Museum of the Canals: located on Herengracht, a scenic street with beautiful, canal-side…read morehomes--this museum takes visitors thru the history of Amsterdam's canals, from the reasons for development, the process of designing and constructing, the growth of the city and industries around the canals. Arriving to the building you go up a short flight of stairs and are directed to a ticket counter followed by a wait to the left of the counter in a seating area with a few benches. At the counter they scanned my "I amsterdam" card, and passed each visitor a free audio guide, available in multiple languages. Then the staff indicated to wait for the next tour that happened to start in 5 minutes (I think they're timed about 15 minutes apart). At that point, a staff member motioned the 7-8 of us in a small group to the hallway and provided instructions on how to use the audio guide. Close to the entrance of each exhibit room there is a digital marker where you scan your audio guide listening device and the relevant recording starts playing. There were about 7-8 rooms in the museum, 5 for the main exhibit and 3 additional rooms for an exhibit "Animals of the Canals" and a period room with mirrors. Estimated time is about 45 min to 1 hour for this museum. I enjoyed the tour and learned about how they decided to lay out the canals in a semi-circular format, though wish I had a little more time to spend in the room with the museum building model. Regular admissions are-- Adult: € 17,50 Student/CJP: € 12,50 Children 6 up to 17 years: € 9,50 Children 0 up to 5 years: free Museumkaart, Stadspas, iAmsterdam City Card, ICOM Card: free Hours are Mon: 12-5PM, Tues-Sun: 10AM-5PM. For more info: https://grachten.museum/en/

I used my iAmsterdam pass here at the Museum of Canals. The main portion of the experience is timed…read morewhere you enter into different rooms that show a projector/hologram presentation. It was cool to learn about Amsterdam and its canals without it being terribly boring and information-overload. This is a good museum for kids. The only thing I wasn't really a fan of was that the last room went a bit long (because it is somewhat self-paced) and I could see other antsy visitors wanting to leave the room (not knowing it was the last room, so we didn't want to interrupt the group ahead of us). A sign stating that it was the last "timed" room and that we could exit that room early would've been nice.

The NDSM Werf is a good place to go for free if you want to enjoy an hour or two walking around and…read moreseeing artists works. This is the old Netherlands ship works - some large battle ships came out of this building. But now it's a fantastic space for creatives and their studios - we were fortunate to see graffiti artists at work on some new installations outside. There is also the STRAAT Museum which we did not take the time to do. It's easy to get to - Ferry 4 is right outside Central Station - ferries are free - and it takes right to the entry.

I jumped on the free ferry (F4) from behind central station and as you approach you already feel…read morelike the coolest person. I came especially to see the Anne Frank mural by Eduardo Kobra which I was really excited about and it didn't disappoint. I loved it. NDSM had such a funky cool vibe, covered in amazing graffiti and street art and there was even more art in the warehouses, some that are free to view and some you have to pay to get in. I saw a lamppost piled to the top with birdhouses, I saw a van stuffed with mannequin limbs, I saw a red crate covered in big black spiders but I was more interested in the street art to be honest and NDSM is the place to go to see some amazing street art. There are cool places to eat and drink and it's just a lovely chilled place to wander.

Fantastic Park for little kids!…read more This park is great! We visited Amsterdam with our 7 year old son, and we saw a lot of history and culture. It was good to go to Amstelpark on a warm day and do all the little kid things. We biked to and through the park. We splashed in the big wadding pool, rode the small train through the park, tried to go to the petting zoo but it closes at 3pm (but we still saw some animals), my son played in the playgrounds, and rode on the little rides. He was so happy. (I would say 7 or 8 years old would be the oldest ages that would really enjoy this. Ideal for 3-6 year olds).

Absolutely beautiful park in the south corner of Amsterdam. Plenty of things to do for the kids as…read morewell as the adults. The zoo section is super fun alpacas, ponies, wombats and more. The year round jungle gym is great for the active ones too In the summer the kids park opens up where they have bumper cars, remote control boats, and lots of other fun things to play with.

Do you want to peek inside to learn how a wealthy couple would have lived in Amsterdam in the…read more1800s? Used the I Amsterdam Card to visit the Museum Willet-Holthuysen which is located on famous ring of canals. The house was built for Jacob Hop, mayor of Amsterdam, around 1685. In 1739, the outside was redesigned in the Louis XIV style. The house was later acquired by Louisa Holthuysen and her husband, Abraham Willet. The couple was childless and lived quite a Bohemian lifestyle travelling and collecting art. Louisa was a very shrewd and strong businesswoman who had to keep bailing her husband out of debt despite her giving him a generous allowance. Much of the art collected was due to Louisa's art preferences. Upon her death, she bequeathed the entire building and its contents, including the art and books collected by her and her husband, Abraham Willet, to the city of Amsterdam on stipulation that it became a museum bearing their names. Loved exploring the three floors and beautiful gardens that are open to the public. Get the free audio guide which gives insight into the home and the occupants. No large bags are allowed but lockers are available. Love how the Victorian furnishing provide a backdrop for a contemporary fashion display. Such an interesting contrast in lifestyles. Definitely worth a stop while exploring Amsterdam.

This was a great spot to get in out of the cold (lol) and to see the inside of a house off of the…read morecanal. It told the story of a married couple that lived there and because of their extensive collections they left the house (the wife) to the city. It's not in its original state but the museum did a good job reimagining how it would have been. I enjoyed learning about the couple (even though no one really knew the truth about the relationship) and the home's history. It's self guided so you just take your time to explore.

