Help selecting excursions for Rhine River Cruise

[tanyajs]

Hi
We are a family of five, kids ages 16 ,15 and 10 at the time of travel. We recently booked the Rhine for August and are looking for any input re selecting excursions. Some are filled all ready due the late date...but most are open.
Has anyone done the toboggan in the Black Forest? Wondering how it compares to the horseback riding?
Is it worth doing the Van Gogh museum without the painting workshop?
Is the macaron class hands on or just a demo? Would someone who bakes regularly be bored?
Any advice would be appreciated!

Thanks in advance

 

[OhanaCuz]

This video gives a pretty detailed look at what the toboggan is like (2min30sec mark):

When I went to the Van Gogh museum very recently you couldn't even get in unless you had a reservation made online already. Saw some disappointed people turned away. To be honest I liked the Rijksmuseum a lot more but I'm not a big Van Gogh fan so that was big factor in that.

 

[tink1970]

We didn't have most of these options during the holiday cruse but DID do the Van Gough museum without the after class...which I really enjoyed (didn't want to do the class). If you admire some or most of his artwork, this is a wonderful museum and our guide was very good at including the children in her discussion. I honestly would have preferred more time there, but our day in Amsterdam was full (our day included a river cruise/activity-ice skating/Van Gough/Rijksmuseum/ then Anne Frank House). My DD was 17 at the time and enjoyed it, as well. Hope this helps and have a wonderful cruise

 

[tanyajs]

This video gives a pretty detailed look at what the toboggan is like (2min30sec mark):

When I went to the Van Gogh museum very recently you couldn't even get in unless you had a reservation made online already. Saw some disappointed people turned away. To be honest I liked the Rijksmuseum a lot more but I'm not a big Van Gogh fan so that was big factor in that.

That video is what seriously made me reconsider my choice! We are booked for the horseback riding...but that makes the toboggan look like so much fun.
I think I might switch that one.

That info about the Van Gogh is helpful. We have two extra days in Amsterdam at the end of the cruise and will try to see some of the Rijks then.
Thanks OhanaCuz!

 

[tanyajs]

We didn't have most of these options during the holiday cruse but DID do the Van Gough museum without the after class...which I really enjoyed (didn't want to do the class). If you admire some or most of his artwork, this is a wonderful museum and our guide was very good at including the children in her discussion. I honestly would have preferred more time there, but our day in Amsterdam was full (our day included a river cruise/activity-ice skating/Van Gough/Rijksmuseum/ then Anne Frank House). My DD was 17 at the time and enjoyed it, as well. Hope this helps and have a wonderful cruise

Thanks tink1970. My oldest has recently taken up watercolour in the past year...so we were a little disappointed to learn that he couldn't take the class. They did add on a sculpture class...but that didn't really appeal to us. It's nice to know that the museum on it's own is that enjoyable.

 

[dsiind]

So we did the same toboggan run in Jackson, WY, and it was both very safe, and a blast. Kids loved it, and so did we adults.

 

[OhanaCuz]

That video is what seriously made me reconsider my choice! We are booked for the horseback riding...but that makes the toboggan look like so much fun.
I think I might switch that one.

That info about the Van Gogh is helpful. We have two extra days in Amsterdam at the end of the cruise and will try to see some of the Rijks then.
Thanks OhanaCuz!

No prob. Some more info that might be useful that there something called an iAmsterdam City Card (https://www.iamsterdam.com/en/i-am/i-amsterdam-city-card). It cover entrance to both the Rijksmuseum and Van G. Even though Van G was online tickets only I was able to use the card and get reservations only two days in advance. I also learned that you do NOT have to stand in the giant ticket line at the Rijksmuseum. I wish I would have known that before I got in that line. sigh

 

[tanyajs]

So we did the same toboggan run in Jackson, WY, and it was both very safe, and a blast. Kids loved it, and so did we adults.

Thanks dsiind!

 

[tanyajs]

No prob. Some more info that might be useful that there something called an iAmsterdam City Card (https://www.iamsterdam.com/en/i-am/i-amsterdam-city-card). It cover entrance to both the Rijksmuseum and Van G. Even though Van G was online tickets only I was able to use the card and get reservations only two days in advance. I also learned that you do NOT have to stand in the giant ticket line at the Rijksmuseum. I wish I would have known that before I got in that line. sigh

So getting the card saves you from the regular ticket line at the Rijks? Thats very helpful..thanks!
Can you order that card online? I've only used one city pass card before, and that was Paris..I bought online but they need several weeks to ship to Canada. I spent an hour and a half getting a taxi to an address in Paris that was far away from our hotel trying to pick them up. That experience has made me a little wary of those cards...but we should have enough lead time now for shipping.

 

[OhanaCuz]

So getting the card saves you from the regular ticket line at the Rijks? Thats very helpful..thanks!
Can you order that card online? I've only used one city pass card before, and that was Paris..I bought online but they need several weeks to ship to Canada. I spent an hour and a half getting a taxi to an address in Paris that was far away from our hotel trying to pick them up. That experience has made me a little wary of those cards...but we should have enough lead time now for shipping.

Yes, you can get it mailed to you. I didn't learn about it until right before the trip but it was easy to reserve and pick them up and the main train station in Amsterdam.