Last week a blog idea that went from an ultimate 1-day itinerary in my favorite city Amsterdam, to many ideas for the perfect day depending on what you’re looking for in the famed city. Part one gave fantastic ideas of a traditional layover itinerary if you are wanting the picturesque Amsterdam experience or to focus the day around a specific Dutch Museum. If you missed last week’s blog, check it out here in Layover or 1-day Itinerary in Amsterdam. The second part of the blog is dedicated to some more niche groups who only get to spend one perfect day in Amsterdam including:
- Tour of Coffeeshops
- Amsterdam with Kids
- Tulip Time
Tour of Coffeeshops
What’s that saying, when in Rome? Well, when in Amsterdam…try the weed! Take the train from the airport to Central Station or grab an overpriced taxi if you’re tired from your flight and tell the driver to take you to Green House Coffeeshop at Haarlemmerstraat 64. If you take the train, go west out of the station and start walking down Haarlemmerstraat it will be on your right with a big blue Cookies sign outside. The sign on the glass says Green House, so go on in, don’t be shy, all the budtenders will help you out and answer any questions you might have between the strains. If you plan to buy a pre-rolled joint make sure to ask for a “pure joint” since the Dutch typically mix theirs with tobacco or herbs to cut it. This is not what American tourists are expecting (especially when you see no cigarette smoking signs on the door), but many Europeans are used to this system. Green House is our #1 favorite coffeeshop in all of Amsterdam because it has all three things a great coffeeshop needs, high quality products, great food & drinks and a relaxed vibe. The atmosphere changes throughout the day and goes through busy and relaxed times that change the ambiance, and there are three rooms to choose from, so walk up and down the stairs when looking for a table.
You don’t have to stay at the coffeeshop, many choose to “take away,” but when on vacation indulge in the relaxation, revel at the social aspect and enjoy the food! Green House is our first stop for breakfast and enjoying the European atmosphere when we arrive in Amsterdam. When you’re straight off a red-eye flight, haven’t slept in 24-hours and the hotel room isn’t ready yet… their latte tastes like liquid gold! Green House has a full drink menu plus breakfast, all day, snack and dessert menus, so there is always a snack or drink to enjoy with your smoke. There are some differences in culture in Europe, in general with wait staff and tipping, and these hold true in coffeeshops too. You might need to wave, make eye contact or ask for a server. Order all your food and drinks at once, pay by cash or card and tip at the time of the money exchange or leave in a tip cup at a register. Tipping should be minimal, they are paid a living wage in Europe and don’t see it as the customer’s job to offset their salary. It is also appreciated when people greet and say good-bye when entering and leaving a restaurant, store or coffeeshop.
After leaving Green House, turn right and continue up Haarlemmerstraat to Prinsengracht and make a left, headed down to the canal. Now that you’ve been in the coffeeshop for some time, let’s get out to see the beautiful canals, houseboats and canal houses that line the streets of the Jordaan. Continue walking down Prinsengracht to the boutique shopping area of the 9 Streets. If you want to do some shopping, wander up & down these canal streets for boutique cafes and shops. If you are wanting to head straight to your next coffeeshop, head east on Berenstraat and out to Spuistraat before making the choice of your next coffeeshop:
- Tyson 2.0
- Abraxas
- Kadinsky
- Dampkring
Tyson 2.0 is Mike Tyson’s new business endeavor and a new coffeeshop in Amsterdam. Hubby and I went in when they first opened and it was just too crowded. Now that it’s been open for a bit and we’re going on our next trip in the off season, we will spend more time there and really see what we think of it, but the reviews are good. Kadinsky is a more traditional Dutch coffeeshop with an old wooden bar and great people watching. Dampkring is the most south, but officially the first coffeeshop in Amsterdam so a lot of the foot traffic comes for that, but the ambience is pretty grunge and attracts a younger crowd today. They have another coffeeshop called Coffeeshop Amsterdam (up on Haarlemmerstraat near Green House) with a great view from the 2nd and 3rd floor seating and a food menu. I recomend that location over this one near Dam Square. My favorite of the bunch is Abraxas, their vibe is not to be beat! It is located down a small alleyway in Dam Square and sometimes can have a line to get in because it has limited seating. Once you pick out your goodies at the front, grab a drink at the bar (the hot chocolate is the best!) and wander around to find a seat. There is seating upstairs too, but beware that the stairs are narrow and you’ll be carrying a lot. Hopefully the music is as banging when you go as it has been in the past when hubby and I’ve been there. We even have a set they played one night because it was so good and reminds us of our Amsterdam evening.
