Camping in Amsterdam

Camping isn't the obvious way to do Amsterdam, but it works better than you'd expect. The Netherlands is one of the most crowded countries in Europe, so there are no campsites in the center, but a couple of good ones are 10 to 20 minutes from it by tram, bus or bike. You get fresh air, a cheaper bed than most hotels, and a quick ride to the museums and coffeeshops.

A lot has changed since this page first listed four campsites with €5 pitches. Prices are far higher, one campsite has stopped taking tents, and another has been taken over by a holiday-park chain. Here's where you can camp now.

Before you book

• Tourist tax applies to campsites. Amsterdam charges 12.5% of the overnight price (excluding VAT) at campsites, just as at hotels. Camping Zeeburg already quotes its 2027 prices on the basis of a 16% rate, in line with the city's plan to raise it next year.
• Book ahead in summer. Pitches near the city fill up, and some sites ask for separate bookings for each tent.
• Driving a camper? Check Amsterdam's low-emission zone rules before you go. Both Camping Zeeburg and Camperpark Amsterdam explain them on their sites.

Camping Zeeburg: the lively one, open all year

Camping Zeeburg, Zuider IJdijk 20, sits on a strip of land on the east side of the city, and it's still the closest and most popular campsite for backpackers. It's open all year. There's no age limit, but in high season the tent field fills with young travelers from all over Europe, and the campsite says it can't offer a separate family field then. If you want total quiet, look elsewhere.

What you get:

• Tent pitches for your own tent, up to 5 by 5 meters and four people per pitch, with no electricity on the tent field. Showers are included. There's an open kitchen, barbecue spots, free Wi-Fi and free phone charging. Picking a specific pitch on the map costs €10 extra.
• No tent? Zeeburg rents eco-cabins, wooden pods, wagonettes and even converted barrels.
• Camper and caravan pitches, plus bike and canoe rental, a shop and a café-restaurant open Thursday to Sunday evenings.

Getting into town is easy. Tram 26 runs from the Zuiderzeeweg stop to Centraal Station, and tram 14 from Javaplein or Molukkenstraat goes to Rokin in the center. The campsite puts the trip at 10 to 15 minutes, or about 15 minutes by bike. Trams stop after about 12:30am, but night bus N89 runs once an hour from Centraal, stopping at Insulindeweg, a short walk over the Amsterdamse Brug. Pitch prices vary by season and are shown in the campsite's booking system.

Camping Vliegenbos: in the woods in Amsterdam Noord

Camping Vliegenbos, Meeuwenlaan 138, is a campsite run by the City of Amsterdam, set in a wood in Amsterdam Noord, about 5 km north of the center. It used to be a spring and summer youth campsite. Listings now show it open all year, with tent pitches, camper pitches and cabins, a shared kitchen and free Wi-Fi. The official page is on the City of Amsterdam website.

It feels more like real camping than Zeeburg, among the trees, and 2026 reviewers praise the clean facilities while grumbling about tight pitch spacing and limited parking. The easiest way into town is by bike to the free ferry across the IJ, which drops you behind Centraal Station.

EuroParcs Het Amsterdamse Bos: forest and families

The old family campsite on the southern edge of the Amsterdamse Bos, the huge park-forest south of the city, is now run by the holiday-park chain EuroParcs as EuroParcs Het Amsterdamse Bos, on Bosrandweg near Amstelveen. You can still pitch a tent, park a camper or caravan, or rent a lodge tent or a chalet, and there's bike rental and a supermarket.

It's the greenest option on this list, with water, tall trees and Scottish Highland cattle in the forest, and it suits families better than Zeeburg. The trade-offs are distance, since this is the farthest campsite from the center, and noise: reviews mention the nearby roads and planes from Schiphol. Plan on a longer trip into the center, by bike or public transport.

Camperpark Amsterdam: motorhomes only

The former Gaasper Camping, by the lake in Gaasperpark in Amsterdam Zuidoost, is now Camperpark Amsterdam, Loosdrechtdreef 7. It no longer takes tents: pitches are for motorhomes up to 9 meters long and 7.5 tonnes, and single-axle caravans only. It sits outside the low-emission zone and says the center is about 15 minutes away.

There's a shop, a bistro, bike rental and free Wi-Fi. Reception is staffed until 1 November 2026. From then until 1 April the park runs unstaffed, with self check-in at a kiosk and one sanitary building open. It's also a handy base for shows at the Ziggo Dome or the Johan Cruijff ArenA, about a 15-minute bike ride away.

One warning: Gaasper Camping's old web address now leads to an unrelated gambling site. Use the Camperpark Amsterdam site above.

Which campsite should you pick?

• Backpacker on a budget who wants to meet people: Camping Zeeburg.
• Want trees and a calmer vibe, and don't mind a ferry: Camping Vliegenbos.
• Family with a car, or a tent plus kids: EuroParcs Het Amsterdamse Bos.
• Motorhome: any of the four, but Camperpark Amsterdam is built for it.

If camping sounds like too much work, compare the cheapest hostels in Amsterdam or something different, like the city's houseboats. Our accommodation guide covers the rest. To get around once you're settled, see our bike rental and public transportation guides.

FAQ

Can you camp for free near Amsterdam?

No. Wild camping isn't allowed in the Netherlands, and pitching a tent in a park will get you moved on or fined. Use a campsite.

Is there a campsite in Amsterdam open in winter?

Yes. Camping Zeeburg is open all year, Vliegenbos is listed as open all year, and Camperpark Amsterdam takes motorhomes through the winter on self check-in.

Do campsites charge tourist tax?

Yes, 12.5% of the overnight price in 2026, with a rise to 16% planned for 2027. Check whether the price you're quoted includes it.