Things to do in Amsterdam

Things to do in Amsterdam

So you have a few days in the Netherlands, and you want to figure out the best things to do in Amsterdam?  Amsterdam has some of the most beautiful hidden gems, art galleries and historical sites that I have ever seen.  The Netherlands is one of my favorite places to visit for so many reasons.  Here are my top picks on things you can do during a weekend in Amsterdam. These are just a few of the specific things I took part in. There are so many things not mentioned in this article that you can do in Amsterdam. If you want to read about food you can read my other article here.

If you want to learn more about the Netherlands in general read this.

Places to See

1. Anne Frank House

• The Anne Frank house in Amsterdam has to be one of the most eye opening places I have ever been.  World War II is very surreal to even think about for me, and being able to be in a place where some of the Jewish people had to hide just to keep from being killed made it so much more intense. I have learned about Anne Frank and World War II in books and school but being able to really stand where they actually stood really makes you feel a certain type of way. 
• The house is very tiny and narrow, so imagining how hard it must have been to creep around the house while also being pin drop silent all day every day amazed me.  Knowing that everyone had to be quiet at all times made it that much more heartbreaking.  I can’t fully explain the emotions I felt walking through Anne Frank’s house, but I can say that it was an experience that you can only feel on your own by actually standing where they stood. I am very thankful to have been given the opportunity to experience this and highly encourage anyone who has the opportunity to go visit and fully take it in. It makes you think. You can’t read this kind of thing in a book…but you can try.
• If you want to read about it in the perspective of someone who actually experienced it you can purchase it online in many forms here. It will open your eyes to this horrific time in history by getting a real life perspective of what it was like being Jewish during World War II.

2. Van Gogh Museum

• The Van Gogh Museum is under 3km (~1.5miles) from the main train station. This means it is very easily accessible while you are enjoying things to do in Amsterdam. I have never been huge on art museums, but since it was Van Gogh we made an exception.  I had seen his art all around growing up, and I didn’t even know so much of it was by Van Gogh! It was time to see his art in the homeland of Amsterdam.
• It is very amazing to be able to see just how many paintings Van Gogh created throughout his life. Some of the most famous paintings that are plastered all over the world were painted by him!  This is a possibility of life, and I think sometimes people forget how amazing and opportunistic art can be.  Anything is possible. When was the last time you painted a picture or made a piece of art?

3. Red Lights District

• The Red Light’s District is an area of Amsterdam where prostitution is legal and is a destination for international sex-tourism. The most famous district, De Wallen is the best known Red Light District of Amsterdam.  Even if you don’t want to take part in this, it is possible just to walk by to see what it is like.  There are so many things to do in Amsterdam, you might as well take a few minutes one night to even look down the street from afar or full on walk around to see what it is all about. This isn’t something to be ashamed of or looked down upon. This is voluntary and is a way of life for a lot of people.

4. Tulip Fields

• You must travel a little outside of the city of Amsterdam in order to see the famous tulip fields.  These fields, in my opinion, are some of the most beautiful fields in the world and are extremely picturesque.  The one I went to was only ~40 km (25 miles) outside the city and was absolutely gorgeous.  It is called Bollenstreek around the Keukenhof Tulip Gardens.  I would definitely not miss this on your list of things to do in Amsterdam. It is a classic!

5. Amsterdam Canals at night

• The Nightlife in Amsterdam is one of the best…and that doesn’t limit you to only going to bars or clubs. Just walking around the canals and city at night gives you the most beautiful feeling of European Charm.  You can take a boat ride at night, ride your bike around the city, or even just buy a bottle of wine and enjoy it with some friends while sitting on the side of a canal. I definitely recommend doing this even if it is just for a night. Simply sitting under the stars enjoying a city at night is one of my favorite activities. It is nice and eye opening just to walk around a city when it isn’t super busy or just at night.

6. Canals outside the city

• Amsterdam is an amazing city with an enormous amount of things to experience, but don’t limit your time in the Netherlands to just the big city of Amsterdam. The Canals in the city are amazing during anytime of the day, but outside the city they have a different charm. I rode the train a few miles outside the city to a residential town and was blown away with the quaintness that is the Netherlands. It is a lot more quiet and personal and you can see the houses lined up on the canals. I stayed with a friend in one of these houses, and it was absolutely amazing. Even the town in general was so cute and charming. Make sure you get out of the city for a bit to experience even more.

7. Bike Ride

• There are more bikes in Amsterdam than there are residents.  That is just under 900,000 bikes according to google.  There is no better place in the world known for their bikes than Amsterdam! Rent a bike, and see the beautiful city in its entirety! They are available almost everywhere, so do not worry about them running out. Get there early so you can enjoy the whole day and see as much of the beautiful city of Amsterdam as you can.

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There are so many things to do in Amsterdam, and I hope this list of my top things to do helps you plan your trip. These are just a few of the places I went to during my time in Amsterdam. There are so many more things to do and places to visit. Read my other article about the food of Amsterdam. If there is anything else you are interested in learning about or something you think should be added to this list reach out! I hope you enjoyed my list of things to do in Amsterdam. It is a beautiful and welcoming city, and I hope to go back to explore even more of the country one day soon!

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Overall

What I learned in Amsterdam

1.    Dutch people are the best people I personally have ever met.  Not once during my solo time in Amsterdam I never felt threatened or uneasy. (even while staying and sleeping in a Dutch guys house with ~10 other guys and hanging out with two random guys the whole next day I met at a coffeeshop 10/10)

2.    Trust your instincts.

3.    Just do it

4.    Locals will make your experience 100x better.

5.    Stroopwafels are amazing and the best food I had in Amsterdam. Read about the food in Amsterdam here

6.    The beer is way better in Europe than in America.

7.    There are urinals in the streets (so just in case you’re covered)

8.    The tulip fields are as beautiful as you think they would be.

9.    Sleep when you are dead (or once you are at home)

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