On our last day in Amsterdam, we decided to come check out their botanical garden, and we are very…read morehappy that we did! This is a nature lover's paradise right here. They have endless plants, flowers, a butterfly sanctuary, and an on-site cafe and store. One part of the botanical garden right next to the cafe is under construction, but I don't remember what they are going to put there. I was able to block out the construction noise in my mind and enjoy the amazing nature the botanical garden had to offer. This was also the place where I learned that Amsterdam runs their monthly emergency tests at noon on the first Monday of each month. Hearing all the air raid sirens in a peaceful setting was really strange. We come from Las Vegas, a hot and dry climate where most flowers and plants nestled here won't be able to survive in. Seeing all these flowers alive and well in a climate where it doesn't get too hot was a great opportunity to admire. Also included was the biggest palm tree I've ever seen in my life, which is enclosed in a different sanctuary tucked away in the back of the garden. Also located behind the garden is a canal, where we saw a few ducks hanging around. Numerous birds, such as parrots, can also be found. After walking around the garden and admiring the plants and flowers, we stopped by their on site cafe for a quick lunch. My mom and I had their soup of the day, which was a tomato soup served with bread on the side, and my dad had their espresso and some sort of egg salad meal, I don't remember the exact name. The soup, though it was a light meal, was excellent and it paired well with the bread. Before we left, we checked out their store, where I picked up a shampoo bar, a conditioner bar, and a face bar. My parents also picked up some plantable pencils to plant back at home, though these may not survive for long after they're planted. Visiting the botanical gardens was a great way to wrap up our trip to Amsterdam and it was worth spending an hour or two here.

Beautiful place but it does have a pricey entrance fee…read more All in all worth it. I recommend taking a few bites of food and really just enjoying the outdoors. In the greenhouse it does get hotter naturally, but is well ventilated and isn't ever unbearable. Amazing plants, but only the most important ones had signs in English. A treat nonetheless. Saw the largest potted fern of my life, really amazing. 2 story greenhouse gives great views!

The streets that radiate from the Prinsengracht form the Jordaan (pronounced your-dan), a district…read moreof little houses where workers and servants lived during the Dutch Golden Age (in the 17th century, Amsterdam emerged as a jewel of Europe, thanks to the enormous wealth accrued during the century of global shipping and colonial expansion). Today, the section of the Jordaan bounded by two long commercial avenues -- Raadhuisstraat and Leidsestraat -- is known as De 9 Straatjes (Nine Streets), and is Amsterdam's stylish shopping district. The maximalist housewares shop & the Frozen Fountain. The area is lined with galleries; Ron Mandos or Annet Gelink for contemporary art, and Galerie Wouter van Leeuwen for photography. Colorful Belgian winter fashion filled the windows of Essential Amsterdam, fancy housewares at Things I Like Things I Love, and Dutch-inspired souvenirs (that aat the Ko concept store.

Fun lil bar. Owner makes you feel like a local. Cheap beer…read moreand eats with great people watching!!!

We chose this windmill at Zaanse Schans to visit inside and learn about the inner workings, and…read morethen climb up the steep stairs to see the view from the upper deck. It's super loud down inside because the gears are turning and there's a steady pounding sound of wood-on-wood, so I could only stay down theme for at most 20 minutes, but that's plenty of time to see the little exhibits. Apparently this windmill was used to grind and pulverize minerals and materials to produce chalk and also different pigments for paint. I liked the display that showed a whole cabinet full of a rainbow of colors as examples of pigment created by the windmill, called "the cat" ironically since I still had not seen a single one in Amsterdam (or Zaanse Schans for that matter). Gorgeous panoramic view from the upper viewing deck. We were lucky to have sunny clear weather yesterday as it was quite breezy up there.

At Zaans Secans, there are moving windmills and this one you can get inside and also climb to the…read moreupper side. It was very interested in to get inside and see the system how it works. Climbing the upper(it was very steep and narrow!) and going outside, the view was great. There is a store to sell some souvenirs and hot coco that made us warm. Actually they have an adult coco-with rum!- and it was soooooo good!!! When you visit Zaans Secans, highly recommend to try this place.

This is a neighborhood or "buurt" in Amsterdam. It is an exciting and vibrant place. It's super fun…read morewith lots of great restaurants and shops. A new metro stop here changes everything. They also stopped parking on many streets here so that makes it even nicer. It's not a 4 or 5 star neighborhood in Amsterdam, but anyone living there is fortunate indeed.

De Pijp is considered by many to be Amsterdam's Latin Quarter. It's a bit like Greenwich Village /…read morethe East Village in New York City, with a bohemian vibe that's beloved and inhabited by creative types. It's every bit as lively as its American counterpart, too. This neighborhood isn't overly touristy, so check it out to see how real Dutch residents live. That's not to say there aren't shops selling junky tchotchkes (the Heineken Brewery is here, after all), but there's a quirky mix of the multicultural, from the food, bars, and cafes that line the streets. The prettiest part of the area are the landscaped gardens at Sarphatipark (free). Spend some time lingering around and take slow, meandering strolls so you can adequately wander the neighborhood streets. There are delightful surprises around every corner if you just slow down and enjoy. Most important tip for those who love to eat: De Pijp is also home to the foodie fun zone known as the Albert Cuypmarkt street market. Go here for street food. It's good and cheap.