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Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

Amsterdam trip with teen DD

26 replies

LinkEEDin · 22/01/2023 23:06

I've got my first solo trip with DD 14 coming up. I have Anne Frank House booked already but would love any tips for things to do and some restaurant ideas for dinner please.

Just realised that the sofitel grand, which I have booked for a treat, is very near the red light district. DD is not in a great place at the moment and I would rather avoid the RLD if possible. Just wondering if anyone that knows Amsterdam well, might know if it'd be possible to avoid with this location? Thank you

OP posts:
LondonMummer · 22/01/2023 23:25

Yes. Avoid the red light district.

I'm an Amsterdam blogger. My husband is Dutch and we spend a great deal of time there. Have a look at this post and browse through the rest as there are lots of tips for our favourite places to eat and things to do. Feel free to DM me through the site if I can help with anything (I don't commercialise my blog, I do it because I just hate to see tourists end up in the shit bits of town when Amsterdam is so wonderful!)

amsterdamwonderland.com/10-best-things-in-amsterdam-for-teens/

Original poster
LinkEEDin · 23/01/2023 07:36

Thank you @LondonMummer I love your blog.

OP posts:
LondonMummer · 23/01/2023 07:51

Thanks so much x

Notimeforaname · 23/01/2023 08:50

I was there a few weeks ago. They seem to be moving all the windows out of the inner city. The popular area De Wallan, I saw only one working window. In previous years I've seen loads. There are still those thin alleyways with working girls windows but you dint accidentally stumble doem those.
Obviously offeeshops and cannabis is everywhere when outside the red light so if it was just the windows and groups of men staring that you wanted to avvoid, I saw none of this recently. A huge difference to the Amsterdam I've previously visited.

Funf · 23/01/2023 10:07

We go the local bus to Marken, then ferry to Vollandam, bus to Edam, then bus back to the city, it was a great day out

Treetrim · 23/01/2023 10:14

Amsterdam is wonderful with teens. Cycling in the vondelpark was a big hit with ours and there are gorgeous cafes to stop for a coffee when you want a break.

We then went to George wpa which is just at the side of the park for brunch.

In terms of museums the modern art or Van Gogh museum are also fabulous.

The area around the Anne Frank house is lovely and there are lots of independent shops and cafes that my teens loved.

I found that getting them to go on tik tok /Instagram and find the cool places really did help as they were then quite invested in the trip

SausagePourHomme · 23/01/2023 10:14

Said kindly but is amsterdam the right choice? It has some beauty but it's seedy and the underbelly spills out of the red light zone. Anne frank museum has dinner truly harrowing exhibits as well for a teen that has a low mood it could be v difficult to handle

SausagePourHomme · 23/01/2023 10:15

*Has some truly harrowing exhibits.

DataColour · 23/01/2023 10:24

I was with my 12yr old DD in Amsterdam summer just gone. She particularly enjoyed the Royal Palace, Rijksmuseum and the Diamond museum. They were all very engaging, particularly the first 2 with audio guides.
We also went to the Tony's chocolonely place which in my opinion was very overrated (even though I like the chocolate) but she liked it.
Amsterdam was very touristy though, unpleasantly so.

GretaGarbled · 23/01/2023 10:25

We took our 13 and 15 yr olds last October and had a wonderful time. It's all so walkable and picturesque. We did:
Anne Frank (harrowing but important) - must book in advance, plan a good lunch to decompress afterwards
Walking tour (one of the free ones where you tip at the end)
Canal boat tour of course
Van Gogh - book in advance
Lots of pancakes, apple cakes, chip shops!
Our Lord in the Attic museum - a curveball to fill some time on the last day but was a fabulous little museum
A bit of shopping

We walked down one street with a lady in the window, but the 15yo wasn't phased and the 13yo didn't look (we didn't go back that way though!). It's easy to avoid the seedy area if you need to.

GretaGarbled · 23/01/2023 10:27

Just seen your point about your DD - I wouldn't take her to Anne Frank in that case. It was hard even as an adult. Lots of tears.

CuteOrangeElephant · 23/01/2023 10:29

I would really recommend a Canal tour, especially when it's raining! Short but a nice way to see the city.

Treetrim · 23/01/2023 10:46

SausagePourHomme · 23/01/2023 10:14

Said kindly but is amsterdam the right choice? It has some beauty but it's seedy and the underbelly spills out of the red light zone. Anne frank museum has dinner truly harrowing exhibits as well for a teen that has a low mood it could be v difficult to handle

I completely disagree with this. If you stick to the right areas it’s an absolute joy and not at all seedy. Is it a long time since you were there @SausagePourHomme

MsAlder · 23/01/2023 10:54

I live in the Netherlands. I can recommend a day trip to Utrecht which has a huge shopping centre (Hoog Catharijne) and a lovely city centre with canals and shops. It's a only a short trip from Amsterdam by train (direct from Central Station). Leiden is also another great destination which isn't too far away. The archeological museum and Naturalis are both amazing. I find Amsterdam to be a bit seedy at times but end up going around once a year to check out the museums (The Rijksmuseum is amazing and so is the Rembrandt House, you can also check to see what is on in the Hermitage). For food I can really recommend Los Pilones on the Kerkstraat in Amsterdam if you like Mexican food.

