Travel Dates: April 2024
Things to do outside Amsterdam:
Keukenhof & tulip fields – A trip to the Netherlands in the Spring is not complete without visiting the tulip fields and gardens. Keukenhof, one of the world’s largest flower gardens, is where visitors gather to view the vast variety of tulips and other flowers. Tickets are €19.50 per person and I recommend buying it in advance as there are set time slots. There is parking for €8 (EV chargers available), and online pre-booking is needed as you’ll use the QR code they send when exiting the parking area.
Although Keukenhof was packed, surprisingly it wasn’t the bathroom and food lines that were long, but the photo op areas that require a long wait time. They set up numerous sections throughout the park where people can take “curated” photos.
Overall, I would recommend the garden if you enjoy flowers or are interested in the photo ops. Otherwise, you can skip this and just stop by a free tulip field instead. The one that we stumbled upon was ~10 minutes from Keukenhof. Enter “AHCO Weg-en Waterbouw B.V.” in Google Maps and the field is right across from it. There’s a limited parking area right next to the field.
Be prepared that there will be a lot of traffic as you get closer to Keukenhof. You may want to leave at least 30 minutes in advance. There are several entrances–we went through the entrance via Heereweg road which seemed a little bit faster, though there was still a long line of cars. An alternative to driving to Keukenhof is taking a bus or tour (more details here).
Giethoorn Village boat rental – If you have a car and are looking for a fun day trip, we highly recommend going to Giethoorn. You can also book a tour to get here, otherwise coming via public transportation will be a hassle.
Giethoorn is a small, quaint village that is mostly car-free. People get around via small boats or walking. We rented a boat with Giethoorn Village for 2 hours and spent €72 in total. Online reservations in advance are not required but recommended, especially during busy season. You also get a discount online instead of booking in-person.
There is a parking lot across from the boat rental place (no EV chargers available, but there is one ~6 minute drive away). There is also a bathroom here that is free if you rent a boat, otherwise it costs €1.
You’ll need to download their sailing app, which will provide a map with routes to follow. The boat is easy to drive, and no license is needed. We were told to take Route #2, which starts off driving through a large lake that then leads to the scenic canal ways and village of Giethoorn. At the end of this route, you do have to duck under three very low bridges.
De Hoge Veluwe National Park – This national park is a good place to visit if you’re interested in wildlife spotting. They have deer, boars, badgers, foxes, mouflon, and even wolves. You can view their map for observation locations. Best chances of seeing animals is right before sunset, and we spotted red deer! What’s also great about De Hoge Veluwe are the free white bikes that are scattered throughout the park for use.
To enter the national park, you have to pay €13.05 per person and €9.25 per car (if you park outside of De Hoge Veluwe you can forgo the car admission price). In the park, there is EV charging near Park Paviljoen (where we had lunch).
Zaanse Schans windmills – If you want to see what 18th and 19th century Dutch life looked like, this is the place to go. Zaanse Schans has windmills, museums, handicrafts, and more. It’s free to enter the area, but to go inside any of the buildings require admission costs. It also costs €15 for parking (EV charging available) and €1 for bathroom.
We decided to come here because we wanted to see Dutch windmills, and Zaanse Schans was only ~20 minutes from Amsterdam. If we had the time, we would have went to the famous UNESCO Kinderdijk windmills instead. All in all, Zaanse Schans wasn’t really worth it for us unless you are interested in the history.
Things to do in Amsterdam:
Amsterdam Canal Tour – There are several tour companies, but we went with Stromma due to better reviews and they were the only one that disembarks from Rijksmuseum, near our hotel. We booked the daytime tour, though I do hear the evening tour is nice as well with the canal lights. Get your tickets in advance with Get Your Guide for a cheaper price instead of booking directly with Stromma.
The 75 minute boat ride takes you through the canals of Amsterdam while learning about the history of the city. The boat is partially covered, and the seats behind the captain were ideal since you don’t have obstructed views from other guests on the boat.
I would recommend this tour if you want to explore the canals via boat instead of walking, otherwise feel free to skip.
Amsterdam Light Festival – The last time I visited Amsterdam in the winter, they had their annual Light Festival around the canals, which you shouldn’t miss. If you’re not keen on the cold, take a boat tour specifically for the Light Festival. We walked it instead, and although it was freezing, it was nicer to be up close to some of the light displays.
Rijksmuseum & Van Gogh Museum – Amsterdam’s art museums are all situated near each other, directly south of the canals. I enjoyed Rijksmuseum for its vast and varied collection, especially to see Rembrandt’s The Night Watch. On the other hand, I felt the Van Gogh Museum was a bit limiting, and many of his famous pieces are actually elsewhere in the world (e.g. The Starry Night is in New York’s Museum of Modern Art, one of his self-portraits in Paris’ Musée d’Orsay, etc.).
For both of these museums, you need to book tickets in advance for a select date and time. Van Gogh tickets were completely booked during the busy Spring season, but they release additional tickets at 5pm daily for entry for the next day.
