Amstelpark: The First Park We Found In Amsterdam
When we first arrived in Amsterdam, Netherlands, we were staying in Hotel Novotel Amsterdam City and went to Amstelpark every day for four days in a row. As an introduction to parks in Amsterdam, it couldn’t have been better and with 8 year old, it was the best place to run around, feed some animals, and have all of the fun.
If you’re going to be in southern Amsterdam and want a great place to take kids, definitely consider Amstelpark. Located between the Amstel and Europaboulevard, the park was established in 1972 after a horticulture exhibition and it is beautiful.
Looking for a great place to spend the day with kids in Amsterdam South? Check out Amstelpark, also a great reason to stay on the south side of Amsterdam:
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Basic Info
Address: Amstelpark 18, 1083HZ, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Directions: Amstelpark is a 5-minute walk from the RAI station. Metro lines 50, 51 and 52 and tram line 4 come to the RAI station.
Hours: Every day: 7:00am ~ 6:00pm
Things To Do In Amstelpark With Kids
The reason we were headed there daily was to let the little one play on the playgrounds, have all of the fun, and hopefully get over jetlag after our long journey from Korea. There are some GREAT things to do in the park, including:
Run through the maze
Have you ever wanted to get lost in a maze? You can in Amstelpark. When we stopped in, we were the only ones getting lost in the 2 meter high yew hedges and trying to find our way out. It was more fun that it sounds, trust me.
The maze is surrounded by water and access via a pedestrian bridge. The bridge has two levels, the lower level is the entrance to the maze, and the upper level is the exit… if you can find it. It’s completely free!
Play miniature golf
You might think everything I’ve already mentioned is enough, but there’s still more. Head into the Minigolf & Pannenkoekenhuis and choose from 2 different courses. Play a game and then enjoy the must-have Dutch pancakes.
- Hours: 10:00am ~ 6:00pm (The miniature golf course isn’t open every day depending on the season. During high season, it’s open every day, but during low season, it may be open just 4 days a week. Check before you go.)
- Website: https://minigolfamstelpark.nl/
Visit the petting zoo
Named the “City Farm”, walk through a gate, and make sure to close it behind you, and you’ll find chickens, goats, pot-bellied pigs, miniature horses, guinea pigs, rabbits, sheep, and llamas. As long as you watch your step, you can have great fun checking out the animals.
Play on the playground
There is a great playground in the park. There’s a climbing gym, zipline, lots to climb on, swings, seesaws, merry-go-round and that’s just for the big kids. There’s a separate area with sandboxes and other equipment for the younger kids. Don’t want to play yourself? There are plenty of benches and picnic tables scattered around the playground area, too.
Ride the Amstel train
Dating back to the 1970s, there are two stations where you can get on and off of the super snazzy Porsche train that passes by the Rosarium, the Rhododendron Valley, and the Riekermolen. You do need to purchase tickets for the train, but we really enjoyed the ride and think it’s worth it.
Important Info:
- The train runs every half hour normally, but may run every 20 minutes if it’s a very busy day.
- Hours: 11:00am ~ 5:00pm (The miniature golf course isn’t open every day depending on the season. During high season, it’s open every day, but during low season, it may be open just 4 days a week. Check before you go.)
- Website: https://www.amsteltrein.nl/
See some art installations
Take a stroll in the park and you’ll come to some interesting and cool installations. One of the installations to look for is the Rozenoord monument. Artist Ram Katzir designed the monument with 100 chairs anchored in cement. At the end of WWII, 140 men were shot by the German occupiers at Rozenoord in Amsterdam South. Many of them were resistance fighters who had been fighting for liberation and it’s particularly painful in the history of the area as it was so close to liberation.
Continue walking and you can also find a Camara Obscura by artist Rick Abelen. Make sure you step inside to check it out. And then look for Universe by Robbert va der Horst. Walk up the steps and rotate it around.
Finding Amstelpark was a great introduction to parks in Amsterdam. If you have kids, definitely check it out whether you’re staying in the area or not.
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