Amsterdam with teens

Old Jun 1st, 2013, 06:10 AM
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Amsterdam with teens

We're a family of four with two teenagers, staying in Amsterdam in late June for 4 nights. As this trip was a last minute journey (starting in April, instead of planning it a year in advance)... some decisions were made quickly and then set aside.

It's a bit late to be asking, but what to those of you "in the know" think about our accommodations? A houseboat on the Prisengracht at the Prisenstraat. http://www.homeaway.com/vacation-ren...zbVDtAHJFFO.32

I saw a post on another thread (while searching for information about Amsterdam) and someone mentioned that another area was "junkie heaven". I want to know the good, the bad, and the ugly about our chosen neighborhood! Happily, they've only asked for a deposit, so if we need to, we can change our minds.

Our teens are not interested in visiting the Red Light District or the coffee shops, so we are planning on the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum, and any other teen-friendly activities you recommend. Shopping is always good too

Thanks in advance!
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Old Jun 1st, 2013, 06:40 AM
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Amsterdam with teens
Posted by: amy_torres_sd on Jun 1, 13 at 10:10am Posted in:
It's a bit late to be asking, but what to those of you "in the know" think about our accommodations? A houseboat on the Prisengracht at the Prisenstraat. http://www.homeaway.com/vacation-ren...zbVDtAHJFFO.32
I saw a post on another thread (while searching for information about Amsterdam) and someone mentioned that another area was "junkie heaven". I want to know the good, the bad, and the ugly about our chosen neighborhood!


Looks like an ideal location, teens or not. You'll probably be wishing that you had planned for a week or more.
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Old Jun 1st, 2013, 07:25 AM
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by the way..Amsterdam is not Wild Weed West.. even if your kids were interested in coffee shops they would not get in.. you have to be an adult to enter, i.e. age limit is 18.

This is probably needless to mention, but especially for teenagers a visit of the Anne Frank House should on the agenda.
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Old Jun 1st, 2013, 07:42 AM
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I second the Anne Frank House. While there is not much to see there, the history is worthwhile. Get your tickets beforehand online. A canal cruise is a must. There are several tours near Centraal Station along with a hop on-off canal boat tour. The flower markets are fun. Try a Rice Table dinner at one of the Indonesian Restaurants. The Heineken Factory is a good time. Lastly, try a cheese/wine tasting at Replenars
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Old Jun 1st, 2013, 07:55 AM
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Amsterdam is charming, and the people are friendly. Our teens went to a concert at the Paradiso, and liked being on their own for the night. Here are my notes:

LOVED, LOVED, LOVED Amsterdam! You always hear of the Red Light district and the coffee shops and the laissez-faire attitude, but you don’t hear how open and friendly the people are, how lovely the canals and side streets, how wonderfully trendy the restaurants and cafes, how people are out strolling at all hours of the night and you feel safe everywhere. I think I’d expected it to be quaint and charming (which it is), but in a dark wood-paneled cliché way, not in the young and contemporary way it is.

The standard reply we were given in Amsterdam, when we asked for anything, was always “Of course!” How refreshing.

We stayed in a fabulous location, at The Hotel Residence le Coin, which was directly across a small street from the Hotel de l’Europe, down the street from the Hotel Doelan, on Nieuwe Doelenstraat (sp?). A great neighborhood in the heart of old Amsterdam.

The hotel has a lift and A/C, also free use of the hotel’s washing machine and clothes dryer in the basement (which was welcome as we’d been traveling over a week when we arrived there). Each room has a little kitchenette, a nice-sized bath, large rooms with wooden floors and a sitting area. It’s fairly new, so everything sparkles. Very friendly front desk, too.

Two cafes on the same block as the hotel were wonderful: Café Katoen for a university atmosphere, and Café le Jarden, for great table seating on the canal.

Amazing dinners at two restaurants in particular:
“Stout!”, at Haarlemmerstraat 73 (www.restaurantstout.nl). Fabulous ‘foamy asparagus’ soup with shrimp, chateaubriande, fresh fish, dessert course, wine list. Very trendy lighting. Great service. We’d gone to the neighborhood in search of a restaurant called “Lof” which we’d seen written up. We didn’t like its atmosphere, but were lucky that Stout! was just across the street.

Also at “Restaurant Dining Eleven” we had a great dinner. It’s at Reestraat 11. Also trendy and contempory, well-presented and beautifully-served meal.

Another nice dinner at “frenzi”, at Swanenburgwal 232. Very simple and contemporary. We arrived shortly after 10:00p.m., when most restaurants close in Amsterdam, and persuaded the owner to sell us any left-overs they had in the kitchen! They put together a nice Caesar salad with cooked-in-the-shell shrimp and mango. Very nice.

