Sea 8 °C

Amsterdam in December with Kids from Bristol

Published 5 October 2026 · HolidayWow editors · Written with AI, numbers checked against our data ·

Amsterdam in December works well for families from Bristol who want culture, canals and easy indoor breaks. Choose a central hotel, plan short walking days and mix energetic attractions with museums, cafés and playful pauses. The Christmas holidays also make this a useful period for extending the trip.

In December, expect average highs of 7 °C in Amsterdam and 3 °C at night, and the sea is 8 °C. The sun shines for about 1 hours a day, rain falls on 16 days of the month.

7 days in Amsterdam in December, Culture, from London Gatwick on your own

Plan a trip

Daytime highs in December: 7 °C
Sea temperature: 8 °C
Sun per day: 1 h
Flight from London Luton, nonstop: about 1 h 02

Why December suits a family city break

December gives children a festive introduction to Amsterdam, with seasonal displays, winter city scenes and Christmas food joining the usual museums and canal walks. It is a good month for a family holiday when you want each day to offer a clear activity rather than a full sightseeing programme.

The weather shapes the rhythm rather than the destination. Amsterdam has a December average day temperature of 7 °C and a night temperature of 3 °C, so warm coats, waterproof shoes and a change of clothes suit the journey from a canal bridge to a museum. Keep outdoor periods purposeful and use the middle of the day for longer walks.

Travel from Bristol takes you across the North Sea and into a compact city made for short journeys. You can build in a museum, a canal activity and a relaxed meal without moving your hotel. This makes a several day stay practical for younger children and gives older children enough variety to keep their own plans.

December compared

November is warmer, with 10 °C by day and 11 °C in the sea; January is cooler, with 6 °C by day and 6 °C in the sea.

November10°11 °C sea2 h sun
December7°8 °C sea1 h sun
January6°6 °C sea2 h sun

Climate by month
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sept	Oct	Nov	Dec
Day °C	6	6	9	13	16	20	21	21	19	15	10	7
Night °C	2	2	3	6	9	13	15	15	13	9	6	3
Sea °C	6	5	6	8	12	15	17	19	17	15	11	8
Sun h/day	2	3	5	7	8	8	8	7	5	3	2	1
Rain days	15	12	11	9	12	12	14	14	12	15	16	16

Climate: NASA POWER 2006 to 2025, sea: NOAA OISST 1991 to 2020. Day and night are average highs and lows, sun in hours per day.

Choosing a family base in Amsterdam

A central base gives your family the widest choice of indoor attractions, canals and restaurants. The Jordaan is convenient for canal walks and lively streets, while the area around Museum Square places major cultural stops within easy reach. Choose a hotel with space for children to settle after the day out.

Your room position also matters on wet or dark December evenings. Staying within easy reach of a tram, metro or train station makes returning from a dinner outing more straightforward. It also keeps the start of each day simple when your children are deciding between another activity and time back at the accommodation.

For a Christmas holiday, treat the neighbourhood as part of the day rather than crossing the city for every meal. Bakeries, food halls and family-friendly restaurants can sit within the daily route. A central plan also leaves room for an unplanned stop when the weather improves.

A flexible seven day family itinerary

Begin with the city orientation that works best on arrival. A canal walk, a nearby square and an early dinner give everyone time to understand the compact layout. Add a museum for the first morning, choosing an interactive collection or a favourite local institution that will hold younger visitors’ attention.

Build the middle of the week around paired activities. Pair a major museum with a nearby café, or choose a canal trip followed by a relaxed riverside pause. The NEMO Science Museum, the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum offer different subjects, so you can balance science, Dutch art and design across the stay.

Leave room in the final days for a child led choice. A family member can select a playground, a smaller museum or a sweet shop, while another chooses the evening meal. For a shorter stay, keep the same structure and use one central neighbourhood each day rather than compressing every attraction into a long list.

