A lake with a beach and a playground that's within 10 minutes biking of my house - how have I never…read morebeen here before!!! The park is very popular with families on warm days, especially as the swimming area of the lake is quite shallow which of course is great for kids. Not so great for adults looking to cool off with a swim - and that is really my only negative point about this lake. It never really gets deeper than your knees in the swimming area so it's mainly just a nice park to come and lie in the sun but if I want to do some actual swimming I'll be going elsewhere.

Nice place that's close by Haarlem to go lay in the sand on a nice day when you don't feel like…read moregoing to the beach. There is a lake to swim in, children's playground, a snackbar, and also a restaurant.

Beautiful park to walk in. Nice way to see nature and to people watch. The floating tulips were…read morespectacular. Lots of neat corners/areas and things to see in the park.

Vondelpark is the kind of place that looks serene in postcards but, in reality, always feels like…read moreit's one minor incident away from becoming a nature documentary about urban survival. It's beautiful -- genuinely -- but it's also the busiest park in Amsterdam, which means you're sharing the paths with walkers, runners, cyclists, skaters, dogs, children, musicians, and at least three people who have decided today is the day they learn to ride a bike for the first time. Chaos, but charming chaos. The main paths are wide, but that doesn't stop near‑misses from happening every few minutes. You learn quickly that eye contact is optional and braking is a luxury. Still, there's something undeniably lively about it: the energy, the noise, the constant movement. It's the opposite of remote -- you're never alone, even when you wish you were. Find a quieter corner and the park shows its softer side. Lakes, trees, open lawns, and the occasional heron staring at you like it knows something you don't. It's peaceful, but with that faint undertone of "someone is definitely smoking something nearby." Classic Amsterdam ambiance. And unlike the more feral parks on the city's edges, Vondelpark keeps its surprises relatively tame. No cows. No sanctioned adult zones tucked into the woods. Just people, lots of them, all doing their best to coexist without turning the place into a full‑contact sport. If you're staying nearby or just passing through the Oud‑West or Museum Quarter, it's an easy place to wander, sit, decompress, or people‑watch. Just know that "peaceful" here means "peaceful... with witnesses."

A HUGE park!! I'm not sure if this is the proper name for the entire park area, but I think it's…read morelarger than the city of Amsterdam. At least three train stops are in or around it. This area is just the Zoud - South tip of it by the Halfweb (halfway) station. It is exactly halfway between Harleem and Amsterdam. Horse trails, lakes, fishing, sports areas and of course bike trails everywhere. Very beautiful. HIGHLIGHT is watching the planes (the few still flying) taking off and landing from Schipol. They aren't really close but enough to identify if you're a AV-Geek.

Fantastic Park for little kids!…read more This park is great! We visited Amsterdam with our 7 year old son, and we saw a lot of history and culture. It was good to go to Amstelpark on a warm day and do all the little kid things. We biked to and through the park. We splashed in the big wadding pool, rode the small train through the park, tried to go to the petting zoo but it closes at 3pm (but we still saw some animals), my son played in the playgrounds, and rode on the little rides. He was so happy. (I would say 7 or 8 years old would be the oldest ages that would really enjoy this. Ideal for 3-6 year olds).

Absolutely beautiful park in the south corner of Amsterdam. Plenty of things to do for the kids as…read morewell as the adults. The zoo section is super fun alpacas, ponies, wombats and more. The year round jungle gym is great for the active ones too In the summer the kids park opens up where they have bumper cars, remote control boats, and lots of other fun things to play with.

Okay, let's be honest, there's really not much that's interesting about a lake but here in Utrecht…read moreit gives you a much needed "nature break" from a fairly urban environment. Especially given that the Haarrijnse plas is just of the free way yet still is very peaceful and quiet, love it. The lake and beach themselves are pretty straightforward: water and sand. But what's really nice is that you can walk around for a little stroll of go for a swim in nice weather while not being bothered by traffic noise. A recent addition to the beach is a restaurant: Key West Beach House, which is great! The beach was kind of missing somewhere to get a drink, maybe something to eat and just lounge. Even though the Haarrijnse plas was already popular without it, I really think it's a great development and will encourage people to stay a bit longer, really make a day out of their visit to the Haarrijnse plas. I have yet to try the food at Key West, but the menu sounds very inviting so I can't wait until I have the time to go there. One big downside however is that you're not allowed to bring your dog on the beach. Of course many people still do and I'm not sure if that's the case for the entire beach or just the part we were at the other day, but still, my dog loves swimming too! So anyway, I love the beach and I love taking the baby out for a nice walk in more natural surroundings so Haarrijnse plas really is a much appreciated break from our urban environment. As they say in Dutch, the Haarrijnse plas is "klein maar fijn" which means small but great!