Also a good brunch at a place across the street from frenzi—called “Puccini”. Creative salads and sandwiches. Very nice also.

We took a canal cruise one evening. Toured the Anne Frank Huis and the Van Gogh Museum. Visited the Nieuwe Kerk (sp?) Our teens went to a concert at the Paradiso and loved it.

One afternoon we did the 2:30 “Best of Holland” excursion to Volendam and Marken, with a stop to see wooden clogs made, Gouda cheese created, and to visit windmills. It was by bus, with a boat from Volendam to Marken. A lot of fun. Even our two teens liked it.

Our teens also liked shopping at one street in particular, between our hotel and the museum district. Also a Zara shop there, and many others like it. They thought the selection and prices were better in Amsterdam than what they’d seen in London and Paris even.

A detail about Amsterdam if you go there-- carry enough Euros in cash, because many places won't accept a credit card for a 'small' purchase (i.e. under 25 EU).

The only unpleasantness we encountered in Amsterdam related to cab rides and inconsistent pricing. Especially when our two teens were grossly overcharged cabbing to the hotel from the concert. They were well aware of the route, having walked it already twice, but we'd wanted them to cab home late at night. They knew the cabbie took a very round-about way back in order to over-charge. Also, when we arrived at the taxi sand at Central Station, I was literally swarmed by rather aggressive cabbies and felt uncomfortably jostled by them all.

A great trip all in all. Weather was spotty, with rain showers on and off, but not bad.
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Old Jun 1st, 2013, 08:00 AM
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http://www.amsterdamtips.com/tips/ca...-amsterdam.php

Kids will love to rent a pedalos and water bike thru the canals as Dutch kids seem to like to do!

The Troppen Museum is good for kids that age - re-creates street scenes from third-world countries - museum of the Tropics with a lot of Dutch colonial stuff from Indonesia, et.
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Old Jun 1st, 2013, 08:08 AM
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Thanks for the gut check, spaarne. The location looks nice from Google Earth etc but not having been there, it's hard to know for sure.

Amsterdam is part of a 26 day trip, starting next weekend! We're staying in London, Paris, Bruges, Amsterdam, Munich, and Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Hitting a few highlights... which will probably be the only time our 18 year old son will go to Europe, but hoping that our 15 year old daughter will want to return.

I've given Amsterdam short shrift in my planning... am busily cramming more information!
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Old Jun 1st, 2013, 08:10 AM
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Oh wow... was busy with the kids checking their packing lists and see that there are more wonderful recommendations. Thank you all for the suggestions.
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Old Jun 1st, 2013, 08:14 AM
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A fun place to eat is the "Bierfabriek" on Rokin. Not only a micro-brewery, but also famous for their fabulous BBQ chicken.
Or nearby Kapitein Zeppos.. also a quirky "non-touristy" place (if that is possible in central Amsterdam).
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Old Jun 1st, 2013, 08:20 AM
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http://library.thinkquest.org/06aug/02273/

Amsterdam for Teens web site.
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Old Jun 1st, 2013, 09:01 AM
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Great location and second all the suggestions above.

We were there in March and it was too cold to rent our own electric boat but you might want to do it - looks fun

http://www.amsterdamrentaboat.com/index.php?page=_

Had a great meal at this restaurant which is minutes from the houseboat. Delicious sandwiches/burgers and an amazing take on Nachos, with a young, delightful staff

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran..._Province.html

Also a few blocks from the houseboat is a grocery store (Albert Heijn) - link below (and across the canal from Albert Heijn is a fancier food store call Marqt which is similar to a Whole Foods with lots of takeaway - delicious but not cheap)

https://maps.google.com/maps?oe=utf-...&ved=0CIICELYD

http://www.marqt.nl/
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Old Jun 1st, 2013, 10:03 AM
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IMHO esp for teens the Anne Frank house would be my top sight in Amsterdam - it is incredibly moving and brings history home to kids in a way that very few places can.

And there are not gangs roaming the streets trying to pick up kids - unless your "kids" are a lot older than it sounds like thy are. If they're 18 and up - well IMHO not "kids" any longer - and will probably be going out in the evening to stu
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Old Jun 1st, 2013, 11:33 AM
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If the weather is nice: Blijburg! (City beats with an Ibiza vibe)

http://www.blijburg.nl

Interesting car boot sale!


Haarlemmerstraat is around the corner from Prinsenstraat: you'll love it. Prinsenstraat too. Noordermarkt with its famer's market and the best appeltaart in Amsterdam at Winkel (also Noordermarkt)

an unsung gem and neighbourhood italian restaurant/icecream place is Capri (Lindengracht), which has Toscanini as its more upmarket and sophisticared neighbour.
Finch at Noordermarkt is also a good place to go.

and if you're there on the third sunday in June, then
http://www.iamsterdam.com/en-GB/Ndtr...20Dagen%202013

You'll see Amsterdam like you've never seen it before and most venues will be near where you're staying.

