I am traveling with my family to the Netherlands and France at the end of May to show them around two of Europe’s most popular cities – Amsterdam and Paris.

After a stopover in New York City to show my parents around the Big Apple, we are flying to Amsterdam which is one of my favorite cities in Europe.

Looking out on the canal in Amsterdam

Amsterdam

While everyone loves the shock factor of the Red Light District and the coffee houses, there is so much more that Amsterdam has to offer. Of course they have great museums like the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum, but they also have the Heineken Experience for beer lovers like me. Although it can be quiet somber, everyone should go to the Anne Frank House at least once.

To get ourselves oriented with the city’s layout and canals – as well as a special view of Amsterdam’s beautiful architecture – I have booked us one of our Canal Cruises that we will take as soon as we arrive. I am still debating if I can make it through the Red Light District Tour with my parents without blushing too many times.  I still have a few weeks to decide…

Eurail

To get around the Netherlands and France, we got a Benelux France rail pass. While most multi-country passes count every country individually, BElgium, the NEtherlands, and LUXemburg only count as one country known as “Benelux”. Three countries for the price as one, which is going to allow us to stop for a look in Brussels on our way to Paris!

Paris

I am really excited about seeing Paris with my family.

Sure we will see amazing sights, but I am more excited about the French food. I come from a family that loves all things culinary and we look for any excuse to dine on fantastic food.

Why wait for Thanksgiving when you can have an Arbor Day turkey we say, but I digress… France has some of the best food I have ever eaten, and some of the best restaurants to eat it in.  We will do our best to eat as much as we can, and wash it down with delicious wine.

When not stuffing our faces with some of the world’s best grub, we are definitely going to check out the amazing sites like the Eiffel Tower, the Sacre Coeur, the Louvre, and the Arc de Triomphe. STA offers a two-day “hop-on-hop-off” bus tour that we are going to use get us around the city.

Next year… Japan.

Amsterdam Photo Credit: fazen on Flickr

Eiffel Tower Photo Credit: Anirudh Koul on Flickr