). The kids have never been to Europe before and this will be there first trip there.

Originally, I thought we'd spend a few days in Cologne, which is close to Dusseldorf and seems like a great city for young kids (see: travelynnfamily.com/cologne-with-kids/ ) and then a few days in Paris. However, now realizing that the Olympics are happening, I think it might be better to avoid Paris. After a few days in Cologne, I was thinking of spending time in either Amsterdam or Strasbourg (both are ~3 hours from Cologne by train) but have not been before to either one. Which would be a better destination for kids? Or, are there other cities a close train ride from Cologne that would be good for a first trip to Europe with those ages.

Thank you in advance for any trip ideas!

I won't go into detail, but I consider Strasbourg to be a much more child friendly city than Amsterdam, but both cities are great. I know that sex windows, the odor ,of cannabis and probably even the smell of urine will not really distract small children, but if it bothers the adults at all, it will end up affecting the children.

For heavens sake kerouac, when was the last time you were in Amsterdam? 1975???

Why a city with young kids? Why not stay in the country for a few days, at a holiday village or at a campsite where they can meet kids from other countries and play freely? They will appreciate that more than the sights of Strasbourg, lovely as it is, or Amsterdam which is child friendly despite what kerouac thinks.

Kids of that age can enjoy anywhere, in the right conditions. I’d choose based on where you and your partner would most enjoy visiting.

if you do choose Strasbourg, I’d cycle part or all of the wine route towards Colmar.

Also check Utrecht.

Do they like Beauty and the Beast? I've heard Colmar was the inspiration for the town in that movie. Colmar looks like it's in a fairy tale.

I like Amsterdam too. I was there for the museums and the Anne Franke house, but I'm sure someone else can recommend kid friendly activities.

Either will be fun.

You don't want to be cycling THROUGH Colmar or Strasbourg. Go from little village to little village. Perhaps Bergheim, Ribeauville, Riquewhir, & Kayserberg. And you don't want to ride on the Route des Vins with all the trucks. Google "bicycle route from Ribeauville to Kayserberg" and add on Bergheim.

My wife's shutterfly book for Alsace. Click on the book, and on the next page click "full screen"
https://www.shutterfly.com/share-pro...HARPRDWEBMPREM


Stu Dudley

Thank you all for these wonderful suggestions. Very grateful!

Re: Colmar. I had heard of Colmar (and its fairytale beauty) and had no idea it was so close to Strasbourg. Thank you for this suggestion! Can anyone suggest a sample itinerary for Strasbourg & Colmar? What is the appropriate number of days to spend in each locale? I'd prefer not to rent a car (i.e. train + taxi) but if that's the only way (or the recommended way) to see Rhine Valley, then will of course consider it. (And StuDudley, thank you for the link to your wife's book. It is beautiful and I enjoyed flipping through the pictures of Strasbourg & Colmar. Please tell her thank you on my behalf.)

Re: Bike trips. Unfortunately, the kids are not yet strong bikers (just learning to ride).

Re: holiday village. I'm not familiar with this but I love the idea of a smaller village.... does anyone have recommendations there?

Thank you in advance for your help!

We stayed in Alsace for 2 weeks in 2022, and never ran out of things to do & see. It is best visited by car.

IMO, both Amsterdam & Alsace are more interesting than Cologne. Although I have not visited Cologne since 1978, at the time I was quite underwhelmed with it. We had arrived there by train from Amsterdam - which I found to be remarkable. We returned to Amsterdam 3 years later. But not Cologne.

A friend will be in Alsace for 2 weeks this September, and I developed this itinerary for her.

See attached

Stu Dudley

Yes. My parents moved our family to Spain for a year when I was 3-4YO, my sister 4-5 YO. Honestly, my sister and I don't really remember much of anything other than the Dutch kids we met close to our age during our time in Madrid. There was a swing set in the courtyard of our apartment (in Madrid? in Malaga? who knows). There were cats. We had to wear skirts. We went to flamenco one night at least. A bullfight once. That's it. Out of a year.

I realize your kids are older, but I wouldn't overthink this.

I was thinking the kids could be on the back of your bikes. We walked Ribeauville to Kayserberg (on back roads) but that’s probably too far for kids that age.

There is public transport in the area if you don’t wish to hire a car. Depends on what you’d like to do.

Given that August will be hot choose your place wisely, if nothing else get a pool.

Alsace is lovely but in a heat wave I've sheltered in a house rather than go into the vinyards. But, if you find a place above the vines up in the Vosges mountains it can be lovely still. You might like this I stumbled upon https://flashpackingfamily.com/weeke...ace-with-kids/

We are regular visitors to Germany and my daughter and I visited Cologne last year (she was 14 at the time). It's a great destination for older kids, because we went to the excellent chocolate museum and one of the perfume museums. I don't know how your kids are for museums - there is a lot of talk for the perfume museum and some sitting still on chairs, but also some good sniffing experiences, and the chocolate museum is a long winding walk through many rooms of displays. However, you do get to see chocolate being made (it's a mini-factory), and you can even get to make your own chocolate bar with a choice of inclusions of about 20 different additions. There is a fabulous café at the end (lots of chocolate, whipped cream, waffles etc). There is also the don't-miss Cologne Cathedral (which we missed because of time constraints - we had to wait for our chocolate bar to set). I have seen it before, and we will be back sooner or later anyway . We did see it from the outside! I think your kids potentially would like Cologne but with those museums a lot hinges on how long they can concentrate / sit still for. One thing Cologne isn't, is picturesque old-time German architecture. It was wiped out in the war and rebuilt in pragmatic style, so don't go there thinking it will be pretty. There is also excellent shopping and a thriving nightlife with many brewpubs (the local beer is called Kölsch). We stayed at the CityClass Residence Am Dom, which was on the Alter Markt. It is very convenient to museums and shops, and nightlife, although I imagine with 2 little ones this is not your bag. There is also an in-house restaurant, and a really good buffet breakfast. So don't write off Cologne, but do have a look at that chocolate museum!

