beach - Netherlands/Belgium
Apr 26th, 2005, 03:22 AM
#22
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Unless you are looking to save money or for a MUCH smaller and quieter town I would NOT stay in Haarlem (as much as I like it) if you are really going to see Amsterdam and ALL that it has to offer.
I know, it only takes a few minutes by train but it only takes a few minutes by train from Hoboken into NYC, too..be realistic.
I know, it only takes a few minutes by train but it only takes a few minutes by train from Hoboken into NYC, too..be realistic.
Apr 26th, 2005, 09:33 AM
#23
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Thanks for all the great advice! Much food for thought. Would not mind saving some money by staying in Haarlem since airfare keeps going up & we still haven't bought tickets. Anyway, Haarlem would be a great day trip if we decide to stay in Amsterdam. Will have to look at hotel options in Haarlem. Hopscotch, I loved your descriptions of sites in Haarlem. By the way, what is haring? I have no knowledge of Dutch food, much to learn.
Apr 26th, 2005, 10:41 AM
#24
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Haring is (raw) fresh herring.
http://www.muys.nl/nieuws/2004/mei/image024.jpg
http://www.muys.nl/nieuws/2004/mei/image024.jpg
Apr 26th, 2005, 11:36 AM
#25
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BetsyG -
If you're looking for a smaller town to stay in, I can recommend Delft, which would also make a nice day trip from Amsterdam.
We stayed at the Herberg de Emauspoort, which is in the city center, directly behind the Nieuwe Kerk. Two years ago room rates were EUR 82.50 for double, EUR 72.50 for single, breakfast included (standard Dutch breakfast). The hotel has an on-site bakery with fresh-baked, delicious desserts, etc. They also have bicycles that they let you use for free. Although they are a bit wobbly, it was fun to ride them through the streets of Delft. Their website is:
www.emauspoort.nl
If you stayed in Delft, you could easily take Tram #1 (use your Strippenkaart) into den Haag, where you could visit the Mauritshuis (<i>Girl With the Pearl Earring, View of Delft</i
, Panorama Mesdag and the M.C. Escher Museum. Your boys would probably enjoy the virtual reality tour on the third floor.
I would also suggest a quick tour around the governmental buildings and the Hofvijver. Then you could hop on another tram (#7 or #8, sorry I can't remember the number, but you can ask someone) which will take you out to Scheveningen and the beach on the North Sea.
By staying in Delft, you get the feel of a smaller Dutch town, you can easily visit the beach, you can get your fill of art, and your boys will see history all around them. And, you can do all this by taking the trams - you don't need to take the train.
Of course, Haarlem is a great place to visit too (although I have never stayed there during my 4 trips to the Netherlands). Everything that Hopscotch mentions was right on. Your boys would probably enjoy the Tylers Museum because it has so much neat "stuff".
Problem is, there is never enough time to do everything you want to do. Enjoy your planning. Peace.
Robyn
>-
If you're looking for a smaller town to stay in, I can recommend Delft, which would also make a nice day trip from Amsterdam.
We stayed at the Herberg de Emauspoort, which is in the city center, directly behind the Nieuwe Kerk. Two years ago room rates were EUR 82.50 for double, EUR 72.50 for single, breakfast included (standard Dutch breakfast). The hotel has an on-site bakery with fresh-baked, delicious desserts, etc. They also have bicycles that they let you use for free. Although they are a bit wobbly, it was fun to ride them through the streets of Delft. Their website is:
www.emauspoort.nl
If you stayed in Delft, you could easily take Tram #1 (use your Strippenkaart) into den Haag, where you could visit the Mauritshuis (<i>Girl With the Pearl Earring, View of Delft</i
, Panorama Mesdag and the M.C. Escher Museum. Your boys would probably enjoy the virtual reality tour on the third floor. I would also suggest a quick tour around the governmental buildings and the Hofvijver. Then you could hop on another tram (#7 or #8, sorry I can't remember the number, but you can ask someone) which will take you out to Scheveningen and the beach on the North Sea.
By staying in Delft, you get the feel of a smaller Dutch town, you can easily visit the beach, you can get your fill of art, and your boys will see history all around them. And, you can do all this by taking the trams - you don't need to take the train.
Of course, Haarlem is a great place to visit too (although I have never stayed there during my 4 trips to the Netherlands). Everything that Hopscotch mentions was right on. Your boys would probably enjoy the Tylers Museum because it has so much neat "stuff".
Problem is, there is never enough time to do everything you want to do. Enjoy your planning. Peace.
Robyn
>-
May 1st, 2005, 02:09 PM
#26
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We are still "mulling" over this trip. Is there train connection to/from Haarlem to Schiphol or do you have to go into Amsterdam? Also, I asked on another thread but got no responses - are the tulip fields pretty in late March? Thanks.