After leaving, walk north up Damrak and stop at Manneken Pis or Vlaamse Frites for fries with amazing sauces like fry sauce or truffle mayo. Then keep walking north to check out cheese shops & souvenir stores until you see the Oude Kerk or Old Church on the right, it’s really old! Cross back into this section and you are in the Red Light District. The RLD has lots of coffeeshops to try, there is a Green House and a Strain Hunters which is where we find ourselves when we’re on this side of town because of its quality. However, the most popular that tourists want to visit is Bull Dog and you will see its logo all over the two canals of the RLD. There are even Bull Dog restaurants, merch shops, a hotel and a smoke boat cruises that are available in the Red Light District. Hubby and I have tried the Bouddha Boat (pick it up at Central Station) and Smoke Boat (meet it in the RLD) and both are great experiences, personalized and a small group tour with great captains and crew. You do need to being your own weed and supplies, they don’t see it on board. There is really never a bad time to get out on the canals in Amsterdam, but I like to get late afternoon tickets, during golden hour (the hour before sunset). It is also a great experience to take a canal cruise after sunset to see the canals and bridges all lit up after dark.
Once you’re back on land, you can check out the craziness of the Red Light District at night or head back out to the main street of Damrak. Wiggle your way in the back streets to find Prix d’Ami (on Haringpakkerssteeg) for a last snack and smoke before heading back to Central Station. We walked past this place for years, having seen it on lots of lists of great coffeeshops, but never was attracted to it from the street. It gives off a nightclub vibe from outside, with security and a disco ball and to be honest, didn’t give off the feeling that we were in the right age range. But we finally went in to check out all the great food, games and movie theater room with couches we kept hearing about. It was a great spot and the snacks were good too. I can see coming to this place if you’re on a tighter layover (you can even check luggage with security) but it is aimed for the younger tourists. Now you’ve tried the weed from 4 coffee shops and have had 5 smoking opportunities during your layover. Be sure to get back to the airport…and your gate on time!
Amsterdam with Kids
Due to all the buzz around the coffeeshops and Red Light District, some people shy away from bringing their children to Amsterdam and I think that’s a big mistake. Amsterdam is amazing for kids and I plan to have a kid friendly Amsterdam article this coming year. My kids are a bit older, two teens and a 9 year old, but my kids LOVED Amsterdam and have been begging to go back! I’d suggest scheduling a car through an app like Welcome pickups (especially if you are concerned about traveling with young kids walking too much) or take the train to Central Station and catch the 12 tram line south to the Rijksmuseum.
The most quintessential Amsterdam activity is a canal boat ride, but skip the huge glass top boats with pre recorded audio tours, they aren’t worth the cost when just a few euro more gets you a true cultural experience and education for your kiddos. The Blue Boat company canal tour is the best for children and worth coming all the way to the Rijkesmuseum to do this specific tour. It is 75 minutes long and less than 20 euros and each kids cruise ticket comes with their own audio story and booklet. It is so close to the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh museum one parent could even go to one of the museums while the other goes on the canal cruise, since the kids will be contained and occupied.
After the cruise, a visit to Vondelpark is next on the list, especially in nice weather. Picking up a picnic lunch of sandwiches, fruit & cheese and letting the kids pick out interesting flavors of chips, soda or candies to try. Part of a child’s experience in traveling is trying all the international treats. These treats also act as discussion points when they go back home and talk to friends and family about their trip. Cassidy will never forget her love for Fanta after this trip! Alternatively, the Hard Rock Cafe is an American respite if you have picky eaters or are looking for some good air conditioning in the summer. It is in the perfect location, close to Vondelpark to wander over whenever hunger prevails. If you are hoping for more traditional places like Lunch Cafe de Spiegel, Bakers and Roasters cafe or Cafe Restaurant Hans en Grietje Amsterdam (Hansel & Gretel Cafe, that is like a tavern with a good children menu).
When leaving this area, walk north along the Singel Canal into the Jordaan area of the city. This is the place to get stroopwafels, especially if the line at Van Wonderen Stroopwafels isn’t too long. There are also ice cream shops and bakeries around every corner, walk a few streets to look in the windows before deciding. Walk up the Singel Canal north through the prettiest canals in the city and get all the photos and videos you need of your kiddos in this area, without losing anyone in the canal.