Already started

Your trip in Amsterdam

7 °C by day in December
Sea 8 °C
from London Gatwick about 1 h 03

Day 1
Arrival in Amsterdam
Flight from London Gatwick in 1 h 03, direct. Settle in, first evening by the harbour or in the centre.
Day 2
Poel's Up
Beach day: the sea is around 8 °C in December.
Day 3
Miami Beach, USA
Beach day: the sea is around 8 °C in December.
Day 4
Amsterdam City Beach Festival
Beach day: the sea is around 8 °C in December.
i
Day 5
Museum Het Schip
Museum Het Schip in the morning, then lunch in Amsterdam.
i
Day 6
A'DAM Lookout
A'DAM Lookout in the morning, then lunch in Amsterdam.
Day 7
Last morning and flight home
One last coffee with a sea view, then back to London Gatwick.

Take this plan and make it yours

Look around without an account; sign in to save.

Weather in Amsterdam month by month

January6 °C6 °C
February6 °C5 °C
March9 °C6 °C
April13 °C8 °C
May16 °C12 °C
June20 °C15 °C
July21 °C17 °C
August21 °C19 °C
September19 °C17 °C
October15 °C15 °C
November10 °C11 °C
December7 °C8 °C

Getting there

The quickest way is from London Luton: you're in Amsterdam in about 1 h 02 on a direct flight. Direct flights leave from 8 UK airports. The nearest airport is Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS), 6 miles away.

AMSAmsterdam Airport Schiphol6 miles to the destination
RTMRotterdam The Hague Airport34 miles to the destination

Flight times from UK airports
From	Flight time	To	Direct flight
London Luton LTN	about 1 h 02	AMS	Direct
London Gatwick LGW	about 1 h 03	AMS	Direct
London Heathrow LHR	about 1 h 03	AMS	Direct
Birmingham BHX	about 1 h 07	RTM	Direct
Manchester MAN	about 1 h 11	AMS	Direct
Bristol BRS	about 1 h 14	AMS	Direct
Edinburgh EDI	about 1 h 23	AMS	Direct
Glasgow GLA	about 1 h 27	AMS	Direct

Flight times estimated from the distance, direct routes from OpenTravelData.

Travel advice for Netherlands

The current advice on safety, health and entry is published in full by GOV.UK Foreign travel advice. Check it before you book and again shortly before you leave.

Travel advice

Keeping the right pace from Bristol

A balanced pace gives children enough structure to stay interested while leaving room for a toilet stop, a snack or a change of pace. The HolidayWow planner reads the place, month, group and preferred pace from your description, then places each day and stop on a map so the route is easy to review.

Flight times to Amsterdam

from London Luton1 h 02direct
from London Gatwick1 h 03direct
from London Heathrow1 h 03direct
from Birmingham1 h 07direct

You can move a stop to another day, swap an activity and make a day lighter. The planner checker then reorders the day after each change, which helps when your family wants to spend longer in a museum or spend an hour at a canal side café. This makes the final plan practical for the group rather than rigid.

Flight times to Amsterdam

from London Luton1 h 02direct
from London Gatwick1 h 03direct
from London Heathrow1 h 03direct
from Birmingham1 h 07direct

Amsterdam in December: frequently asked questions

Is Amsterdam suitable for children in December?

Yes. Amsterdam suits families who enjoy museums, canals, seasonal displays and compact city days. December weather is cool, so plan indoor activities alongside outdoor walks, carry waterproof shoes and choose hotels near public transport for smooth journeys between attractions and your accommodation.

How should families get from Bristol to Amsterdam?

Your route can start from Bristol Airport or another airport that suits your family, with the distance from Bristol shown as 331 miles. Compare live flight options inside the plan, then connect the airport journey to the first hotel and add transfers to each relevant day.

How many days are good for a family visit?

Several days work well because Amsterdam offers plenty of child friendly activities in a compact centre. A shorter visit can cover museums, canals and a festive meal, while a longer stay adds neighbourhoods, indoor play and flexible days. Use a relaxed pace for younger children.

What can families do when it rains in Amsterdam?

Use the weather as a reason to focus on museums, cultural centres, cafés and indoor family activities. The plan can connect several stops into one route, and the live day cards help you adjust the order. Keep waterproof clothing handy for short canal walks between indoor stops.

Can we edit and share the family plan?

Yes. Drag stops between days, swap places and request changes through the side panel assistant. Share the same plan by one link, with viewing and editing roles, comments and voting for group members. The planner can also build a packing list and checklist from the plan and destination.

Everything about a holiday in Amsterdam

Your next trip

Plan your holiday in Amsterdam in December

Describe your trip in one sentence. When, who with and what matters to you.