Rotterdam Citytrip: Manhattan on the Maas

A great place for urban photographers, under all angles!Locally referred to as ‘Manhattan on the Maas’, Rotterdam is a city in transition. Long known as a blue collar hard working port city, hosting the world’s largest port, it is rapidly evolving into the place to be in the Netherlands. Rotterdam is a city of modern architecture, modern shopping, modern food and the country’s best cityscapes. I guess there is a good reason that #instawalk010 is one of the most popular traveler hashtags of the Netherlands. Continue reading

Road trip: Father and son from Washington to New York

USA_Oct2014_1077sOver the past 20 years I have taken many great American road trips, crossing over 27 states in total. But the last one was the most special. A father-son road trip with my 12 year old son in October 2014. We started our US tour in Washington DC, which I wrote about earlier here. Being a true American road trip and the first visit to the US for my son we rented a cool all-America classic car, a Ford Mustang, to take us from Washington DC to New York City and back, taking in some of the great sights in between. Continue reading

Washington DC with Kids

USA_Oct2014_0078sWashington DC is a great destination to visit with kids. With dozens of historic sights it is a perfect place for a citytrip, or to build into an East Coast itinerary. I visited the city several times over the past years, most recently (October 2014) as part of a father-son road trip. Please travel along with me and my 12 year old son to my very subjective top-5 family travel sights to visit in the US capital. Continue reading

Scandinavia for kids – Norway

Scandinavia_with_kids_028Norway is one of the richest countries in the world. And if you discount the tiny city states that preceed it in the rankings, it is the richest country in the world. But in Norway this wealth is hardly visible on the street. It is hidden in all kinds of benefits to society, like pension funds, road maintenance, airports, hospitals and schools. Most of this wealth is created by oil, which is almost entirely sold to other countries, as the country itself runs completely on clean and abundant hydroelectric power. Norway is one of the most beautiful countries in Europe, but that has nothing to do with its financial wealth… Continue reading

Scandinavia for kids – Denmark and Sweden

Scandinavia_with_kids_001Thinking about taking your kids to off the beaten track places in Europe? Think North! The Nordics have a lot to offer to kids all ages. None of the Scandinavian countries are on the classic European itineraries, which makes them a gem for those looking for authentic and adventurous experiences. Even more so when you think beyond the big cities of Copenhagen, Stockholm and Oslo. The best attraction in Denmark, Sweden and Norway is definitely mother nature. So if you and your kids are in for outdoor adventures, majestic landscapes, surprising history, modern culture, friendly people and great food, Scandinavia is the place to go. Continue reading

Cornwall with kids

Cornwall_2012_017I am writing this at home, on a rainy Sunday afternoon. A good moment to write about rainy travel experiences. For me personally, weather has never been a primary concern when making travel choices. My main drivers are curiosity for unknown places and a desire to stay off the beaten track as much as possible. One of my bucket list destinations was Cornwall, in southwest England. In 2012 we decided to make Southern England our family summer vacation destination, starting with a week in Cornwall, exploring kid-friendly and adventurous sights. Despite the weather, it turned out to be a great outdoors family experience. Let me take you on a virtual tour below, listing our top-4 family attractions. Best watched on a rainy day… Continue reading

Minneapolis: More Than the Mall of America

Minneapolis_Saint_Paul_2011_003Think of your top-10 bucket list cities in North America. Good chance that Minneapolis won’t be on it. It is one of those off-the-beaten-track places that you won’t visit until you accidentally end up there for work, a conference, visiting friends or a long layover. Like most travellers know, these places are often the most authentic and surprising. Minneapolis, and its twin city Saint Paul, are no exception to that rule. I ended up in the Twin Cities in Minnesota when visiting friends, with my daughter in 2011. Continue reading

New York City with kids

New_York_with_kids_2011_008Do you remember when you were 11 years old? For me it was a very special age. Still a kid, with all the kid’s perks, but also very aware of the world around. In a way it is the perfect age. No responsibilities, huge amounts of time and a long exciting road ahead. I have arrived at the point where my own kids have that same exciting age, time to make it equally special to them! Continue reading

DFDS Seaways – Slow travel over the North Sea

DFDS_Seaways_Feb2014_09It takes about an hour to fly from Amsterdam to Newcastle in Northern England. A quick and cost effective trip, especially on one of the lowcost carriers. So why would you even want to consider taking a ferry on this route? A question that DFDS Seaways helped a group of Dutch travelbloggers answer, when travelling to Newcastle upon Tyne for the #Traverse14 travel bloggers conference in February 2014. Continue reading

Back to the Future – River cruising in Europe

Feenstra Rijn Lijn 47River cruising is one of the fastest growing sectors in worldwide tourism, outgrowing even the expanding ocean cruise sector: “River cruise lines are having trouble keeping up with the demand,” says Julie Walsh, the director of marketing for Cruise Travel Outlet, a booking website. “We are booking most of our customers on river cruises for 2014 because space is sold out for 2013.” (Source: Marketwatch) Continue reading