Nice quaint little town with plenty of lodging, dining options and shopping. Sunsets are gorgeous…read morelots of history with bunkers built into the sand dunes and a working lighthouse.

Remote, quiet, and just unsettling enough to make you wonder what exactly you've wandered into,…read morethis park feels like Amsterdam's reminder that nature isn't always soft‑focus and postcard‑ready. The paths stretch long and empty, giving walkers, skaters, and cyclists room to spread out -- but also giving the whole place that eerie "if something rustles in the bushes, you will absolutely hear it" vibe. And then there's the designated adult activity zone, tucked into the woods like a side quest you didn't ask for. It's officially sanctioned, clearly marked, and somehow still feels like the kind of place where you'd stumble upon something you'd immediately pretend you didn't see. Most people steer clear, but its existence adds a strange, almost surreal layer to the landscape -- a reminder that this park has its own ecosystem of human behavior, and not all of it is the wholesome kind. Just when you're processing that, you notice the cows. Actual cows, grazing peacefully as if they've been hired to restore balance to whatever's happening in the trees. They're calm, oblivious, and weirdly comforting -- like emotional support livestock for anyone who accidentally took a wrong turn. The contrast is almost cinematic: one meadow over, nature is doing its best impression of a pastoral painting; one grove over, nature is... hosting activities. If you're staying nearby or exploring the western edge of Amsterdam, Park de Oeverlanden is a wonderfully odd mix of quiet trails, open fields, sanctioned weirdness, and cows who have seen things and chosen peace. It's spacious, strange, and absolutely memorable.

An amazing park in the very outskirts of Amsterdam. It's mostly shoreline and bike path circling a…read morehuge water area. There are wild highlander cows here, which could kill you, so be careful. Also a large area for Gay cruising called Nieuwe Meer. It is identified on the signs when you enter the park. This is an area cordoned off by the government where it is legal for men to seek "physical relationships" with other men. In the summer, nude sunbathing is plus about this area too.

What do Amsterdam Parks mean to you? For me it's a place where I get inspired. Where I reflect on…read moremy experiences in Amsterdam and explore more of nature. It's a therapeutic excursion of self discovery in nature. I really enjoy retreating in the park with a blanket, book, and picnic basket on a sunny day. Parks were formed in Amsterdam to make sure that people in the city had access to some of the most beautiful greenery spaces on earth. Beatrixpark is a place for leisure and pleasure. It's a nice local park with beautiful lakes and open green spaces. The best way to get there is from Rai Station. Beatrixpark is a hidden treasure, so just walk towards the Rai Congress Centre and behind the canal you will spot the park.

Nice park in the South…read more I have been here several times for everything from running, a picnic and just a walk. It is a very nice park with something for all. Whether your walking your dog, playing with the kids, walking or running through, or just need to sit and chill by a lake or among the greenery. Easily accessed and plenty of room to enjoy the day.

Yes this place is amazing, if your a fan of nature and tranquility. It's a great place to just step…read moreout and embrace all of nature. Here is where I go to relax, meditate, and take romantic walks with Dutchman.

This is my favourite park entrance, but it's also the closest to my house so there might be a bias…read more But even in the most beautiful summer days it's much less busy than Koevlak, and it has a nice variety of trails in 6km, 9km, and 11.5km lengths. You can also just take the bike trail all the way to the beach around Parnassia aan Zee or Bloemendaal aan Zee. If you're a nature lover and just want to get out of the city without going on any kind of fancy holiday or day trip, come to the Kennemerduinen!