Poring rain Amsterdam with teen. Massive c**k up holiday.

[Amsterdammit]

Hello, we’ve had too much going on as a family are v v stressed. Worried so much about hol and heat with pale lonely teen that In a moment of anxiety booked Amsterdam which was insanely expensive and now it will be pouring all week.
Please please if anyone has any nice restaurants, cafes, museums anything at all they can recommend.Teen is into science and computers, hates art, hates museums, we are happy, I mean desperate, and can hop on a train for a day trip. what were we thinking?! Just so desperately wanted a nice break for teen and now think we’ve cocked up desperately.

It was a strange place to pick if they hate art and museums. Just get on and do what you planned & take waterproofs. It’s a city so plenty of shops, cafes etc.

Another vote for taking a canal boat trip.

The National Maritime Museum is packed with interesting stuff, including having a replica East India Man moored outside, where you can try out a hammock, explore the hold and the Captain's Great Cabin.

Do try one of the Indonesian buffet style restaurants too.

The last time I walked through the red light district there was a chase involving men with machetes!

I’ll second Nemo, it’s brilliant and plenty geared towards teens

Too old for Efteling.

Take a day trip out to Lieden. Any interest in Anne Frank Haus?

Amsterdam is pretty dire (unless you're there for museums, weed or sex).

Don't be ridiculous, I live here and have done for probably longer than you are alive.
Guess it was the company you keep.....

Nemo, science museum looks like a half-sunken ship built by Renzo Piano, famous architect.

NEMO Science Museum in Amsterdam Go left outside Central Station. Lots of helpful friendly tourist guides to ask for directions there. (It's a different route to the Chinese restaurant on the ship).

Canal cruise is great. Near Central Station (just walk out the front, to the left).

The weather is predicted to be much better next week, more summery.

Here's the tourist info. Enjoy!

I amsterdam | The official guide to Amsterdam

Here's the English version. NEMO Science Museum in Amsterdam

Oh, and everyone speaks English by the way,...

The last time I walked through the red light district there was a chase involving men with machetes!

More scare mongering.

There's a Buddhist Temple there. I've been inside and lots of great Chinese restaurants around.

zeedijk boeddhistische tempel - Search Images (bing.com)

What did you have planned if it was to be nice weather? Most Amsterdam tourist attractions aren’t weather dependent so I’d just carry on with your plan.

Yes, Anne Frank House is a must. It's been left exactly the way it was then. Chilling.
Especially important for teenagers/early twenties to see. Anyone really.

Big modern exhibition centre attached about the horrors of fascism and where it can lead to.

An essential part of our European history. Book online though. It's the third museum after Rijks (Rembrandt) and Van Gogh in popularity.

I'm an Amsterdam family blogger and have TONS of recommendations and inspiration posts on my blog. Have a browse. It rains there as much as the UK so it's a city very much geared up for wet weather both indoors (or outdoors in wet weather gear!)

Www.amsterdamwonderland.com

Is the cannabis museum still there?

Hi op I went to Amsterdam last year when ds was 15. He liked the Nemo science museum, this is Holland 4d experience and we enjoyed meals at grizzly ( burgers) and dope (a fab pizza restaurant in de pijp).

Sorry should have pointed you directly to this section

amsterdamwonderland.com/category/kids/

It's got teen inspiration for Amsterdam and beyond as well as great places to eat

In fact, Dope was so great, I want to mention it again!

Nemo museum is great loved it

would be be interested in a tour of Ajax’s stadium? Done that before and it’s quite a nice time

We stayed in Rotterdam and day tripped by train to Amsterdam. I bloody loved Rotterdam! The amazing huge food hall and the boat ride round the Port and the ship museum and the cube houses…. V cool. Could do a long day there!

TBH, there are many worse places to be than Amsterdam in the rain. The Rembrandt House Museum is really good, with an interactive tour that's very interesting. I think there are tours on covered boats. A trip to Utrecht is nice - it's very pretty and the local museum is interesting, with a great exhibit on Dick Bruna, creator of Miffy the Rabbit, and an amazing ancient boat exhibit in the basement. Lots of funky shops and cafes too.

How about a day trip to Brussels. See the Atomium, explore the central area with a walking tour - check out the chocolate shops. Eat waffles 🧇

A few years ago we got a train from Amsterdam to Gouda, it’s about an hour. We went to the stroopwaffle factory. https://syrupwafflefactory.com/ We also did an escape room at Sherlocked, which was brilliant. Our teens were 16 and 13 at the time.

^Cannabis Museum Amsterdam - Buy your tickets here online (cannabismuseum-amsterdam.com)

Coster Diamonds. IIRC it's near the Rijksmuseum. See diamonds being cut and polished, and actually handle them as well. My teens found it fascinating.

surfing at hart nmbeach in the hague.
corpus in leiden

There's a giant swing on top of one of the tall buildings.

Looks scary/fun for thrill seekers but not sure if it will operate in the rain

Embrace it. Give them €100 and tell them to go off and buy something cool while you mooch about in cafes and restaurants

I disagree that teens are too old for Efteling, I went for the first time when I was 15 and my 16 year old found plenty to do when we went last year. There are several decent sized rollercoasters, and there’s something about the place that releases everyone’s inner child. Plus the food options are so much better than any other theme park, I’d go for that alone!