2 . Four best day trips from Amsterdam: the ultimate travel guide

Broek in Waterland: a village fit for sea captains

If you’re looking for a getaway from the big city, Broek in Waterland is the definition of a peaceful Dutch town. With a small population of about 2,500, this village has quiet streets and picturesque nature. Its standout feature is its traditional wooden houses, with more than 80 of them considered National Heritage Sites.

Travel time by car from Amsterdam: 14 minutes

Giethoorn: Venice of the Netherlands

A picture-perfect landscape, Giethoorn is an almost entirely car-free village, replaced with boats and, of course, bicycles. You don’t want to miss a boat tour around this scenic town or a pleasant hike around the area.

Travel time by car from Amsterdam: 1 hour and 26 minutes

Marken: a former island in the Zuiderzee

Marken was separated from the Dutch mainland in the 13th century by a storm, turning it into an island in the Markermeer lake. Residents of the town built wooden houses on artificial hills to prevent more flooding damage. To this day, these picturesque homes remain a popular cultural attraction. On your walk, you can visit the comfortable town harbour or enjoy the scenic route of fields, forests and the lakeshore.

Travel time by car from Amsterdam: 27 minutes

Gouda: the birthplace of iconic Dutch cheese

Which came first, the cheese or the city? For Gouda, the city is the namesake for this world-famous cheese. The city is quaint(古色古香), but the centre is full of shops, restaurants, bars and cafés. Check out the weekly Markt (market) on Thursdays and Saturdays to see thousands of flowers of every color and buy some to take home, and the first Fairtrade Street in the Netherlands at weekends, where all street food is sustainably produced and sold!

Travel time by car from Amsterdam: 1 hour

3 . Traveling with family members can not only enhance the parent-child relationship, but also broaden the horizons and share happiness and memories. Take a trip with your family to one of the destinations below!

Yellowstone National Park

Kids will love watching Old Faithful, one of nearly 500 geysers (间歇喷泉) in Yellowstone, erupt, and there’s nothing like a hike for family bonding. Keep an eye out for wild animals, or visit the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center to guarantee some animal interactions. Hotels are expensive, so consider taking advantage of the park’s well-equipped campsites.

Orlando

Appealing, thrilling and fun, Walt Disney World Resort (度假村) is engineered specifically for families. Orlando also has a handful of other theme parks, including Universal Orlando Resort, where you’ll find The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and Discovery Cove, an all-inclusive day resort, where you can swim and dive around the park’s coral reef.

Destin

Big Kahuna’s Water & Adventure Park(open seasonally)features waterslides and a lazy river, while the Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park is home to animals kids love, including dolphins and penguins. And if you’re looking for an adventure on the water, consider booking a boat tour at Henderson Beach State Park or Crystal Beach Park. Just don’t forget to pack your beach hat.

Anaheim

Anaheim, California has been home to Disneyland Resort since 1955. After catching up with Mickey and friends, visit Anaheim’s Adventure City Amusement Park or Knott’s Berry Farm Theme Park—another top amusement park in the U.S. And if you’ re in town during baseball season, you can catch a game at Angel Stadium.

5 . As a child, Cruz Avila walked through the forest every day in central Mexico’s Amanalco-Vall de Bravo Basin. She would pick wood and medicinal plants. She also learned to find birds and identify the different trees near her home. Avila learned that listening to a waterfall is a good medicine for the soul and the body.

Several months ago, she and other residents decided to make these walks an attraction for tourists. Their goal is to create a source of income, preserve the forest and support responsible medicine for the soul tourism. In 2021, Avila and other community members attended training as nature guides.

In recent years, residents of the forest communities have suffered from tourism that’s not environmentally sustainable (可持续的). In early April 2022, the communities officially presented their alliance (联盟). One of the people presenting it was Avila, and her voice echoed (附和) the feelings shared by many who are part of this project. “To us, forests are our home,” she said. “We want to take care of them as we take care of our home. We invite hikers and tourists to come to see our house, to get to know and enjoy this place with respect and care.”

Avila said her community has developed a sustainable tourism plan based on hiking and workshops. They also plan to have a viewing platform ready by 2023.

Avila said she plans to start promoting her hiking project, “I’m going to take visitors to a place called El Caballero, and halfway through, with the other neighbors, we’ll offer them a workshop on making pulque and bread,” she said. Pulque is a drink made from a plant that grows in the region.

She believes the tourism project will receive support from visitors. She thinks it will be especially popular with those who are eager to help protect the forests and want to learn about forest communities.

9 . Most Popular Activities Are on the Way

Northern Lights Chase

The Northern Lights are famously difficult to find, so ensure you maximize your chances of seeing them with this guided tour. Your guide will take you to the best destination for viewing the light on the evening of your tour and help you figure out your camera settings so that you can take great images of them.

$108. 07 per adult

Duration: 6—7 hours

Snowmobile and Ice Fishing Experience

Get a glance at the lifestyle of the Lappish people with this adventure and food experience from Rovaniemi. With a local guide, you’ll speed to a frozen lake in the forest by snowmobile, then try your hand at Arctic fishing. Finish up by huddling around a bonfire in the snow to prepare and eat a traditional barbecue with Lappish bread, salmon, pork sausage, marshmallows and hot blueberry juice.

$169. 95 per adult

Duration: 4h 30m

Lapland Husky Sled Safari from Tromso

Go dog-sledding (雪橇) through Norway’s great winter landscape on a half-day husky safari (观兽旅行) from Tromso. Ride in a great dogsled across Breivikeidet, and learn about dog mushing from your guide. A thermal suit is provided to keep you warm. After your ride, have time to pet the dogs at the farm, and enjoy a hot drink and snacks.

$230. 21 per adult

Duration: 7h

Cliffs of Moher Tour

The Cliffs of Moher are located in Burren on the Wild Atlantic Way, a winding coastal road notoriously difficult to navigate (导航). Spend less time reading maps and more time enjoying the scenery on a stress-free tour from Dublin. An experienced driver navigates the roads safely and a guide transports you to the best viewing spots you may have missed if exploring independently.

$87. 33 per adult

Duration: 13h