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The Amsterdam Woods, the largest of Amsterdam's many parks, covers 2,210 acres and is a few miles south of the city. One hundred thirty seven kilometers (85 mi) of footpaths and 51 km (32 mi) of bicycle paths traverse 50 bridges—many designed in the early-20th-century Amsterdam School style with characteristic redbrick and sculpted stone detailing. The area was planted and constructed from 1934 onward, as a make-work project for 20,000 unemployed people during the Depression. A remarkable feat of engineering, the park was dug out so that it lies about 4 meters (13 feet) below sea level. There are wide recreational fields, a boating lake, the Olympic Bosbaan rowing course plus stadium, and numerous playgrounds and water play areas for toddlers. A popular family attraction is an eco-aware goat farm with a playground and lunchroom, a sunny terrace, and lots of chickens hopping about between the goats. Your kids can feed other kids—the four-legged kind—goat's milk from a bottle, and cuddle bleating babies in the barn. The soft ice cream is made entirely of goat's milk (which does not contain lactose) and homemade goat cheese is on sale. It takes about thirty minutes by bike from the Vondelpark.

Coming out of the southern exit of Vondelpark, take a left onto the Amstelveenseweg and follow this busy road under the highway on the bicycle path until you reach the Van Nijenrodeweg. Turn right into the woods, following signs for the Bosbaan, over old train tracks, past the information posts to the beginning of the Bosbaan rowing course. Buses 170 and 172 are a rapid transfer from the Leidseplein to the Van Nijenrodeweg. You can rent bikes at the entrance of the Amsterdamse Bos from June through August 020/644-5473. Maps and signposting are plentiful throughout the park. For example, follow the signs to the Grote Vijver (Big Pond) to hire kayaks and pedal boats from April through September 020/645-7831. Navigate to the Bosmuseum (Koenenkade 56. 020/676-2152) to learn about natural history and the management of the woods, open daily 10-5. If you didn't pack your own lunch, the Boerderij Meerzicht (Koenenkade 56. 020/679-2744. www.boerderijmeerzicht.nl) is a traditional Dutch pancake house with a petting zoo and playground for the kids. For the goat farm, follow the blue signs past Boerderij Meerzicht to Geitenboerderij "De Ridammerhoeve" (Nieuwe Meerlaan 4. 020/645-5034. www.geitenboerderij.nl)

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