May 1st, 2005, 11:19 PM
#27
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You will have to change trains in Amsterdam Centraal. No big deal!
March is a little early for tulips. There will be other flowers blooming on the fields ('bollenvelden'), like daffodils and hyacinths.
March is a little early for tulips. There will be other flowers blooming on the fields ('bollenvelden'), like daffodils and hyacinths.
May 2nd, 2005, 02:46 AM
#28
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For taking the train from Schiphol to Haarlem, it is much easier to change at Amsterdaam Sloterdijk. It is a smaller station, and much safer than Centraal against pickpockets, but always be aware. When traveling with luggage, especially with the airline luggage claim tags in place, you are a prime target.
For going to Haarlem from Schiphol, I would recommend the Connexxion bus number 300 instead of the train. Bus 300 takes you from Schiphol Plaza directly to the Haarlem station. It requires 8 strips of a 15 strip <i>Strippenkaart</i> and takes just under 45 minutes. It's a big comfortable bus and you'll be one of the few pasengers on board. Buy your <i>Strippenkaart</i> at the VVV tourist office in Schiphol, or at news stands. The <i>Strippenkaart</i> is valid on buses and trams throughout Holland, plus the Amsterdam metro.
Mid-April to mid-May is the best time for tulips. You would want to go to Keukenhof for the best experience, rather than the fields.
May 2nd, 2005, 07:36 AM
#29
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Thanks for the info. I am thinking now that maybe we will skip Paris this time & do Amsterdam, Brugge then return to Haarlem & fly home from there. We were going to do open jaw to AMS & home from Paris but that is a lot more expensive than the AMS roundtrip. The open jaw AMS, home from Brussels is a lot more expensive also & with 5 people it adds up. Hopscotch, I assume we can catch the bus or train from Haarlem station to Schiphol? Any other thoughts? Other favorite places in Netherlands?
May 2nd, 2005, 08:39 AM
#30
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Hopscotch - I just found Haarlem transfer information in Rick Steves guidebook so you don't need to respond to that question. Any hotel, restaurant ideas would be appreciated (kid-friendly but not Thai, CHinese, restaurants. One child has nut allergies so we stear away from those.)
Really appreciate all the advice!
Really appreciate all the advice!
May 2nd, 2005, 07:18 PM
#31
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My first bit of advice is to throw Steves' book in the rubbish and get a Lonely Planet Guide. Why? Because Steves is so full of errors that you are better off with no book. The irony is that he boasts in the front of each of his books that he updates it every year. I have 2005 and 2000 editions of his "Best of Europe" with identical wrong information in each. He has pasted the identical wrong information into his Amsterdam book.
Bus 300 runs every 10 minutes from Schiphol and also from Haarlem. It is slightly more frequent than the train and avoids the change at Sloterdijk.
One star hotels in Haarlem are Joops, Carillon, Raekse, and Amadeus. They are all on or near the Grote Markt. Less expensive are a few B&Bs laying about in the city. If you are a family on a budget that second B for breakfast is a steal. There are also a couple of three star business hotels, the Lion d'Or near the station and the Carlton Square on the southern rim of the old town. Note: each of these hotels gives itself one more star than I have bestowed. There are no official ratings in Holland so every hotel just nails as many stars to their front door as they wish.
I've stayed at the hotels Carillon, Raekse, and Lion d'Or. For a family I would suggest the Raekse. It has a pleasant café for breakfast. The Joops' rooms are so varied that you won't know what you get until you walk in the room. BTW, I've had a few beers with Joop in the local pubs over the past few decades; he is well known in town. The Amadeus is the "Rick Steves Groupie Bus Tour" hotel. When one of Rick's tours is in town he fills the place. If you have the cash go for the Carlton. It is new and in a very good part of town.
If you are leaning toward Haarlem, may I suggest you look into Zandvoort aan Zee. Somewhere above in this thread I suggested Scheveningen as a better beach town for a family. Well, the truth is that your husband and kids are going to see some bare breasts and plenty of fanny wherever you beach in Holland. In Zandvoort you can find real cheap family oriented places to stay. I call them "Zimmer Fries" because each has a sign out front <i>Zimmer Frei</i>, which is German for "Room Available." A very few of them also say <i>mit Früstück</i>, which is "with breakfast." It's all in German because the Germans invade Holland in the summer. August is the best beach month to be there because that month has the highest probablility of good weather, but I guarantee you that an 80F sunny afternoon can turn into a windy 60F drizzle before you can roll over.