And lastly
http://www.iamsterdam.com/en-GB/Ndtr...0ZOOmeravonden
At Artis
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Old Jun 1st, 2013, 11:52 AM
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Wow!! What a fantastic variety of things to do in Amsterdam! Blijburg sounds like so much fun... we will definitely put it on our to-do list.

We WILL be in Amsterdam the third weekend in June; how fun to be there for something special like the Open Garden Days.

Thanks for all the great restaurant suggestions; Haarlem Soul Food has ribs which will satisfy my picky teenage son immensely. I've read about that appeltaart and have been wondering where to find it. Ice cream (Capri) is always a hit with our family. One of my favorite things to do is visit grocery markets while on vacation just to see what is on the shelves! Plus we're hoping to stretch our cash by eating in from time to time (especially breakfast.)

spaarne... you are right; I'm already wishing I'd booked more time into Amsterdam with fewer days in Paris.

My next trip will be less "by the seat of my pants"... heartfelt thanks to all who have posted marvelous suggestions!

One question... in Norway and Sweden we needed GPS to find the wine shops. I'm hoping it's not as complicated to find a bottle of wine in Amsterdam!

Thanks again!
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Old Jun 1st, 2013, 12:00 PM
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one place not yet mentioned here is the zoo - which our kids then about 15 and 12 really enjoyed.

also the "hands on" science museum near the station followed by a dim sum lunch in the floating chinese restaurant boat in the harbour.
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Old Jun 1st, 2013, 01:39 PM
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amy_torres_sd on Jun 1, 13 at 3:52pm
One of my favorite things to do is visit grocery markets while on vacation just to see what is on the shelves! Plus we're hoping to stretch our cash by eating in from time to time (especially breakfast.)
spaarne... you are right; I'm already wishing I'd booked more time into Amsterdam with fewer days in Paris.
One question... in Norway and Sweden we needed GPS to find the wine shops. I'm hoping it's not as complicated to find a bottle of wine in Amsterdam!


A few thoughts, from many I could offer -- I've lived in Holland for four years. My second home is in Haarlem, a 20 minute train ride from Amsterdam.

Holland cheese shops are a delight. There are plenty of different cheeses and the clerk always offers a tasting slice. Unfortunately the cheese shops are mostly of the past but you can get the same treatment at any Albert Heijn store. They are just about everywhere. You can also buy wine at AH. I'm sure there are dedicated wine shops in Amsterdam but I don't know of any. It is an open market system. Don't throw the wine bottles in the trash. Put them in the colored glass recycle containers which you see here and there.

Since your kids like ribs they may like satay. That is an Indonesian item adopted by the Dutch. It is pork grilled on skewers with a spicy peanut butter sauce. That is about the only thing I would eat in an Indonesian restaurant. There are Indonesian restaurants everywhere.

There is a large science museum somewhere just east of the train station. I went to the door and saw a zillion kids so I passed.
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Old Jun 1st, 2013, 01:44 PM
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spaarne... you are right; I'm already wishing I'd booked more time into Amsterdam with fewer days in Paris.

Oops, forgot to mention. You are going to love Paris also.

Do you have a personal reason to visit Garmisch-Partenkirchen. If not I would cut this out. It ain't much.
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Old Jun 1st, 2013, 02:11 PM
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spaarne We are in Germany for six days: 3 nights in Munich and 3 nights in G-P. Due to our last minute arrangements, we are staying in hotels rather than renting apartments (ouch! much more expensive.) Mainly, we wanted to see the castles near Fussen and the Zugspitze. Now my daughter is reminding us of her fears of cable cars and I think we will be cutting the Zugspitze from the itinerary. Do you have an alternate suggestion? I'm open to ideas.
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Old Jun 1st, 2013, 02:25 PM
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amy_torres_sd on Jun 1, 13 at 6:11pm
spaarne We are in Germany for six days: Do you have an alternate suggestion? I'm open to ideas.


For Germany I would hit Düsseldorf (Altstadt) and Köln (Dom) for a few days. Then take a river cruise down the Rhein for viewing some outstanding Schlossen and vineyards. I'm sure Cowboy1968 would have some good suggestions when he gets up. His profile says he lives in Munich.
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Old Jun 1st, 2013, 02:30 PM
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Speaking of Cowboy1968 and your 18 year old son, the boy can legally drink alcohol throughout Europe. You might want to sit at the Leisdeplein in Amsterdam for an open-air beverage. That will probably be an evening he won't forget, ever.
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