SausagePourHomme · 23/01/2023 10:55

Treetrim · 23/01/2023 10:46

I completely disagree with this. If you stick to the right areas it’s an absolute joy and not at all seedy. Is it a long time since you were there @SausagePourHomme

Show quote history

A while yes, perhaps it's better now but when i went we were targeted by a pickpocket, crowds of horny men were ranging around, and dealers were openly peddling on street corners.

DuchessofSandwich · 23/01/2023 10:59

@Treetrim not at all seedy? I lived there from 2014-2019 and parts of it definately are seedy.

OP, I wouldn't take a vulnerable feeling person to the Anne Frank house. Amsterdam has lovely parks and the nine streets (negen straatjes) has a lot of fun shops and cafe's. A boat tour could also be fun. Be careful riding a bicycle through the city at first, but it absolutely enhances your visit because it's part of the culture and a great wat to get around.

It's out of the city center but we loved eating at Thai Tiger and Lalibela (ethiopean food). So if you're into foreign food you can try that.

There's also a zoo and a lot of lovely museums. Someone upthread mentioned a trip to Marken/Volendam, which is really lovely if you enjoy seeing old fashioned dutch houses (but different style than Amsterdam). Enkhuizen has a museum that's basically a very old village, that's fun too. You need dry weather for that though.

What kind of things does your DD enjoy doing?

Treetrim · 23/01/2023 11:35

DuchessofSandwich · 23/01/2023 10:59

@Treetrim not at all seedy? I lived there from 2014-2019 and parts of it definately are seedy.

OP, I wouldn't take a vulnerable feeling person to the Anne Frank house. Amsterdam has lovely parks and the nine streets (negen straatjes) has a lot of fun shops and cafe's. A boat tour could also be fun. Be careful riding a bicycle through the city at first, but it absolutely enhances your visit because it's part of the culture and a great wat to get around.

It's out of the city center but we loved eating at Thai Tiger and Lalibela (ethiopean food). So if you're into foreign food you can try that.

There's also a zoo and a lot of lovely museums. Someone upthread mentioned a trip to Marken/Volendam, which is really lovely if you enjoy seeing old fashioned dutch houses (but different style than Amsterdam). Enkhuizen has a museum that's basically a very old village, that's fun too. You need dry weather for that though.

What kind of things does your DD enjoy doing?

Well as I said if you stick to the right areas it is not at all seedy. I’m there for work all the time and that’s my experience but I stay away from Dam square and the red light and tend to stick to the areas around vondelpark

TreesAtSea · 23/01/2023 14:05

OP, I'd imagine you'll be fine there. Yes, it's fairly near the RLD, but that area is pretty well contained. I'm not a parent, am probably a fair bit older than you (mid 50s), have zero tolerance for anything seedy, but have been to Amsterdam twice alone and had no problems whatsoever. I stayed in a budget hotel on Damstraat, which is again quite close to the RLD, and probably somewhere where many people wouldn't choose to stay, but it was fine, though admittedly I wasn't out late at night. Presumably the Sofitel wouldn't be where it is if the area was unpleasant for its guests.
I haven't been to the Anne Frank House, but if you do want a little light relief afterwards, the Amsterdam Tulip Museum is very nearby on Leliegracht. It's a lovely little place.
I hope you and your DD have a wonderful time. Amsterdam really is an amazing city with so much to offer and is the friendliest place I've ever visited.

Original poster
LinkEEDin · 23/01/2023 17:01

Thank you very much for all of your suggestions and opinions. I really appreciate it.

OP posts:
PuppaDontPreach · 23/01/2023 17:10

I agree with @Treetrim - Amsterdam is a fabulous place and you'll have a great time. Took my DD a couple of years ago and it's her favourite city ever. The Red Light district is seedy obviously but as a city it's one of the least seedy I can imagine and the Dutch people are wonderful. Would suggest pancakes for breakfast somewhere and a boat trip.

I'd recommend the Van Gogh museum. Also Anne Frank house- DD found it moving and fascinating. You will know whether it's appropriate for your DD.

On a completely different note, you can design your own chocolate bar at the Tonys Chocolonely shop and they will make it for you and print a wrapper you've designed.

Perfect28 · 23/01/2023 17:14

I don't think you need avoid it, use as. Conversation starter. Ask what she thinks?

Addidas · 06/03/2023 22:05

@LinkEEDin
how was your trip? Similar issue here with wanting to avoid rld

fhanks

Original poster
LinkEEDin · 06/03/2023 23:21

@Addidas something happened and we were not able to go in the end. Sorry I can't be of any help.

OP posts:
Addidas · 07/03/2023 06:54

11.2 again! Surely it will move soon

plan
yoghurt berries flaxseed
halloumi bake from fast 800

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