Amsterdamse Bos, Amsterdam

In the weekends a ferryboat connects the North bank of the Nieuwe Meer (Oude Haagseweg near McDonald´s and the beaches) with the South bank (close to the pancake restaurant Boerderij Meerzicht, see my other tips).

A fast and exciting way to reach the Amsterdamse bos from Amsterdam West, or to reach the beaches of the Nieuwe Meer from the Amsterdamse Bos.

Single trip only 1 euro for adults and 0.50 euro for kids (5-12 years), bikes and buggies. Free for kids under 4 years.

15 April - 15 Oktober, every 15 minutes on: Saturdays 12.00-18.00h, Sundays and holidays 11.00-19.00h.

A tip for the kids: The goat farm "De Ridammerhoeve" in the "Amsterdamse Bos" (Amsterdam forest). But also nice for older goat-lovers...

This is a "biological" farm, consisting of a goat-farm, cheese factory, farm for children, chicken farm, farm shop where you can buy goat-cheese etc, and a terrace where you can have a coffee and a small lunch.

Open: Every day except Tuesday from 10.00-17.00. From 1 November - 1 March also closed on Mondays.

Check out the website (Dutch) for more info and/or pictures.

Directions: Nieuwe Meerlaan 4. In the forest (by bike or foot), follow the signs "Geitenboerderij".

That's really a off the road activity. You will see few tourists and you will really see a bos (woods in Dutch) rather than a park. It consists of huge grass fields, an inmense lake for canoeing (renting included), a swimming pool for kids, a farm for kids, etc and hundreds of tree-covered lovely paths to ride the fiets.

I think you need to rent the bike to do this.

You can address here going to vondelpark, crossing from north to south and in the south exit you can see a sign showing the way. It's 5-6 kilometers from the center.

You can spend the whole day. Take your meal and enjoy!

Amsterdam Bos is lovely. Really worth the trip outside the city. It only takes about 20 minutes to reach by bus, and you could easily spend a whole day here. You can rent a bike, walk or even jog if you're feeling fit! Its a huge man made woodland with animals, streams, open spaces etc. Take plenty of water with you, as you can walk a long way without seeing anywhere to buy food and drink from. If you visit on a nice day why not take a picnic too?

This is also a fabulous place for plane lovers, as it is directly under the flight path of Schiphol airport. My fiance was very impressed with all the 777's, 747's, A340's and god knows what else flew so low over our heads!

Need an escape from the hectic pace of Amsterdam? Why not plan a day at the Amsterdamse Bos?
It's a huge park on the edge of the city where you can leave behind the hustle and bustle and
chill out in the woods or picnic on huge grassy lawns.

Planted in the 1930s and 40s, the Bos is now a mature forest covering almost 800 hectares.
It offers a diverse range of outdoor pleasures including lakes for boating, wading pools for
the kids, the Openlucht theater presenting outdoor plays and music, a bison reserve, a campground, numerous bike, horse and pedestrian paths (all separate), and a wonderful feeling of being far away from the city.

The Amsterdamse Bos is easy to reach by car, and ample free parking is available. From the A10 take the exit at VU ziekenhuis (hospital) towards Amstelveen. By bus 171-172 from Amsterdam Central Station, bus 69 and 169 from Amstel Station and bus 63 from Marnixstraat. The Nieuwe Meer provides a great way to get to the forest: by ferry. You can cycle or walk from the western part of Amsterdam, such as Overtoomse Veld or Sloten, to the ferry terminal. During the weekend, the ferry sails every 20 minutes, but when the sun shines, you might want to relax at one of the five nearby and relatively unknown beaches first. The ferry runs from April to October on Sundays until 7pm.
http://www.amsterdamsebos.com