About restaurants, most of all the guidebook advice is rubbish. However Fodor's nails one of the best places for parents and kids in one of their books on Holland. It's the Café Brinkman at the Grote Markt. Great hamburgers (avoid the McRubbush a few doors away) and beverages outdoors with a beautiful view of the mediaeval town square and Grote Kerk. Typical slow Dutch service but good portions for lunch. I've kept my favorite Haarlem dinner places a secret for decades, but there are some places near the big church you might like. Wilma and Albert's has been serving steaks for decades. The Dubrovnik has also been a great place for decades. Quality varies in most of the others and it changes from year to year, usually downward. Avoid the Italian places in Haarlem. Also, I can't stand Indonesian food, actually I can't stand the smell of the places, so I certainly won't suggest any of these. If I was you I would ask any middle age woman walking on the Grote Houtstraat where she would take her family for dinner. You will most certainly get more advice than you can use.
Before I write a guide book here, <i>tot ziens</i>, which is Dutch for "see you later." That's one of the best phrases you can use in Holland.
Bus 300 runs every 10 minutes from Schiphol and also from Haarlem. It is slightly more frequent than the train and avoids the change at Sloterdijk.
One star hotels in Haarlem are Joops, Carillon, Raekse, and Amadeus. They are all on or near the Grote Markt. Less expensive are a few B&Bs laying about in the city. If you are a family on a budget that second B for breakfast is a steal. There are also a couple of three star business hotels, the Lion d'Or near the station and the Carlton Square on the southern rim of the old town. Note: each of these hotels gives itself one more star than I have bestowed. There are no official ratings in Holland so every hotel just nails as many stars to their front door as they wish.
I've stayed at the hotels Carillon, Raekse, and Lion d'Or. For a family I would suggest the Raekse. It has a pleasant café for breakfast. The Joops' rooms are so varied that you won't know what you get until you walk in the room. BTW, I've had a few beers with Joop in the local pubs over the past few decades; he is well known in town. The Amadeus is the "Rick Steves Groupie Bus Tour" hotel. When one of Rick's tours is in town he fills the place. If you have the cash go for the Carlton. It is new and in a very good part of town.
If you are leaning toward Haarlem, may I suggest you look into Zandvoort aan Zee. Somewhere above in this thread I suggested Scheveningen as a better beach town for a family. Well, the truth is that your husband and kids are going to see some bare breasts and plenty of fanny wherever you beach in Holland. In Zandvoort you can find real cheap family oriented places to stay. I call them "Zimmer Fries" because each has a sign out front <i>Zimmer Frei</i>, which is German for "Room Available." A very few of them also say <i>mit Früstück</i>, which is "with breakfast." It's all in German because the Germans invade Holland in the summer. August is the best beach month to be there because that month has the highest probablility of good weather, but I guarantee you that an 80F sunny afternoon can turn into a windy 60F drizzle before you can roll over.
About restaurants, most of all the guidebook advice is rubbish. However Fodor's nails one of the best places for parents and kids in one of their books on Holland. It's the Café Brinkman at the Grote Markt. Great hamburgers (avoid the McRubbush a few doors away) and beverages outdoors with a beautiful view of the mediaeval town square and Grote Kerk. Typical slow Dutch service but good portions for lunch. I've kept my favorite Haarlem dinner places a secret for decades, but there are some places near the big church you might like. Wilma and Albert's has been serving steaks for decades. The Dubrovnik has also been a great place for decades. Quality varies in most of the others and it changes from year to year, usually downward. Avoid the Italian places in Haarlem. Also, I can't stand Indonesian food, actually I can't stand the smell of the places, so I certainly won't suggest any of these. If I was you I would ask any middle age woman walking on the Grote Houtstraat where she would take her family for dinner. You will most certainly get more advice than you can use.
Before I write a guide book here, <i>tot ziens</i>, which is Dutch for "see you later." That's one of the best phrases you can use in Holland.
May 3rd, 2005, 10:41 AM
#32
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Hopscotch - you are a wealth of information! I have the Lonely Planet Amsterdam book from 2002, was a discard
(damaged) from the local library. I actually researched Haarlem hotels last night, Carlton & Lion de O'r looked pretty good - so much cheaper than many hotels in Amsterdam. Will check out Raeckse. Your restaurant suggestions sound great. Zaandort may have to be a day trip from Haarlem, time may be tight. Do you have suggestions about Amsterdam or Bruge? I will pull up your name & see what you have posted in the past so you don't have to repeat yourself.
(damaged) from the local library. I actually researched Haarlem hotels last night, Carlton & Lion de O'r looked pretty good - so much cheaper than many hotels in Amsterdam. Will check out Raeckse. Your restaurant suggestions sound great. Zaandort may have to be a day trip from Haarlem, time may be tight. Do you have suggestions about Amsterdam or Bruge? I will pull up your name & see what you have posted in the past so you don't have to repeat yourself.
