things to do in Amsterdam

Want to make your trip to Amsterdam the best ever? This post will give you 8 fun and interesting things to do in Amsterdam, teaching you all about its history while you experience its fun and unique culture.

There is so much to experience when visiting Amsterdam. The culture is fun and active, with unique historic stories that make for an interesting environment!

My #1 goal whenever I travel is to explore, learn about, and experience the culture, as well as see the best and most famous spots.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to do two things on this list because of the time of year I visited and sold out tickets. It’s a mistake I had no idea I was making, but it’s all the more reason to plan a second trip.

1. Take A Canal Cruise

Canal cruises are a great and fun way to learn about the city. They’re a good introduction to Amsterdam, and you can take notes on areas you want to revisit later.

There are a ton of cruise options with different themes and experiences. I personally did the flower canal cruise because I love flowers and thought the boat was pretty! But there is a theme for pretty much anyone, so take your pick.

Different Canal Cruise Options:

These are just a fraction of the canal cruise options. You can explore the different options and see which theme and experience best suit you. I book all of my activities through Viator.com. Just search for Amsterdam Canal cruise with dates and see all the options available!

2. Take A Bike Ride

Can you guess what Amsterdam has more of than people?

Yep, you guessed it… BIKES.

And let me tell you something: the Dutch are serious about their bikes. So no trip to Amsterdam is complete without exploring on a bike.

I did a bike tour through the Dutch countryside, and it was absolutely beautiful. It was very peaceful, and the scenery was breathtaking.

If you are feeling very adventurous and want to take on the bike traffic, you can rent a bike and explore on your own. Many hotels offer bike rentals, which makes bike renting easier.

Different Bike Tour Options

3. Visit Zaanse Schans (windmills, clog making, & cheese factory)

Zaanse Schans is a picturesque neighborhood with gorgeous views and beautiful windmills.

When I decided to visit Amsterdam, my dad said seeing the windmills was a must. And this was no exaggeration. I spent my time here exploring, sipping hot chocolate, and of course taking lots of pictures!

This quaint little neighborhood is also home to a cheese and clog-making factory.

The Clog Factory

One surprising fact about Dutch people is that they actually wear wooden clogs. My tour guide said he wears them out gardening or just around the house.

While at the factory, I saw a clog made from a single chunk of wood. I even tried on a pair and admit they weren’t as uncomfortable as I’d thought!

The Cheese Factory

The Netherlands is one of the world’s top cheese importers. They gave us an entire presentation about the cheese-making process and how the cheeses get their different flavors.

• Zaanse Schans Windmills, Clogs and Dutch Cheese Small-Group Tour from Amsterdam (this is the tour I did, which includes the cheese and clog factory we’ll talk about a little later)

4. Visit The Anne Frank House

I didn’t get a chance to visit the Anne Frank House on my trip because I was unaware of how tickets were sold.

But I heard many other tourists talk about how great it was, and many even said it brought tears to their eyes, so it’s definitely an attraction I will be returning to see.

This is a very historic and famous site, and I want to provide some information to help you prepare and avoid being scammed.

Firstly, you might see a tour called the Anne Frank House tour. These walking tours pass by the house but don’t allow you to go inside. You might also see virtual tours for this site. You are more than welcome to do these, but just know you won’t actually be able to go in and see where Anne Frank and her family lived.

Secondly, tickets can only be bought from the official Anne Frank House website. Slots open seven weeks in advance, so you can’t buy tickets for a trip months away.

You must visit the website early when the schedule opens for the time frame you’ll be visiting because slots sell out fast.

Official website to buy tickets: Anne Frank House

5. Tour The Red Light District (at night)

I’m not going to lie. I wasn’t excited or planning to visit the Red Light District. There were times I crossed through and even went through on my canal cruise, but it wasn’t something I thought much about.

But one evening, I had some free time and decided to book a tour. And let me say, I’m glad I did.

Of course, you can visit it alone, but having a tour guide gives you the history behind the Red Light District and fun and interesting facts. To me, this is what made exploring the Red Light District worth it.

As a side note, I knew what the red light district was, but seeing it in person was another experience. I mean, you really do see some interesting things!

6. Explore Different Neighborhoods

Exploring different neighborhoods will give you an inside look at the lifestyles of the locals. This experience is very interesting, as you can see where they shop, go to school, and hang out.

I firmly believe that if you want to learn and experience the culture while traveling, you should explore outside of the touristy areas!

7. Visit The Tulip Farms

Between mid-March and mid-May, Amsterdam opens up access to their tulip farms. The Netherlands is a significant flower importer worldwide, and I was looking forward to visiting the gardens.

However, my trip was in June, so I missed tulip season, but I will be going back and plan to visit the tulip farms.

8. Visit Vondelpark

Vondelpark is the largest city park in Amsterdam. It has lovely scenery and is filled with residents and tourists who walk, bike, run, or picnic and soak up the sun!

It’s the perfect place to hang out on days you want to relax and enjoy the city.

8 Fun & Interesting Things To Do In Amsterdam

These are 8 fun and interesting things to do in Amsterdam. Hopefully, you can incorporate a few or even all of these things on your trip. Amsterdam is a wonderful place with so much to do and experience.

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Things to do in Amsterdam