Amsterdam

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What Amsterdam is:

1. Vibrant, fun, & full of night life
2. Romantic and scenic
3. Multicultural– a city that celebrates diversity & inclusion

What Amsterdam is not:

1. A place devoid of tourists
2. Lacking activities
3. Lacking canals

As part of our honeymoon in September 2019, Emily and I visited Stockholm, Copenhagen, and Amsterdam (I can’t link to this page because you’re already on it! It would be an infinite loop!). Read about how we chose to allocate our time between the three cities here.

Honestly, Amsterdam ended up as an after-thought in our itinerary. We didn’t scout it out that much or plan out too many activities. We booked a canal tour and knew we were going to try to get day-of tickets to the Anne Frank House, but that was it. Looking back, we should’ve spent most of our time in Amsterdam, it ended up being our favorite of the three cities and we would love to go back! – We also found our favorite vegan restaurant of the trip– Vegan Junk Food Bar!

From canals to the red light district, to biking, vegan food, and gingerbread houses, Amsterdam has tons of stuff to do, so let’s get started.

Big kudos go to Scott’s Cheap Flights which helped us get a roundtrip flight from San Francisco to Stockholm and returning from Copenhagen to San Francisco for $384 round trip!! This was about about half the price of our holiday roundtrip tickets from San Francisco to Tampa. It was an insane flight deal and we added a short flight from Copenhagen to Amsterdam during the trip.

Amsterdam

Amsterdam was stunningly picturesque, it’s amazing how the canals make turning around every corner a beautiful adventure full of unique scenery. And when night comes and the lights turn on, there’s no more beautiful place to go for a stroll and just hold hands as you walk next to the canals. It was a great place to spend our honeymoon! Beyond the canals and gingerbread houses, there are tons of restaurants, parks, bars, and all forms of entertainment. Amsterdam stays open late and there’s always something to do, including an incredibly underrated national forest called Amsterdam Bos. Whatever you do, don’t leave the city without renting a bike for at least a day.

Transit

Amsterdam’s central station is only a quick train ride from the airport (30 minutes or less). From there, GVB runs transit and you have a few options including, bus, light rail, and ferries. The light rail is quick & efficient and we ended up buying a multi-day pass from a vending machine at the central station. While that worked out well, the criss-crossing of the canals do cause the light rail to only run in certain sections of the City. It’s not that tough to walk from a light rail station to your destination, but if we had just rented bikes the whole time we were visiting, we probably would have been better off. Getting around via bike in Amsterdam can be intimidating at first, given all the bikers and the canals, but it’s super efficient mode of transportation (and healthy!).

Lodging

We stayed at the Arcade Hotel.

1. It came with an N64 and a plethora of games at the concierge that you could play for free (bummer, Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros were in use the entire time we stayed there!)
2. They left a ton of unwashed bleach all over our bathroom, which really made the place smell like bleach for the majority of our stay, and ironically the room wasn’t all that clean.
3. We enjoyed staying across the street from a park and transit was easily accessible from the hotel.
4. If we could do it over again we’d pay more and stay in a spot on the canals, but Arcade Hotel was okay since we didn’t spend any time in our hotel anyway.

Food/Drinks

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Having just come from Copenhagen, where a burger without fries costs $18, we felt like Amsterdam was affordable living. Prices were around the same as they were in the U.S., maybe a dollar more expensive, so we had no guilt in eating out and enjoying all Amsterdam had to offer. From a brewery in a historic windmill to a vegan junk food bar to a coffee shack on the lake in Amsterdam Bos, we very much enjoyed the food and drink experience we had in Amsterdam.