Lavandula

Thank you all for your kind help (and special thanks to StuDudley for providing his detailed itinerary and favorite towns in Alsace — very grateful for this).

We are leaving soon for the trip but I wanted to share the planned itinerary in case any of you had some last minute additions or thoughts. (Please note the initial days in Dusseldorf are for a conference to attend, not because it was chosen for sightseeing.) Any suggestions or thoughts or additions are most welcome!

Day 1 - Arrive in Dusseldorf
Activity: Rheinuferpromenade, Köe-Bogen
Dinner: Los Chicos

Day 2- Dusseldorf
Activity: Wildpark Grafenberg
Dinner: Hulala Pretty Burger

Day 3 – Day trip to Cologne
AM: Cologne cathedral, then Chocolate-express train from cathedral to Lindt chocolate museum
Also can go to nearby Rheinpark (playground) via Hohenzollern Bridge
After Rheinpark, take the cable car up?
If raining or time allows: Odysseum science museum.
Lunch spot near Chocolate museum: Il Tartufo
Lunch spots near Rheinpark: Eau de Cologne or Gruber’s (slightly farther but great food)
Dinner (Dusseldorf): Trattoria Abbraccio

Day 4 - Train to Strasbourg
Lunch: On the train
Dinner: Perles de Saveurs

Day 5 - Strasbourg
AM: Tour the Catherdrale Notre Dame, walk La Petite France district
Lunch: Armes de Strasbourg
PM: Le Vaisseau or a boat tour
Dinner: Restaurant Au Pont Corbeau

Day 6 - Strasbourg & Route de Vins to Rodern
AM: Playground in the Parc de l’Orangerie: Aire de Jeux
PM: Drive to Rodern. Swim in the pool!

Day 7 - Day trip: Haute Koenigsbourg Castle & Ribeauville
Day 8 - Day trip: Colmar: Grand Rue, Quarters des Tanneurs, Venise, covered market, Musee d'Unterlinden
Day 9 - Day trip: Riquewihr
Day 10 - Fly home

In particular, if you know of good spots for dinner near Rodern (close to Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg), please share. As you can see, the last three days (Haute Koenigsbourg, Ribeauville, Colmar, Riquewihr) have less granular planning since I think we'll just walk around these towns — any suggestions there are most welcome. Thank you so much!

Check the isocline on the walk back to Rodern. Plus there may be boar in them-there woods. But locals will know. The B&B will have a walking route to the castle.

I hope your timings for Cologne are not tight ones - the chocolate museum takes quite a long time, especially if you select to have your own chocolate bars made. This is because the chocolate has to harden before you can pick up the bars at the end. It is also quite a long winding way through the museum/factory. You will find that the café at the end will be a big compensation for that long windingness. However it is a super museum/factory, you will definitely enjoy it! Stroke of genius to fit a chocolate train ride in as well, it's a long walk from the cathedral for little legs.

Lavandula

Thank you SO much lavandula for the excellent tips for the Cologne chocolate museum!! They are very helpful

We just came back from a week in Alsace based in Riquewihr, which we loved. It does get a little crowded during the day but usually not overwhelming. We walked between some towns and drove to others. Rodern should be a good central base (we drove through it but didn't stop).

Get to the Chateau Haut Koenigsbourg early. We arrived around 10 am on a Tuesday morning, and there were tons of cars there. We had to walk a long way to the entrance. It seemed there were fewer cars when we left a couple of hours later. There are some nice forested paths around the castle where you can get away from the crowds.

There are ruined chateaux up above Ribeauville. You can only get to them on foot, and that's probably too much for 5 and 6 year olds. That said, I did see people with children up there.

Just outside of Hunawihr and south of Ribeauville, there is a nature park that is a stork conservation center. We didn't go, but we passed by the signs a few times. That might be interesting to kids.

We only had a half day in Strasbourg. We thought the astronomical clock in the cathedral was interesting. I believe the film starts at noon, and the clock sets in motion at 12:30. There's a separate admission entrance for that.

Sounds like a great trip!

Thank you so much ms_go for this helpful information. We are staying not far from the Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg (staying in Rodern, just south), so very possible to get there early. We will try to go as early as possible (or later in the afternoon).

And the Nature Park sounds like it would be really fun for the kids. Did not know about this and appreciate you sharing this with me.

Appreciate all of the kind tips.... this is really a wonderful community of helpful travelers!!

I think you're setting your sights on Alsace. Just to add: Amsterdam would not be a city I'd bring my kids to. Not because of the RDL or weed, but because it's so busy. I traveled a lot with my son, when he was your children's age. If I ask him what he remembers, it's a general good time, and "that one time we got that thingemabob at the Somewhere Place" . So go a place that's easier on you and has access to all the culture etc but in a good way. And in that case, my choice for a Dutch destination with children is The Hague. You've got high culture, a calmer city where not many tourists are. One spectacular high art museum that your children will always remember (no spoilers, look up Panorama Mesdag).

And you've got the beach. And just as a tip: if you go to the area around Kijkduin you can hire cottages right on the beach. A win win for all, because your kids also have the beach, and you also have the city.

The Hague is also a very green city. As a royal residence, the city centre was developed around the old dune forest that extended from Meyendel at the coast all the way into the city (Lange Voorhout). You can still walk, through Haagse Bos, from the central station to the coast all through old estates, via the Royal Residence.

And the Indo food in The Hague is better than anywhere else in NL.

Amsterdam might be a bit overwelming for kids. Not because of the RLD, but because it is a hectic city traffic wise. Not easy to get around with kids.