Best Amsterdam Day Trips & Things to Do

Explore the Canals

With over one hundred kilometers of canals and over a thousand bridges intersecting them, the city makes for an interesting setting for exploration. Options await you; get to know Amsterdam from the streets or the water.

BY BOAT

Take one of the many canal tours Amsterdam is famous for. Cruise along the city’s UNESCO World Heritage List canals as you enjoy a taste of another Amsterdam staple—Heineken beer. That’s a combination that beer loving visitors will surely find hard to resist.

ON A BIKE

Going about Amsterdam on bikes is typical of locals. If you feel like exploring the streets on two wheels, you’re in the right place for it. Amsterdam is not known as the bike capital of the world for nothing. Expect good things from bicycle tours; Amsterdam certainly has a reputation to uphold.

ON FOOT

If you prefer walking tours, Amsterdam can easily accommodate you any time of the day and even at night. Join one with a theme that you find interesting: historical sites, beer, food, and the red light district are some of the most sought-after.

Appreciate Some Art

Who knew that the Netherlands has so many famous painters. They have plenty of museums and galleries too. Some artists’ names are more familiar than others but we’ve all likely encountered their works somewhere. And for the visitor who wants to see it all without waiting in lines, then an Amsterdam museum tour with Skip-The-Line Entry is a must.

RIJKSMUSEUM

A must-not-miss. Simply put, this is where you can view the collections featuring renowned works of the Dutch masters—Vermeer ring a bell? Bring home your own special souvenir, create your own artwork and take a photo with the I Amsterdam letters outside the museum, a requirement on any Amsterdam things to do list..

VAN GOGH MUSEUM

Yes, Vincent is such a superstar in the art world that he has his own museum. The Van Gogh museum not only features most of his famous paintings but his letters and drawings as well.

STEDELIJK MUSEUM

A destination for fans of modern and contemporary art. The Stedelijk has an extensive permanent collection that they interchange for maximum exposure. Big draws: Kandinsky and Mondrian.

Get Some Liquid Gold

If the Italians have la bella figura, the Dutch have gezellig, that hard to translate word that captures the heart their culture. And gezellig, that weird feeling that can mean anything from convivial, relaxed, friendly, cozy, welcoming and welcomed, is often what enjoying another very Dutch thing—beer—engenders. The Dutch love a good brew and if you do, too, then you will be happy to know that Heineken is only one out of the many, many beers you can get gezellig with on an Amsterdam Heineken tour.

Park That Thought

The Dutch, it turns out, are big on enjoying outdoor space, making use of such for anything and everything fun. Vondelpark, the city’s largest, for example, plays host to barbecues, skating, football, music, or just plain lying around on the grass. Amsterdam has more than 30 parks to choose from so hit some green space while in the city.

Step Outside the City

While you can fill your days in Amsterdam sightseeing, know that there’s more for you to see and experience. There are many day trips from Amsterdam to choose from. Visit Rotterdam’s historical and ultra-modern sides. Go to Delft; the city of the world-famous Delft Blue and Vermeer. See The Hague, the country’s seat of government and the home of international politics. The Netherlands being of smallish in size, everything is just a couple of hours drive away.