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Is There A Beach In Amsterdam? No, But Zandvoort Is The Closest
When we first moved to the Netherlands and our Dutch friend drove us to the beach for a day on the coast, I realized I knew nothing about Dutch beaches. I had never even thought to look into beaches in Netherlands and didn’t realize they had such a beautiful seaside with gorgeously soft sand. Though there is not a beach in Amsterdam (well there are a few “urban beaches”), you can get out to the coast easily from Amsterdam Centraal Train Station in under an hour. If you’re visiting the Netherlands in the summer, I highly recommend spending a day on the coast. Even in the other seasons, the seaside…
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Did You Know You Can Have High Tea At London’s British Museum?
If you search “best high tea in London”, do you know how many options pop up? Wanting to find the right place for my daughter and I to have high tea on our quick weekend in London, I was a bit overwhelmed at first. That is until I found out we could have high tea in the British Museum making it that much easier to plan my London itinerary. One of the top museums in London and high tea, too? Winner winner chicken dinner… er, cucumber sandwich lunch to be more accurate. Have just a short time in London but want to fit in all of the fun? Definitely consider…
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Step into a World of Whimsy: The Balloon Museum in London
The Balloon Museum in London, England is said to be the city’s latest craze, a place where imagination takes flight amidst a sea of colors, shapes, and sizes. Is it art? Is it a kid’s cafe? The newest form of Chuck-e-Cheese? I wouldn’t say it’s a museum, but it is something colorful and fun. Coming from Seoul, Korea where everything is Instagrammable and art and culture collide continuously, anything that looks large, in charge, and whimsical is generally up our alley. So, we decided to check it out. Is it worth it? You be the judge. Planning to visit the Balloon Museum? Here’s what you should know: (This post contains…
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Discover the Charm of Bloemenmarkt: Amsterdam’s Floating Flower Market
Criss-crossing the canals of Amsterdam in the Netherlands can provide all sorts of picturesque views and walks down beautiful city streets. Some more beautiful than others. If you find the right streets to walk down, you can be surrounded by aromatic flowers or cafes and restaurants. This past weekend as we were showing some friends around Amsterdam and walking from the Van Gogh Museum up to the Royal Palace Amsterdam, we stopped along the Bloemenmarkt. Nestled along the Singel canal, this floating flower market is an explosion of colors, scents, and Dutch charm. On one side you’ll find flowers, pictures of flowers, and flower bulbs to grow your own flowers…
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Amsterdam’s Van Gogh Museum With Kids: Worth It?
When my daughter was in kindergarten, the students were asked to paint their own version of Van Gogh’s “The Bedroom”. After that she delved into Van Gogh’s work and was so inspired we continued to use his works as inspiration. After we moved to the Netherlands, the Van Gogh Museum was top on our things to do in Amsterdam list suffice to say. We’re not the only ones that seek to find this museum though of course. With over 200 paintings, 500 drawings, and 700 letters, alongside a collection of Japanese prints and a comprehensive library with more than 23,000 titles, the Van Gogh Museum offers an unparalleled look into…
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Step Inside the Royal Palace Amsterdam With Kids
There’s just something about European palaces, isn’t there? The grandiosity. The ambiance. The luxury. Step into the Royal Palace Amsterdam in the Netherlands and you will have plenty to look at. Not just a piece of Dutch heritage, the palace is a vibrant, living building that is still utilized today as the official reception palace of the Dutch royal family. Not only beautiful, it’s also very family-friendly offering a fantastic audio guide and puzzle for the children you may have brought with you. Whether you’re tracing the footsteps of royalty or uncovering the stories of its majestic halls, or just looking for the best things to do with kids in…
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What To Eat In Porto, Portugal: A Family-Friendly Food Guide
Coming from Korea, we’re all about focusing on food when we travel. We crave the well-rounded tastes, balanced and colorful arrays of dishes and Porto provided quite the feast. Known globally for its enchanting Port Wine cellars by the Douro River, Porto offers much more than just wine and since we were traveling with our daughter, we were really interested in eating more than drinking. Traveling with kids, who may be focusing on different foods at different times in their culinary journey can cause quite the conundrum when ordering, but we found plenty to eat and so will you. Get ready to learn about the family-friendly food in Porto, Portugal,…
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Discover the Timeless Elegance of Royal Delft Blue at the Royal Delft Museum
When we first came to the Netherlands, one of the first things I read about was Royal Delft. When it comes to deciding what unique souvenir or memento I’m going to take home from a place, I usually look for something memorable and traditional. When we happened to be visiting Delft, Netherlands, I looked up where we could learn more about the iconic Royal Delft Blue and noticed there was a Royal Delft Museum. So, off we went. The museum offers an amazing glimpse into an art form that has been cherished since 1653 and it’s more than just a museum. You’ll see… As the sole survivor of the original…
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Discover the Beauty of Humanity at Zaandam’s Unique Museum of Humanity
There are all manner of museums in the world and some can really catch you off guard like the Museum of Humanity in Zaandam, Netherlands. We stayed in Zaandam for two months and during our time there, we noticed how many tourists seem to miss this intriguing city that hugs Amsterdam to the north. Many people will scoot through to find the Dutch windmills of Zaanse Schans, but there are quite a few more things to do in Zaandam than many realize and the Museum of Humanity is one of them. What you need to know to visit the Museum of Humanity in Zaandam, Netherlands: (This post contains affiliate links,…
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A Family Friendly 2-Day Porto, Portugal Itinerary
We’d heard good things about Porto, Portugal from our family who visited the summer before and were excited to eat the delicious food, spot the Portuguese tile-covered facades of the buildings, and walk along the picturesque Douro River. With a unique blend of traditional charm and modern vibrancy and a city-center that is very walkable, you can see a lot in 2 days in Porto, Portugal. We found Porto to be an incredibly family-friendly city with flavors that we all enjoyed, friendly locals eager to share their culture, and a lot of historical buildings to peruse. Get ready for a fun trip with this 2 day Porto itinerary: (This post…