1. Vegan Junk Food Bar – We found this spot on our first day and liked it so much we tried out a second location the next day. All locations have badass graffiti and bright colors throughout the restaurant and from what we could tell they are pretty popular. Burgers, tons of fully loaded fries with a special sauce, and 100% vegan– you don’t want to miss this if you’re vegan (or not) in Amsterdam.
2. Mooshka Vegan Soul Food – Great service in a tiny restaurant with vegan milkshakes – yum! They have nachos, avocado fries, masala, injera, and more. The milkshake and food was top notch and we’d go here again in a second.
3. Chez Favie – Can’t say enough good things about this spot, located on a lake in Amsterdam Bos it’s a great spot to relax and unwind with a coffee or a brew in the forest. We rented bikes and came out here and didn’t have the right change for coffee and had a hard time communicating with the Dutch woman running the shop. She was so patient and sweet with us and ended up giving us the coffee for free. True kindness right there.
4. Brouwerij Troost – It’s a large brewery with indoor & outdoor seating, and super quality beer. We loved drinking here and probably would have went back if we had more time. If you like craft beer and you’re in Amsterdam, this is the spot we recommend you visit.
5. Jones Brothers Coffee – Small and family-owned, this was the first shop we stopped at in Amsterdam. The barista was so nice and instantly began giving us tips about where to go and what to see – while making a couple of delicious lattes.
6. Brouwerij ‘t IJ – De Molen (The Mill) – This brewery is located right on a canal under a windmill, it’s a really unique spot to have a brew. Inside they have bottles everywhere and a few cool views of where they brew the beer. The actual beer was pretty good, but this spot is worth visiting based on the location alone.
7. The Avocado Show – An avocado themed restaurant, what!? If you like avocados, check this place out for sure, they have some unique ways of including avocados in dishes and the food was definitely high quality. Beware though, we had to wait awhile for a table and they portions are on the smaller side.

Activities

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Amsterdam had a lot going on and we definitely could’ve spent more time there. In fact, we are 100% set on going to Amsterdam again to continue to explore. As with most cities we visit, we could just walk around with coffee for hours exploring Amsterdam’s beauty, but here are a few more specific activities that we enjoyed.

1. Ajax Bike – Biking around Amsterdam can seem intimidating, but you’ll get used to it quickly. Biking is the most efficient way to get around the city, not to mention it’s fun and great exercise – 1000% you should rent a bike for a day or two. Ajax had good prices and the greek guy that runs the shop is a total character. He was really engaging and fun to talk to.
2. Amsterdam Bos – Once we got bikes, we rode about 30 minutes out of the city into the beautiful national forest that is Amsterdam Bos. We rode the length of the park along canals, lakes, and beautiful woods. We stopped at a cafe in the middle of the park for some caffeine and we drank in the variety of trees and beautiful views across the water. We got the feeling tourists didn’t go this far out, but if you like nature, definitely put this on your list.
3. Canals (Walking or biking) – The most beautiful part of Amsterdam is the canals, they crisscross the city all over and there’s nothing like seeing them lit up by the city lights at night. Take as many walks as you can along the canals, it’s the main draw of the city and you’ll immediately see why. It’s worth noting that the gingerbread style houses that line the canal just add to the ambiance along the way.
4. Leemstar Canal Tour – Don’t miss a canal cruise while in Amsterdam, it’s wonderful to be out on the water with a drink, listening to the guide talk about the City. We highly recommend Leemstar, it’s an off-the-beaten-path canal cruise company with guides that really know the city and are lovely people. We loved cruising with them, rather than a huge touristy company. Don’t forget to bring a bottle of wine!
5. Anne Frank House – Everyone going to Amsterdam talks about this and it’s the one museum we saw in the city. We couldn’t get tickets in advance, but if you login early they release a whole bunch of day-of tickets every morning. We had no problem getting a ticket for a primo time slot that way and we really enjoyed the audio tour of the house. It’s super heavy to walk through, but 200% worth it.
6. This is Holland – Located across the river in North Amsterdam, This is Holland is a classic tourist trap with a gift shop downstairs and a 4d experience upstairs. That said, we still enjoyed the simulated a flight over Holland learning about the Netherlands, how the canals were dug, why the Netherlands were drained, and how future sea rise will effect the city. It’s a fun way to learn about the area.
7. Red Light District – The Red light district is a unique place and it seems every tourist goes to visit it. You walk by tons of naked women lit up in little showroom boxes, advertising their bodies to the passerby’s. It’s a little weird walking around the Red Light with grandparents, kids, and everyone else in-between. The alley ways are usually packed and along the way there are a number of peepshows you can patronize as well, but we weren’t a fan of that experience.