What you should see and do in Amsterdam!
(1) RENT A BIKE. Do it, you won’t be disappointed. But you may be hospitalized, just kidding. On a serious note though… be extra careful, this is biking to the next level. It’s literally like driving a car so just know you won’t be going for a leisurely bike ride if that was the plan. It was my favorite way to see the city.
(2) Head to Bakers and Roasters for breakfast. Amazing pancakes, granola, eggs – you really just have to try it! Ordered way too much food but every bite was delicious.
(3) Anne Frank museum is a must. Try to get your tickets online a few months in advance. If you can’t, you’ll just have to show up a few hours early for the other half of the day where they sell tickets at the door. We just watched a movie and made a few friends in line, no big deal. The museum was somber, but gave new meaning to the book I had read years ago.
(4) For the art lover there are some pretty spectacular museums. We went to the Van Gough museum, which WAS just Van Gough. I know you probably consider this common knowledge, but I heard someone say, “I’m just not a big fan of Van Gough,” so he probably hated the museum.
(5) Head to the giant I amsterdam sign, pretty sure we just google mapped that. Try to get there early before the crowd forms if you want a picture on a letter without people running around you.
(6) Around the square with the sign mentioned above, you can find a good stroopwafel which is an authentic Amsterdam dessert.
(7) Another museum close by is the Moco Museum, for the more modern art lover. It was closing when we got there. The two seconds we did see of the inside made me wish I had seen the rest.
(8) Visit the Red Light District at night. I had a friend who visited and stayed at a hostel right by here despite others claims that it’s too dangerous. She was a-OK and anyone who lives here will tell you to go see it as well.
(9) BULLS & DOGS… please go. It contains the best hot dogs that you will probably ever eat, along with some gourmet fries. And oh yeah, a giant social media worthy milkshake with the works. Just go and thank me later.
Writing these makes me realize why I gained an abroad 10 lbs. Worth it. Anyways…
(10) Another basic Amsterdam thing to do is a boat ride down the canal. I can see why everyone does it though; you get a completely different feel for the city on the water. It’ll make you want to live in one of the many boat homes you see along the way. We bought this with a combined ticket for…
(11) the Heineken museum. A little bit of history, a little bit of learning and yes, beer. I was surprised how much beer is included with the ticket. I think it was three glasses total. You should plan on spending a little time at the end of the tour in the Heineken bar. Great vibes, good people, and naturally some of the best Heineken you will ever have.
(12) While wandering to one of the museums we found ourselves in the Jordaan. This quaint neighborhood is lined with antique shops, small art galleries, and plenty of restaurants with outdoor seating. Around the narrow lanes, known as the 9 streets, just see what you might happen upon.
(13) Find some tulips! In the city you can visit the flower market, Bloemenmarkt. However, if you are here in the spring you can make a trip to Bollenstreek, the famous tulip fields.
I don’t have many pictures from Amsterdam and those beautiful canals because the weather was still pretty cold and we were on bikes the majority of the time (trying not to die). However, coming up are the warmer months of my travels. Here comes the sun…
The Bohemian Mermaid 