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Layover in Amsterdam... what to do??

Travel Info
I will have an overnight layover in early December in Amsterdam from a Sunday evening at 8:00pm to Monday afternoon at 3:30pm. I will be traveling with my husband and 3 year old son.

Unfortunately, with our 3 year old along, the red light district will be a no-no. So... I need some family friendly ideas for what we can do, where to stay, places to eat.

Hint: The "best answer" will go to the person who provides me with the most detailed information... including links to the sights, hotels, etc.

Good luck... make our time in Amsterdam unforgettable!

Travel Tips

A canal tour is always fun; there are many different companies, even operating in winter. You can even take the 'canal bus' to get around.
http://www.canal.nl/ne/theme.php?theme_i...

The museums are probably a bit boring for a kid that young, but then I must admit I don't know much about very young kids, don't have any myself nor do any close friends/family... there's a long list here, perhaps something does appeal to you.
http://www.amsterdam.info/museums/...

I agree with the previous poster the zoo is very nice! Then again I might be a bit biased, my great-great-grandfather was one of the three founders :)
http://www.artis.nl

I don't have a favorite Amsterdam restaurant but there are loads of places to eat in the vicinity of the train station. If you leave the train station, go straight in the direction of the Dam, then you'll pass many eateries, from fastfood to various different etnic restaurants. At the Dam and in the streets leading off it you'll find many more. Most aren't too expensive and should be fine for a family.

Same with hotels, I less than an hour from the city so I've always gone home after visiting Amsterdam but this page may help:
http://www.amsterdam.info/hotels/...

Others
Wander the canals and streets. Isn't the anne frank museum there?
watch pbs, i just saw a piece on amsterdam,yea they will show it again, check your local listings.
Well it depends. If u have good weather just walking the streets its amazing. even for a 3 year old. along the way u will find enough playgrounds and squeres to play. There is a alot of cluture ofcourse but maybe to boring for a 3 year old.
There is a wax doll museum madam tusaud.
But if its raining ore to cold i recomand New metropolis. NeMo for short. Its an interactive "science museum for children. But is also intresting for adults and has an amazing view from the terras.
Last child friendly thing to do is the zoo called Artis. Its 1 of the oldest zoo{s of the world and also has a world famous planatarium.
http://www.e-nemo.nl/?id=5&s=85&d=551...
http://www.artis.nl/international/index....
when you arrive on Sunday you can just go for a walk in the streets, the jordaan area is very lovely...
I'm afraid your coming at a bit of a dead time since Monday morning almost everything opens late and almost all of the museums are closed (except for the van goch museum but you can check it in http://www.museum.n/), the beautiful botanical gardens are open (http://www.dehortus.nl/informatie.asp)... .
and you can decide your self by looking at this site (http://www.amsterdamtourist.nl/en/defaul... has all about a day out in amsterdam.
Okay.Check into any hotel near the airport.Very cheap are Bastion hotels.Never mind the ugliness of the surrounding.Once you are there you can take a taxi into Amsterdam but I advise you to take a train to Amsterdam central station.Should you wear out and have enough of it.Just take any taxi back to your hotel.I chose Bastion becaused they are cheap and near the airport so you will not miss your flight.Since you have very little time take one or two things to see.On a sunday of course most shops are closed and some are closed on a monday.Just dine in restaurant the Rode Leeuw in front of the stocks exchange and forget about all the attractions.If you take a taxi back to Schiphol you will get to see plenty in a short time if you take a boat trip you have too little time to get back to to your hotel.You could ask the driver to show you around a little bit.