Tips for Almere that will surprise you

This is a blog by Your Little Black Book

Geez Almere, how I underestimated you. You are more fun and diverse than I imagined and I have taken you into my heart as a green getaway half an hour's drive from Amsterdam. Why? That's what I'm going to tell you in detail in this new Almere Travel Guide. So during our weekend in Almere, we woke up in nature, did our shopping at the farmer's market, Manuel feasted his eyes at the petting zoo, we went boating on a sloop and had an extensive lunch overlooking the water. In this blog, I have collected all the tips, addresses and hotspots in Almere for you. Have fun if you are planning a weekend away soon too.

21 x fun things to do and hotspots in Almere you'll want to know about

Because the area around Almere is so green and surrounded by water, Almere is a super nice destination for a weekend away with the whole family. So during our weekend, we simply took Manuel (16 months) with us. Do you live in the Randstad and want to plan a nice family weekend without spending hours in the car and bringing along grandparents and grandchildren? In and around Almere, you can easily put together a weekend programme full of fun things to do for all ages.

Stadslandgoed de Kemphaan is a really nice place to remember. Whether you go to Almere for a whole weekend, one night or a day... this is the place you want to go anyway. In fact, for me, this was the surprise of the weekend. Officially, Stadslandgoed de Kemphaan is a park just outside the centre of Almere, but it feels like a much larger nature reserve. You will find several nature initiatives, such as: a (children's) farm, several hiking areas, a city vineyard, Stichting Aap and a nature campsite.

Nature campsite de Kemphaan

Talking about that nature camping! During our weekend Almere, we stayed in the yurt of Natuurcamping De Kemphaan. By the way, did you know that yurt is pronounced 'joert'? Simply explained, a yurt is a traditional round tent mainly used for habitation by itinerant cattle nomads in Central Asia. Staying in a yurt has long been on my bucket list. Personally, I am not a camper and that is precisely why I love seeing that more and more campsites also offer alternatives in terms of accommodation. The yurt at Natuurcamping De Kemphaan is suitable for two people. There is a sofa bed and in the evening you can cook yourself on the gas stove or fire up the barbecue. If you stay there when it gets colder at night, you can light the wood-burning stove. The yurt is spacious enough to accommodate a baby cot.

Neighbours Kitchen

One of the nicest hotspots we discovered during our weekend Almere is Neighbours Kitchen. A restaurant serving plant-based food that is open from lunch to dinner. From De Kemphaan, it's about a 15-minute bike ride to the restaurant which also has a terrace when the weather is nice. Everything is homemade and you can taste that! After our first night at the campsite, owner Maxime came to deliver a delicious breakfast especially for us. The next day we had breakfast at her place. Highly recommended, because just the interior with its Caribbean vibes will make you happy. There is also a play corner for the kids, so you can enjoy a quiet cup of coffee or fresh juice. The dishes have a worldly flavour and believe me, you won't miss meat or fish if you have lunch here!

Editor's note: Neighbours Kitchen is temporarily closed.

Organic farmers' market

Every Saturday morning between 9.30 and 13.00, the Stadsboerderij on De Kemphaan organises a farmers' market. In- and around the farmer's barn, there are dozens of stalls selling organic produce. I must honestly say that this is the nicest farmer's market I have discovered so far in the Netherlands. For example, we bought delicious meat straight from the farmer for the barbecue at our yurt, but you are also at the right place for artisan breads and cheese.

Stadslandgoed de Kemphaan

I mentioned it earlier, but on the grounds of De Kemphaan you will also find a number of culinary addresses. From the covered terrace of Stadsbrouwerij De Kemphaan, you look straight out onto the monkey islands of Stichting AAP. Here you can slide in for a beer tasting. It is within walking distance of the nature campsite. The restaurant overlooks the monkey islands. Be sure to take a walk along the path above the water that goes right past the islands and who knows, you might spot the monkeys of Stichting Aap!

Almere Centrum

Did you know that Almere city centre won the Best Inner City award from 2017 - 2020? Over 400 shops can be found there and you can easily park in one of the garages. At first glance, Almere's city centre looks rather like a block box with all the new buildings. But nothing is what it seems. High above the shops are green roof gardens that even have playground equipment for the little ones. Just goes to show that nothing is what it seems! I did get inspired for a sourdough roof on our extension we are going to make at home this autumn. Shops that are fun to pop into in Almere Centrum are: Kaky (for the most beautiful interior items), Bij Drewes (where you can buy everything for coffee and tea lovers) and Reclaimed (where they sell vintage gold rings, among other things).

Horeca in Almere Centrum

For something to eat and drink, there are several nice hotspots in the centre of Almere. Feel like having lunch or a bite to eat in the evening? Then restaurantNul36is a nice option. There is something for everyone on the menu, from boa buns to sea bass. The interior is modern and cosy. At lunch, you can sit there nicely in one of the rattan chairs. Another fun hotspot is The Black Cockatoo, where they also have a nice play corner for little kids. This allowed us to have a quiet bite of a sandwich and taste the veggie croquettes which come highly recommended! While making my book Staycation, I already spotted Barista Café in Zwolle and you can also find this coffee spot in Almere. A must to enjoy people-watching at the window, eat a cake and sip your cappuccino before boarding the train back home, for example. This coffee café is located next to the railway station.

Almeerderstrand

Are you in Almere when the weather is nice? Then it's also nice to go to theAlmeerderstrandAlmeerderstrand. At cycling distance from De Kemphaan. You can eat and drink at beach restaurant Poortdok and you will also find the cultural sanctuary of theatre company Vis á Vis.

As you can read in this guide, Almere surprised us tremendously. We will definitely return to De Kemphaan again, because with a toddler, this is a lovely place to unwind half an hour's drive from the city. Have fun if you're heading that way soon too!