At the start of the new year, I began laying out our travel destinations for the next six months. We try to go somewhere each month whether it be a day trip, mini overnight, a long weekend, or at least one week during the summer. Choosing the destination is always the most challenging part for me because there are so many factors that come into play. Factors for us always include weather, trip length, festivals and events, prices, and must-see's during a specific season. This trip was solely based on must-see's during a specific season. I absolutely love springtime and after endless grey days and dead vegetation, the first sound of birds chirping and a single blossom make me giddy. I sat at my desk envisioning fields of bright colored flowers, windmills slowly turning in the distance, and boats making their way through the canals. No more dreaming, we had to make our way to the Netherlands to see these things first hand, all while hoping that spring would make an early appearance.
Six hours on the highways landed us seven meters below sea level in Kinderdijk, a small village in the province of Holland. This is a UNESCO world heritage site known for its 19 windmills which are kept in their original state. Before purchasing our entrance tickets, we stopped into a souvenir store to pick up a multi-colored windmill for Brecken. A breeze blew through the area as we walked along the canals, spinning his little windmill furiously, making him skip with excitement. We came to a footbridge that led us to a journey through time as we explored the inside of an authentic windmill. It was fascinating to see a 1950's interior set up to exhibit the last inhabitants home. Could you imagine living in such an unconventional space and having to listen to the constant noise from the mill? We didn't stay in the area too long because although our late afternoon entrance gave us a crowd-free setting, it regrettably left us with less time at the site because of early closing hours.
Keukenhof. Inarguably the most beautiful flower garden showcasing seven million spring flowering bulbs. We wandered through the paved paths, in awe of the strikingly gorgeous flowers and their fresh fragrance that filled the air. Brecken was on the loose and yelling "I run, I run!" You can probably visualize us chasing him around the park, policing him from walking on the manicured grass and getting a little too close to picking posies. This place was so magical!
A forty minute drive from Keukenhof took us to Amsterdam where we spent the remaining part of the day. Did you know that this is the most bicycle-friendly city? Bike paths are red in color differentiating them from the roadways and pedestrian footpaths. You will see a mass amount of bicyclist gracefully pedaling to their next destination, but you won't see helmets. It's a laid back culture and one of familiarity with their bicycles. We toured the Heineken Brewery, tasted local cheeses at the cheese museum, walked our way through quiet neighborhoods and lively city streets, devoured french fries loaded with frites sauce, and snuck in a sweet treat of stroopwafels.
Making memories on our rented bicycles. After we returned to our hotel on Saturday night, I knew my eyes were still up for viewing more flowers; honestly, I just couldn't get enough of them. Sunday gave us the most beautiful spring day, bright sunshine and crisp air. We took a leisure cycle through quaint towns, weaving alongside vibrant flower fields, collecting seashells on the beaches of the North Sea, and stopping for ice cream along the route. My bike was awesome and I realized that cruisers with a basket are more my speed these days, like really, if I lived in a flat area I would be tempted to sell my car and bike everywhere.
We returned our bikes and drove 30 minutes to The Hague (Den Haag) to have lunch and walk around the city a bit. We roamed the city center but didn't have a ton of extra time to visit highlighted sites.
On our way home, we always like to review a trip and ask each other which part was a favorite. Hands down, biking around the flower fields to the beach won for each of us. It was a memorable day filled with toddler giggles and fresh air. I am grateful for the beauty in this world and for family to enjoy it with.
Travel Notes
Holiday Inn Leiden
We chose this hotel for two reasons, the reasonable price and its central location to all of the things we wanted to do. It's also only a fifteen minute drive from Keukenhof, so consider this if you want to avoid the longer drive from Amsterdam. This hotel boasts itself for being a family friendly choice. Children up to the age of twelve stay and eat for free and also have access to the Jungle Club for Kids. Brecken loved the ball pit and jungle gym in this area. It was a great space for him to burn off extra energy before bedtime! Highlighted amenities include a swimming pool, sauna, fitness room, bike rentals, and free parking. Hotel website
Kinderdijk
The above link will take you to the official Kinderdijk website with an abundance of information on their schedule, activities, maps, events, history, mills, and much more. Children up to the age of four do not pay an entrance fee. Purchase your tickets online for a 10 percent discount. Kinderdijk website
Keukenhof
With just shy of 80 acres, this gorgeous garden has more than just flowers. There's a small petting farm, windmill, playground, fountains, cafes, souvenir shops, and food carts. People from all over the world visit Keukenhof so don't be shocked when you see rows of tour buses in the parking lot. We arrived at 9:00am and found that it started to fill up about 2 hours later as we were getting ready to leave. Another blogger noted that each year they go 2 hours before closing and find the place to be nearly empty. Entrance fees are 16 euros for adults, 8 euros for children 4-11, and free admission for children 0-3. If you are driving to the gardens, a parking pass will cost 6 euros. This year the gardens are open from 24 March to 16 May 08:00-19:30. Keukenhof website
