BEST Things to Do While in Amsterdam

I often share stories of my time in Amsterdam on Insta (@torfuller), but I realized I've never written a blog post about things to do in one of my favorite cities! We live in the northwest part of Germany, therefore we're very close to the Netherlands. Our drive to Amsterdam is only 2 1/2-ish hours away, so if we have a free weekend we'll make a quick road trip to Amsterdam just to see the beautiful canals.

This past week was THE BEST! We had two friends from home visiting and we did Oktoberfest in Germany, beaches in Barcelona and ended our trip Amsterdam. It was so fun to show them around and to experience Spain as first timers together. S/O to Wes & Garrett bc they asked to be in the blog only a handful of times. HAHA hi guys!

Since we have visited Amsterdam plenty I have lots of good recommendations you need to check out, enjoy! XO

Where to stay- Our most recent trip we stayed at The Tire Station, a Conscious Hotel, which means they're eco friendly [solar roof panels, reuse and recycle, and only serve organic food and drinks] and it has been my favorite place to stay ever. There is a pink cafe, Sticky Fingers, a free glass of wine in the restaurant, and the customer service is amazing, need I say more?

Walk Through Vondelpark- Vondelpark is a must see while in Amsterdam. You can rent a bike, go for a jog, or even bring a blanket and enjoy a picnic. We visited the park during our visit last week and even with a little rain, it was still perfect. The leaves on the trees were changing and it felt like fall in the city. 

Visit Anne Frank House- If you're planning a trip to Amsterdam and would like to tour the Anne Frank house I'd recommend booking your tickets far in advance. If there aren't any availabilities online for a date you selected, you can visit the house first thing in the morning on that date. Although there is no guarantee, they leave a portion of tickets available for in person last minute visits.

Book a Canal Cruise- If you head to near the Amsterdam Central Station you'll find a canal with many different boat tour options. I believe there are five right in that area. You can book a tour right then and it's about 18 € a person. There are tons of canal tours available online through TripAdvisor and Airbnb as well. 

Heineken Experience- Visit the Heineken Brewery while in Amsterdam. For 21 € [18 € if you book online] you are on a 1.5 hour self-guided tour of the brewery. At the end you're given two chilled Heinekens. Back in the states, I would never order a Heineken because they have a skunky taste. However, in Europe they taste light & refreshing!

Visit Museums- So many different museums to experience! There's the Rijksmuseum, Anne Frank House, Van Gogh Museum, NEMO Science Museum, Amsterdam Museum, and the list goes on. Many of the museums offer tours in different languages and tickets available for purchase on site. Although depending on the time of year you visit, it may

Try A Dutch Stroopwafel- When in Amsterdam, do as the Dutch do. A stroopwafel is basically two thin waffles smooshed together with caramel in between creating a cookie-like treat. It goes great paired alongside a latte. My favorite stroopwafels are from van Wanderen. Their shops are SO cute and they have the cutest decorated waffles.

Go To Red Light District- The infamous Red Light District. It is very... interesting. Honestly, if you go into it with an open mind it's really not a big deal. There are prostitutes in windows that are lit up and tons of tourist wandering around. Also, cell phones are not allowed in the area.

Stroll Through Bloemenmarkt- The Bloemenmarkt is a floating flower market. You can find every color tulip you could imagine, flowers and bulbs that you can plant at home. Aside from the flowers, there are souvenirs and local cheeses.  

Rent Bikes- So much fun. You guys, there are literally more bikes in Amsterdam than people. Growing up we've been taught to be mindful of the cars, when in Amsterdam you really have to be mindful of the bikes. There are many different bike rentals around the city and many of the hotels offer bike rentals as well.

Find Nemo- The NEMO Science Museum is a must see. Even if you're not visiting inside the museum, the rooftop is an amazing place to see and enjoy the panoramic views of the city.

Dam Square- Dam Square is a town square located in the center of the city, and is considered to be the heart of Amsterdam. There's a large monument located in the Dam Square that was built to commemorate the causalities during WWII. The wall portion of the monument actually contains urns filled with soil from victims of the war.

& Lastly, have so much fun --

Click Here For Downloadable Amsterdam Checklist