Amsterdam and Keukenhof for Easter

For the long Easter weekend we drove to Amsterdam. From Zurich, Amsterdam is an 8 ½ hour drive, 850km, from Zurich. We broke our no IPad rule for the long drive and enjoyed the views while the kids enjoyed some much anticipated screen time. (Their new favorite is Usbourne’s Sticker Book App) We stayed one night in Heidelberg on the drive north, on the way back we drove a full day home. We stopped along the highway for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The rest stops are actually quite nice, full of toys, chocolate and good meals.

We stayed in an Airbnb flat in the city center of the famous canal rings on Prinsengracht. This location was perfect for exploring the city on foot. Our neighborhood included a pizza restaurant, chocolate shop, playground, grocery store, gelato shop and cheese shop. The best breakfast we had was at the Pancake Bakery on Prinsengracht, located next to the Anne Frank House. They have special pancakes for children that come with a box full of accessories to keep them entertained.

A canal ride is a must in Amsterdam and the kids loved it. We bought our tickets from a corner store and 5 minutes later we were touring the city by boat. It was very informative and exciting. Bring a coloring book and a few snacks with you to keep the kids busy in their seats while you enjoy the narrated history of Amsterdam. There was a Waterstone’s book store on Kalverstraat where we loaded up on Usborne stickers books and UK and US magazines before getting on the boat. It’s always exciting for me to find an English book store!

The main reason we went to Amsterdam in April was to see the famous tulips at Keukenhof gardens. With over seven million bulbs in bloom and over 800 varities of tulips, Keukenhof is an amazing wonderland of color and beauty. I am from a small tulip town outside of Seattle so this was a longtime dream come true. There is ample parking at the gardens with plenty of signage. We bought our tickets online so that you can jump the queue on your way in. Grab a coffee at the entrance from the bike espresso place as it was amazing and made by a person and not a regular restaurant machine. Keukenhof is a kid wonderland with far too many activities to list. Your children will be thoroughly entertained for a full day at the gardens. There are fun kid lunch packs from the restaurant at the playground. The petting zoo, windmill, rope tying, wooden shoe pictures and playground will keep your children busy for hours. Keukenhof is open from March until May, so check their website before planning your trip.