VanDam Bike Rental
I can't recommend this bike rental enough. The rental is only 10 euros per adult for the entire day. If you're looking to bike around the flower fields, this shop is your best bet to rent from. They have two different locations but we departed from the Keukenhof site, located at the parking lot main entrance. They offer bike baskets, trailers, and baby seats for a small fee. They also provide you with a map highlighting various routes which are marked along the way. Reservations cannot be made in advance, first-come first-served basis. VanDam Bike Rental website
Better Bagels
The owner of this establishment lived in Ramsey, NJ for a few years, how cool! Bagels...Those carbs were calling for me.. actually, we haven't had bagels since we moved to Germany because the bakeries don't sell them here. The bagels were fresh out of the oven and they had a decent variety of homemade cream cheese flavors to choose from. Does anyone else like to add both butter and cream cheese to their bagels? It's a good combo and one that Alex thinks is just not necessary.Better Bagels website
Annie's
A floating barge is home to this restaurant situated on a canal in Leiden. The food was great, service was fast, and the atmosphere was relaxing. Annie's Restaurant website
Heineken Experience Amsterdam
The link above takes you to the site to purchase tickets online in advance. This was a huge timesaver and allowed us to skip the line upon arrival. Our stroller was kept in a secure area behind the front desk during our tour and no one seemed to mind that a toddler was with us. The 16 euro entrance fee gave us a sample tasting, two free beers, and direct access to the former Heineken Brewery which has been transformed to an interactive display showcasing Heineken. This was a fun activity and I would recommend it even with a child! Heineken Experience website
Stach
A small corner food store in Amsterdam that sells already prepared items such as salads, sandwiches, olives, cheeses, juices, packaged organic brand foods, and fresh baked goods. This would be a great place to stop and grab items for a picnic! Stach Food website
Amsterdam Cheese Museum
If you're a cheese lover, you will be in cheese heaven with all of the free samples. There are a myriad of cheeses to choose from and all can be purchased on site. The museum is in a small space and was definitely cramped with people. I wouldn't advise taking a stroller into this museum due to the limited space. We chose to leave the little guy outside in the stroller and each of us took a turn going into the museum separately. Amsterdam Cheese Museum website
Anne Frank Museum
We would have loved to visit but tickets were sold out for over a month! If visiting Amsterdam, and this is on your must-see list, be sure to buy tickets a few months out. Anne Frank Museum website
Little V Restaurant
Delicious Vietnamese food in an eco-friendly industrial decor setting with patio seating available. There was a little children's nook in the restaurant with vintage toys, a small table for coloring, and leather futon for book reading. The staff was super friendly and the service was fast. Little V Restaurant website
Itinerary- 4 days and 3 nights
Keukenhof. Inarguably the most beautiful flower garden showcasing seven million spring flowering bulbs. We wandered through the paved paths, in awe of the strikingly gorgeous flowers and their fresh fragrance that filled the air. Brecken was on the loose and yelling "I run, I run!" You can probably visualize us chasing him around the park, policing him from walking on the manicured grass and getting a little too close to picking posies. This place was so magical!
A forty minute drive from Keukenhof took us to Amsterdam where we spent the remaining part of the day. Did you know that this is the most bicycle-friendly city? Bike paths are red in color differentiating them from the roadways and pedestrian footpaths. You will see a mass amount of bicyclist gracefully pedaling to their next destination, but you won't see helmets. It's a laid back culture and one of familiarity with their bicycles. We toured the Heineken Brewery, tasted local cheeses at the cheese museum, walked our way through quiet neighborhoods and lively city streets, devoured french fries loaded with frites sauce, and snuck in a sweet treat of stroopwafels.
Making memories on our rented bicycles. After we returned to our hotel on Saturday night, I knew my eyes were still up for viewing more flowers; honestly, I just couldn't get enough of them. Sunday gave us the most beautiful spring day, bright sunshine and crisp air. We took a leisure cycle through quaint towns, weaving alongside vibrant flower fields, collecting seashells on the beaches of the North Sea, and stopping for ice cream along the route. My bike was awesome and I realized that cruisers with a basket are more my speed these days, like really, if I lived in a flat area I would be tempted to sell my car and bike everywhere.
We returned our bikes and drove 30 minutes to The Hague (Den Haag) to have lunch and walk around the city a bit. We roamed the city center but didn't have a ton of extra time to visit highlighted sites.
On our way home, we always like to review a trip and ask each other which part was a favorite. Hands down, biking around the flower fields to the beach won for each of us. It was a memorable day filled with toddler giggles and fresh air. I am grateful for the beauty in this world and for family to enjoy it with.
