We went camping with the kids – our experience at the Amici Beach

We have been muscling up for the first camping trip of the year since months. Going camping with a baby and a toddler for the first time can be a challenge. But there were some other factors that held us back this year. I will tell you all about it later.

In the end we decided it on a Monday morning that it’s time to go camping… that afternoon. We just came back from Düsseldorf from an amazing city trip. (You can read about our favorite food spots and restaurants in Düsseldorf here.) My husband still had two weeks off. Our boys were adjusting back from their city adventure with some poor sleep. The weather was looking good for the coming days. The next destination on my Limburg challenge was…

🥁Drumrolls please 🥁

Amici Beach Am Effelder Waldsee

This place is truly a gem for families with young children. As much as I love the sea and sandy beaches I feel that lakes are more relaxed with really young children and the Amici Beach is the perfect location for a little family getaway.

What makes this place even more unique is the sad fact that in the Netherlands it is almost impossible to find a lake that doesn’t get infected with Blue Algae in the course of the summer. We love swimming and SUP-ing at the Grindgat in Maastricht that is just a stone’s throw away from our house – one of the reasons that kept us from camping this year. In July every year it inevitably turns into a toxic puddle what is tragic not just for nature lovers but also for the animals in the area.

Look at that! Just across the boarder it is possible to keep a lake clear all year long free of all the agricultural toxic chemicals. The main cause of blue algae growth is excess nutrients = artificial fertilizers.

Amici Beach Camping

It is a great camping. It’s nothing crazy, but everything is there and it arranged well in a really handy way.

Pro’s of Amici Beach Camping

• The camping places are grassy, spacious and come with a water and electricity spots.
• It is located right next to the lake with a beautiful view. The sunset looks stunning over the lake.
• The toilets, showers etc are spotlessly clean. There is a separate bathroom area for children with a small toilet, small shower, a baby bath and a cute little mushroom shaped washing basin.
• It also has chalets and houses for rent if you are not into camping.
• There is a small “Imbiss” on the terrain for drinks or a simple snacks like pancakes, waffels, curry wurst, fries etc. You can also buy some water toys for the children there. The owners are very friendly and the food is tasty.
• You can order fresh buns, croissants, pretzels in the morning that are freshly baked for you.
• Camping has a nice, centrally located playground with soft sand.
• Option for late checkout for 7 euros (you can stay until 14.00)
• Entrance fee to the Amici Beach dagstrand is included in the price of the camping.

Con’s of Amici Beach Camping

• The camping is right at the lake, but it’s not permitted to access the water from the camping. You need to walk around to the dagstrand that is still about a 5 min walk.
• You can only pay with cash at the Imbiss and for your bakery goods.

Amici Beach Dagstrand

Really well kept dagstrand with lots of shady spots – even over the water at some places. The terrain is grassy except for a sandy strip along the water. The water is nice and shallow close to the shore – great for young children. It gets deep fast what is great for swimming. The deeper parts are well indicated and the children are protected from it. The water is amazingly clear and see-through. I will bring my snorkeling goggles next time. The wooden platform in the middle is great for chilling or diving. The water is really very deep around it.

Wipe Out style Aquapark – a big inflatable playground for adults and big children – provides constant entertainment whether you dare the challenging construction or not. You can also try your luck with cable water skiing.

There are some food places on the dagstrand for basic snacks or you can get a nice dinner at the Ibiza style Amici Beach Club – their view is amazing, we enjoyed the food and the service was also good.

Pro’s Amici Beach Dagstrand:

• Clean and well-maintained (toilets were also very clean)
• No need for water shoes etc because of soft and clear sand around and in the lake
• There are nice grassy bits so you don’t get all sandy
• No need for parasols as there are plenty of shady spots

Con’s Amici Beach Dagstrand

• You can only pay with cash in the snackbar at beach and their selection of food was limited, many things were not available that was on their menu.
• You can only do SUP-ing etc at the dagstrand. The rest of the lake is not accessible.

All in all we had a really good time and we will be back for sure. It is a great place whether you come with your camper, tent or you rent a chalet here.

We wanted to stay until Friday with a late check out option. Wednesday night our toddler started to get sick and the weather also turned rainy. It was unpredictable the whole summer what didn’t make camping inviting this year. I’m happy we took the leap. When you are close to home it is so easy to change plans anyway. We packed up and headed home before the worst of the rain flood came with the feeling that we waved goodbye to last real summer days in style.

The sleep hack seemed to work for our baby boy. He has been sleeping better since then. Camping with a highly sensitive toddler is a different thing. I learnt a lot about going on holiday with highly sensitive children. A new blogpost is coming up on it.

In the meantime I would love to hear about your experience. What is your favorite spot in the area to go camping with your little ones?

Much love,

Orsi