Part 3 - Europe Road Trip With A Tween & Teen

Next Stop Amsterdam

The drive from Delft to Amsterdam isn’t far, and we needed a little outing. Just 20+ minutes north of the city sits Zaanse Schans – everything you would consider quintessentially Dutch comes to life. Think windmills, wooden clogs, cheese shops, weaving, waffles, barrel makers, all packaged in one stop. It’s unapologetically touristy, overflowing with kitschy charm… which, of course, I completely succumbed to (yes, another fridge magnet for the collection!).

Crowds aside, the best part? It’s completely free to wander around. You can stroll along the waters edge, snap a hundred photos of windmills, visit the clog shop and soak up all the Dutch vibes without spending anything (saying that, there is car park fee). If you are however looking for an expanded experience, a visit to the museum and some of the demonstrations are only available if you pay.

Amsterdam Accommodation: 

XO Hotel Park West, a 4-star hotel on the outskirts of the city, it’s not the most beautiful to look at, think 70’s/80’s office block, but inside it’s modern, and comfortable. 

 The good bits:

• Hands down the best family room we stayed in, spacious, with a comfy queen bed plus two singles.
• A big rainfall shower that felt like a treat after long days of walking.

The pros and cons:
Being on the outskirts has its upsides: it’s easy to find without the stress of navigating Amsterdam’s city traffic, the parking is secure, and it’s cheaper than most central options. On the flip side, it’s about a 30-minute walk into the city.

The good news? There’s a tram stop right outside the hotel. The journey into the centre is quick and simple, so we never found the location to be a problem.

Quick tip: If you are taking the tram, you can tap on and off using a bank card as you would on the London underground. If you’re doing multiple trips, then you can download the app and pay for baulk tickets which is cheaper. 

Sightseeing

Anne Frank House, a thoughtful and insightful experience about Anne Frank and her World War II Jewish life, hidden in the annex. The layout and audio guide lead you through her story with care, and stepping into the actual secret annex was both surreal and poignant. I was particularly struck by the lesser-known journey of Otto Frank’s return to the Netherlands from the concentration camp – it was a powerful reminder of resilience and loss.

They actually offer kids a different audio guide to the adults, telling the story from Anne's perspective, rather than a narrator. A great initiative that fully engaged the children.

This is an absolute must-visit in Amsterdam, but plan ahead: tickets are released at 10 am, six weeks in advance. I booked ours the moment they went live, and within hours the popular slots were already selling out - so be organised!

Canal boat ride

We jumped on a canal boat after the museum, for a very relaxing potter on the water. Located just in front of Anne Frank’s House, we chose the Amsterdam circle line as it was well priced, had an inside area (rain was looming) and lasted a whopping 75mins. If you sat inside, they had a very comprehensive guide talking you through the sites which the boys enjoyed. Sitting outside you can’t hear this, but personally I was just happy to sit back and watch the world go by.

Chocolate overload!

From there, we wandered into the city centre, though I have to admit, I was a bit underwhelmed by how grubby and littered some areas felt. Our goal, however, made up for it - Tony’s Chocolonely Superstore. And let’s be honest, you can’t go wrong with a chocolate shop, even if it’s a little too easy to spend a small fortune!

We queued about 10 minutes to get in, and another 10 mins to reach the highlight: creating our own chocolate bars with personalised packaging. The catch is you need to wait about two hours before collecting your custom bars, so plan that into your day. The kids loved it, and I have to admit, so did I.

Food:

Lunch: Koffiehuis De Hoek, from the Anne Frank House turn left (facing canal), walk straight past the first bridge, then at the second you find this quaint atmospheric little café. An easy place to have a bite to eat, well priced and great location to people watch.

Dinner: Day’s Stonehill 1870, this steakhouse offers a fun twist, you cook your chosen cut of steak on a sizzling hot stone right at the table. It definitely has plenty of novelty value, and my meat-loving husband was in his element. The food itself was good, though I’ll admit I prefer leaving the cooking to the chef. Still, it made for a unique and enjoyable dining experience.

Next stop... EuroParc

From Amsterdam, we headed south to our stay at EuroParcs Limburg, our first time trying a holiday park resort.

I’ll be honest, the first cabin we were given was everything I’d dreaded: dated, grubby, and smelling of stale smoke. Not the best start. But after a quick chat to the receptionist, it was quickly resolved and things improved massively. We were given a much nicer cabin, closer to the action. This one was more modern, with big windows, a decent kitchen, and a comfortable master bedroom. A little shabby in places, sure, but overall, a much better experience.

The park itself is well-established, with lots of greenery softening the rows of cabins. There are options to suit most budgets and plenty of activities on offer. I’d say it’s best suited for younger kids, with a petting zoo, inflatables, kids’ club, and evening entertainment. That said, there’s still plenty for older ones (and adults): SUP, mini golf, an indoor pool, a lake with a beach, and even a decent restaurant and snack kiosk.

Day Trips Nearby

Retail Therapy in Roermond
Just a short drive away is the McArthurGlen Designer Outlet in Roermond. With big-name sports shops and plenty of boutiques, it’s the perfect spot for a browse - we even managed to snag a few bargains.

Thermal Bliss in Aachen, Germany
For something a little different, I can’t recommend the Carolus Thermen in Aachen enough. These thermal baths are incredible, with mineral-rich waters across multiple pools (indoor and outdoor), waterfalls, whirlpools, jets, a cold plunge, loungers, and even a café. Kids over six are welcome too, which makes it a family-friendly way to relax.

There’s also a sauna complex, but it’s strictly naked-only (not for this prudish Brit!) You can book spa treatments too if you fancy an upgrade.

Tips for visiting Carolus Thermen:

• Towel Hire: Save the packing space and hire towels there, but remember to show them to the staff on the exit desk before you leave. We'd already put ours in the dirty towel bin and almost got stung with a €60 charge!
• Driving in Aachen: Many German cities, including Aachen, require a green emissions sticker to drive in. It needs to be ordered in advance by post, so if you don’t have one, parking/city driving options are limited. We parked at the Tivoli Stadium which avoided the sticker zone, they have a park and ride into the town centre and from there, it’s an easy 20-minute walk to the thermal baths.

Breaking up the journey home

After five days at EuroParcs, we broke up our return journey to Calais with an overnight stop in Lille. Our hotel, Hotel Lille Europe was a pleasant surprise - budget-friendly, with super convenient underground parking, and perfectly located for exploring the city on foot, especially the charming old town.

Note on Driving in Lille:
You’ll need a Crit’Air sticker for your car that must be ordered in advance. And one golden rule: don’t peel it off if you’ve placed it wonkily. Removing it reveals big “VOID” text on the sticker’s film - something I discovered the hard (and stressful) way.

Homeward bound

After what felt like an epic adventure, the experiences and variety this holiday offered have given us so many special family memories. That said, I have to admit, the idea of simply relaxing by a pool with a stack of good books is sounding very tempting for next year!

What did the kids enjoy?

Master 12 is still remembering anything food related, in particular enjoying the ribs he ate and the sizzling hot stone cooking in the Amsterdam restaurant. Tony's chocolate shop is high up on his list as well.

Miss 14, felt the Anne Frank House was a memorable experience. In particular the narrated audio tour .

And my husband, who did an amazing job doing all of the driving... he was particularly taken by Bruge and is already talking about a Christmas trip there (I mentioned how lovely to visit the Christmas markets, I think he's more interested in stocking up on the Bruge Zot beer!)

If you missed any of our journey, read part 1 (Dunkirk & Bruges) and part 2 (Delft & Gouda).