A Cycling Journey: Tulips and Windmills in the Netherlands

Upon arrival at the airport, go through passport control, enter the baggage reclaim area and get your luggage, go through the appropriate customs section, and enter Schiphol Plaza and follow the signs to CAR RENTALS. Look for the Group Leader with a Road Scholar sign who will be waiting. As soon as everyone on the designated group transfer (for those who purchased airfare through Road Scholar) has arrived, we will board a motorcoach and ride to de Zaanse Schans. In this village with windmills and a wooden shoe museum, we will set out on a walking field trip led by the Group Leader and learn the history of windmills when floods were frequent. We will be standing on land considerably lower than the North Sea, only a few miles away. We’ll also learn about the present use of the windmills: grinding flour, pigments used in paints, mustard seeds, and log cutting.

Enjoy an authentic taste of the Netherlands at a village restaurant that specializes in Dutch-style pancakes.

We will continue by motorcoach to Akersloot, in the province of North Holland, and check in to our hotel. After some time to freshen up and relax, we will gather for our Orientation Session at a time and space the Group Leader will announce. Orientation. The Group Leader, who will be with us throughout the program, will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. Upon arrival in Akersloot after check-in, the two Group Leaders will do the individual bicycle fittings and skill testing. Educational content will be provided by our knowledgeable Group Leader and local experts. Whether bicycling in beautiful countryside or vibrant cities, Road Scholars will learn to understand and deal with local traffic, account for other bicyclists along the way, and be prepared for sudden stops. A Group Leader in a support vehicle will accompany the group while bicycling each day in the event of emergency situations. The included meals at our hotels as well as local restaurants will future local cuisine. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/current conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.

Join a welcome dinner in the hotel dining room, featuring a plated three-course dinner menu plus water; other beverages available for purchase. Dinner each night will follow this description.

At leisure. The evening is free to continue becoming acquainted with your fellow participants or relax at the hotel. Get a good night's sleep for the full day tomorrow.

In the hotel dining room, the ample buffet offers eggs, meats, cheeses, cereals, yogurt, breads (and chocolate sprinkles), juices milk, water, and hot beverages. Breakfast each morning will follow this description.

After a plentiful breakfast, we attend a lecture on the Corner System, designed to make sure you don’t get lost, followed by a safety lecture about the rules of the road. Luckily, the Netherlands has laws in place that give the two-wheeler many advantages, you have come to the right place. Begin your adventure with a cycling field trip through the dunes around Castricum and Bakkum. These dunes form part of the North Holland Dune Reserve, a nature reserve of 11,800 acres, extending from Wijk aan Zee to Schoorl.

This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like in Bakkum. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

After lunch, we head toward the town of Limmen, home to the Hortus Bulborum. This unique garden collection features over 4,000 spring flowers, primarily consisting of tulips, narcissus, and hyacinths. After our visit, we return to the hotel in Heiloo.

Hotel dining room.

At leisure. Your evenings are free to enjoy as you like. Spend time with new Road Scholar friends, go exploring on your own, or simply relax.

Hotel dining room.

We start our day heading toward De Rijp, past fields of tulips all along the way. As you bicycle on dedicated paved trails you realize that this country had the two-wheeler in mind when it designed an extensive network of bicycle paths. Indeed, you will see school children biking in groups to and from school, and parents heading for work or shop on their bikes. The bicycle is the Dutch primary mode of transportation.

On your own to enjoy what you like in De Rijp, a village with an old church and a draw bridge.

After lunch we mount our bicycles again and head back toward our hotel in Heiloo. Before dinner, we visit a bulb grower and learn about their export business.

Hotel dining room.

At leisure. Be sure to prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.

Hotel dining room.

We check out of our hotel after breakfast and board a motorcoach to Noordwijk where we drop off our luggage at our hotel where we will stay the next four nights. From the hotel in Noordwijk, we bike to the nearby Keukenhof where more than seven million bulbs are in bloom in springtime, including over 800 varieties of tulips.

On your own to enjoy what you like at the Keukenhof. There are several restaurants so you will not have any difficulty finding food. Ask your group leader where the poffertjes place is (small pancakes covered in butter and sugar).

We continue our visit of the Keukenhof until mid-afternoon when we return by bike to our hotel in Noordwijk.

Hotel dining room.

At leisure.

Hotel dining room.

We will begin the morning with a lecture by a historian on the economy of the Netherlands. We’ll then set out on a bicycling field trip to the dunes near Noordwijk. We’ll walk on the beach, look out over the North Sea, and observe the fishing boats.

On your own to enjoy what you like in Noordwijk.

Next, we will attend the famous Bloemencorso (Flower Parade) that starts in Noordwijk, The Bloemencorso is the largest spring festival in The Netherlands. This colorful, fragrant spectacle is celebrated annually. We will see annual parade which is the main highlight of the event when the colorful floats and the luxury vehicles decorated in masses of flowers travel the 42 km route with the addition of cheerful music from the marching bands and amusement on and around the floats. Returning to the hotel, we’ll have some time to freshen up and relax before dinner.

Hotel dining room.

At leisure.

Hotel dining room.

We will leave early by motorcoach to Amsterdam, or as the Dutch call it, Mokum. With our Group Leader, we will set out on a field trip to the center of Amsterdam to explore Rembrandt Square, the Bloemenmarkt (flower market), and finally the Begijnhof (Béguinage). This tranquil courtyard dates back to the 14th century, when it was built for the Béguines, pious women who chose to live like nuns but without taking formal vows. The remainder of the morning and into the afternoon will be free. This period of time has been set aside for your personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Please note that the period scheduled for free time is subject to change depending on local circumstances and opportunities for independent exploration. If you haven’t already been there, you might like to venture to the Anne Frank House or the Rijksmuseum. If you want to relax, seek out one of the local cafés to sip a Heineken or cup of coffee while watching the locals.

On your own to enjoy what you like in Amsterdam.

Free time in Amsterdam will continue. We will rendezvous at an announced time and place to reboard the motorcoach and return to Noordwijk in the late afternoon.

At the hotel.

At leisure.

Hotel dining room.

We will board a motorcoach and ride to Aalsmeer where the Group Leader will give us a presentation and introduction to the largest flower auction in the Netherlands. Buyers from around the world bid on flowers and plants online. This goes on until all flowers have been sold. Then, within hours, all the flowers are loaded on trucks and headed for their destinations. Flowers for the U.S. are taken to the nearby airport and will usually be for sale the next day in local flower shops. Returning to the hotel after our field trip, we will continue by bicycle to Cruquius.

At the Theehuis (Tea House) Cruquius.

We will walk to the Museum De Cruquius, where a docent will present the history of this former steam-powered pumping station, operational from 1850-1933. We’ll learn about the technology used to drain the area around Amsterdam that was threatened with flooding in the past. Returning to the hotel, we’ll have some time to freshen up and relax before dinner.

At the hotel.

At leisure. Be sure to prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.

Hotel dining room. This concludes our program.

Morning transfer to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport for departures. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Please join our Facebook page and share photos of your program. Visit us at www.facebook.com/rsadventures. Best wishes for all your journeys!