Travel Notes
Holiday Inn Leiden
We chose this hotel for two reasons, the reasonable price and its central location to all of the things we wanted to do. It's also only a fifteen minute drive from Keukenhof, so consider this if you want to avoid the longer drive from Amsterdam. This hotel boasts itself for being a family friendly choice. Children up to the age of twelve stay and eat for free and also have access to the Jungle Club for Kids. Brecken loved the ball pit and jungle gym in this area. It was a great space for him to burn off extra energy before bedtime! Highlighted amenities include a swimming pool, sauna, fitness room, bike rentals, and free parking. Hotel website
Kinderdijk
The above link will take you to the official Kinderdijk website with an abundance of information on their schedule, activities, maps, events, history, mills, and much more. Children up to the age of four do not pay an entrance fee. Purchase your tickets online for a 10 percent discount. Kinderdijk website
Keukenhof
With just shy of 80 acres, this gorgeous garden has more than just flowers. There's a small petting farm, windmill, playground, fountains, cafes, souvenir shops, and food carts. People from all over the world visit Keukenhof so don't be shocked when you see rows of tour buses in the parking lot. We arrived at 9:00am and found that it started to fill up about 2 hours later as we were getting ready to leave. Another blogger noted that each year they go 2 hours before closing and find the place to be nearly empty. Entrance fees are 16 euros for adults, 8 euros for children 4-11, and free admission for children 0-3. If you are driving to the gardens, a parking pass will cost 6 euros. This year the gardens are open from 24 March to 16 May 08:00-19:30. Keukenhof website
VanDam Bike Rental
I can't recommend this bike rental enough. The rental is only 10 euros per adult for the entire day. If you're looking to bike around the flower fields, this shop is your best bet to rent from. They have two different locations but we departed from the Keukenhof site, located at the parking lot main entrance. They offer bike baskets, trailers, and baby seats for a small fee. They also provide you with a map highlighting various routes which are marked along the way. Reservations cannot be made in advance, first-come first-served basis. VanDam Bike Rental website
Better Bagels
The owner of this establishment lived in Ramsey, NJ for a few years, how cool! Bagels...Those carbs were calling for me.. actually, we haven't had bagels since we moved to Germany because the bakeries don't sell them here. The bagels were fresh out of the oven and they had a decent variety of homemade cream cheese flavors to choose from. Does anyone else like to add both butter and cream cheese to their bagels? It's a good combo and one that Alex thinks is just not necessary.Better Bagels website
Annie's
A floating barge is home to this restaurant situated on a canal in Leiden. The food was great, service was fast, and the atmosphere was relaxing. Annie's Restaurant website
Heineken Experience Amsterdam
The link above takes you to the site to purchase tickets online in advance. This was a huge timesaver and allowed us to skip the line upon arrival. Our stroller was kept in a secure area behind the front desk during our tour and no one seemed to mind that a toddler was with us. The 16 euro entrance fee gave us a sample tasting, two free beers, and direct access to the former Heineken Brewery which has been transformed to an interactive display showcasing Heineken. This was a fun activity and I would recommend it even with a child! Heineken Experience website
Stach
A small corner food store in Amsterdam that sells already prepared items such as salads, sandwiches, olives, cheeses, juices, packaged organic brand foods, and fresh baked goods. This would be a great place to stop and grab items for a picnic! Stach Food website
Amsterdam Cheese Museum
If you're a cheese lover, you will be in cheese heaven with all of the free samples. There are a myriad of cheeses to choose from and all can be purchased on site. The museum is in a small space and was definitely cramped with people. I wouldn't advise taking a stroller into this museum due to the limited space. We chose to leave the little guy outside in the stroller and each of us took a turn going into the museum separately. Amsterdam Cheese Museum website
Anne Frank Museum
We would have loved to visit but tickets were sold out for over a month! If visiting Amsterdam, and this is on your must-see list, be sure to buy tickets a few months out. Anne Frank Museum website
Little V Restaurant
Delicious Vietnamese food in an eco-friendly industrial decor setting with patio seating available. There was a little children's nook in the restaurant with vintage toys, a small table for coloring, and leather futon for book reading. The staff was super friendly and the service was fast. Little V Restaurant website
Itinerary- 4 days and 3 nights
- Day 1
- Depart Stuttgart at 8:00am and drive to Kinderdijk (5 hours and 30 minutes)
- Windmills at Kinderdijk
- Gift shops at Kinderdijk
- Drive from Kinderdijk to Leiden (50 minutes)
- Check-in at hotel
- Dinner at hotel
- Day 2
- Breakfast on the go
- Drive from Leiden to Keukenhof (23 minutes)
- Keukenhof gardens
- Drive from Keukenhof to Amsterdam (40 minutes)
- Amsterdam
- Drive from Amsterdam to Leiden (45 minutes)
- Dinner on canal in Leiden
- Day 3
- Breakfast at Bagel shop in Leiden
- Drive from Leiden to Keukenhof (23 minutes)
- Rent bikes and ride along flower fields to the sea
- Stop for a snack along bike route
- Drive from Keukenhof to The Hague (36 minutes)
- Vietnamese lunch
- Walk around city
- Drive from The Hague to Leiden (26 minutes)
- Day 4
- Check-out and travel day