Heineken Factory – I visited the Heineken Factory the last time I was in Amsterdam, and it wasn’t too memorable. But for beer lovers, you probably won’t want to miss this. A cute souvenir to purchase is a Heineken bottle that has your name printed on it.
Red Light District & Coffee Shops – Are you interested in the brazen side of Amsterdam? Visit the Red Light District in the evening for peep shows, strip clubs, sex shops, and more. Be aware you can’t take pictures of the ladies working and posing in the storefront windows as they will take your camera.
If you’re looking to smoke marijuana or take edibles, look out for “coffeeshop” signs (note these are not where you drink coffee, which is a cafe).
Places to eat in Amsterdam
Rudi’s Original Stroopwafels – If you visit Amsterdam, you must stop at Rudi’s at the Albert Cuyp Market. Stroopwafels are a classic Dutch treat, and Rudi’s does it well. It’s made fresh to order and just under €3. Just be prepared there might be a line.
Het Papeneiland – A highly recommended spot for apple pie. We did a taste test between here and Winkel 43 (another apple pie place a few steps away), and Het Papeneiland won by far.
Pancake Bakery – Continuing on a theme of sweets, this is a great spot for Dutch pancakes.
Foodhallen – A food hall with a variety of vendors, we ate bitterballen at De Ballenbar, fried seafood at Mer du Nord, and Vietnamese spring roll at Vietview–all of which were delicious. Bitterballen is similar to a croquette: a fried breaded ball with meat filling. And the fried seafood platter we had was a mix of calamari, shrimp, cod, and Dutch smelt fish (a bit like anchovies).
Corner Bakery – A typical, but good brunch spot that is near Muse Amsterdam hotel. We had french toast, scrambled eggs, fruit bowl, and the Hangover Breakfast (consists of fresh orange juice, coffee, omelette, croissant, and fruits). You’ll have to order and pay through your phone.
Cafe Loetje – Also near our hotel, this restaurant serves a mouthwatering garlic steak. We also got chicken satay, side of sweet potato fries, and a side of apple compote (which was like apple sauce)–the latter two were tasty.
Restaurant Smelt – I recommend this place if you’re interested in trying fondu. What’s great about this restaurant is that they offer different types of cheese fondu to select from: Dutch, French, Swiss, Italian, and Truffle. The fondu comes with bread and a plate of grapes, mushroom, cauliflower, beets, and pickles. The last time I was in Amsterdam, I went to Cafe Bern for fondu. If I recall correctly, they only had once type of cheese fondu so Restaurant Smelt was better given the variety of options.
Broodbakker Simon Meijssen – This bakery chainstore was right around the corner from our hotel at the Muse Amsterdam. It’s a great place to stop at in the morning for breakfast. Their croissants are good, but we liked their pizza bread the most.
Febo – If you need a quick snack or late night food stop, check out this Dutch automat chainstore. Don’t expect the food to be great, but the experience itself is one for the books.
*In De Hoge Veluwe National Park, we ate at Park Paviljoen and the food was delectable. We ordered and paid through our phone and got mushroom soup, European fries, seasonal salad, and venison steak. The soup and fries were especially good. One thing to note, make sure you check the restaurant hours as they close the kitchen 30 minutes prior to the restaurant closing.
Places to stay in Amsterdam
Muse Amsterdam – We chose this hotel as it was a bit further away from the busy neighborhoods of Amsterdam (thus quieter), and it was easier to find street parking here (there is EV charging in front of the hotel). The rooms are a bit small, but the good thing is that they offer free coffee, tea, and water in the kitchen throughout the entire day.
The last time I came to Amsterdam, I stayed at Hotel Iron Horse and Hotel ibis Amsterdam Centre Stopera. The former is closer to Rijksmusem/Van Gogh Museum but is on a busy street so it can be a bit loud based on where your room is located. The latter is closer to Amsterdam’s Central train station and Red Light District. But the one downside of the room was our bathroom–the design was reminiscent of an airplane bathroom and the plastic materials they used on the walls/doors gave off a weird odor.
What you need to know/Other tips for visiting Amsterdam:
Driving in Amsterdam city center can be a bit hectic–be mindful of the bicyclists, as they’re more abundant than pedestrians. Also, the Netherlands is pretty strict on speeding and parking rules. We got a speeding ticket going over 3mph of the speed limit, as well as a parking ticket possibly due to expired meter.
If you have an EV, you’re in luck because the charging infrastructure in the Netherlands is well developed. In Amsterdam, you can find an EV charger on almost every block or within a few blocks. And throughout the Netherlands, sightseeing spots always have EV charging or there’s one that isn’t too far away.
A great thing about flying from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport is that they have CT scanners implemented, which means you are able to bring in liquids of more than 100 mL. Just be mindful of any connecting or returning flights as other airports will still have restrictions on liquids in hand bags.
Globe Trotter 