Head back to Central Station, but instead of getting a train, walk to the left of the main entrance, under the overpass, to the back of the station where you will see ferry boats to the northern part of the city. Take the ferry that goes to the A’dam Tower and enjoy the short ride shared by tourists, locals on bikes and even some small cars to the Northern part of the river. Go to the A’dam Tower for tickets and get a timed combo ticket with the This is Holland experience. We went up in the A’dam tower to have panoramic views of the city and let the boys swing out over the ledge. The ride wasn’t as scary up there as it looked from the ground, but still not for me with my recent feelings about heights. There is a revolving restaurant and bar to enjoy a meal or drink with a view as well as a fine dining experience at Moon Restaurant, but certainly not child friendly. We just went to the outside observation area where the swing and photo spots were located all around the roof. We got to see Amsterdam like we never had before and it was a beautiful view!
This is Holland is an experience that takes about an hour. We began in a room showing an introduction movie, introducing a silly character who spoke in Dutch (subtitled in English) and gave you some background information about all of the Netherlands and its history. Then you move into a second chamber, to sit/stand around a 3D map of the Netherlands and continue to learn more about their shipping industry, cheese making regions and the largest natural skating pond in Freesland. That is my next winter bucket list item! Finally, we moved as a small group to the flight simulator that reminded us a lot of the ride Soarin’ at Disney World, but better. The flight simulator takes you on a nice ride through the Dutch countryside and over the 12 Dutch provinces. The ride is neither scary or nauseating, I am quite sensitive and loved this experience. It was well done and a long ride. When it finally finished, probably 12-15 minutes in length, my daughter wanted to do it again, since it was so enjoyable. On the way back to the ferry station, there is a large area of restaurants, cafes and bars all overlooking the water. It’s the perfect place to have a drink, snack or meal. I highly recommend coming up to the Noord area for these fun experiences that are not crowded, it’s really become part of Amsterdam in recent years.
One additional offering, for those with very young children in strollers and babywearing carriers, consider doing the Hop on/Hop off Canal Cruise (just the boat part, not the combo land tour buses can’t drive down the narrown streets) for your entire day to be planned, with all transportation included. This could also be a good option for travelers with mobility concerns and reluctant travelers who don’t want to plan and itinerary and follow a schedule, but still get a good overview of the Dutch capital city. Start in Central Station, after getting off the train. There is a walking tour that the app takes you through, if you want to get those little legs tired before getting on the boat. Pick up the red, glass topped boat right in front of the train station. Stay on through stop 2 as this is only for the cruise port. However, if you are leaving by ship tomorrow, you might want to pay attention so that you know where the terminal is located. Stop 3 is the stop you want to go to the ship museum, NEMO Science Museum or the Zoo/Aquarium. Get off on stop 4 for the free Gassan Diamond museum tour (not long and you get a diamond discount for purchases), the Delft Blue store, Waterlooplein Flea Market and the second free walking tour on the app, if you are ready for another stroll. There is also a great cafe on the street outside of the diamond factory, it was Cassidy’s #1 chicken tender vote. The number 5 stop can be skipped unless you want to see the skinny bridge, which is a sweet picture. Stop number 6 is perfect if you are going to do the Heineken Experience, visit de Pijp or the Albert Cuyp Market. Use stop 7 for Leidseplein, Hard Rock Cafe, Museum Square (with Rijksmuseum, Stedelijk Museum and the Van Gogh Museum) and Coster Diamonds. Finally, the last stop is in the Jordaan area with the Western Church, Anne Frank House and 9 Streets shopping area with great restaurants and cafes. The boat tour returns back to the Central Station stop and you can take the train back to the airport or stop at PANCAKES Amsterdam Central for a delicious meal and a Dutch favorite before leaving, wanting to come back for more!
Tulip Time in Amsterdam
Tulip time in Holland is by far the most popular time of year to visit Amsterdam and runs from the start of Spring through the first half of May. This year’s Tulip Festival in Amsterdam will take place from March 20th-May 11th for 2025. Holland is the region of the Netherlands that the tulips are all farmed and celebrated. Keukenhof Gardens is the place to see the tulips and it is just outside of Amsterdam. Keukenhof Tulip Gardens have the annual tulip displays as well as an English and Japaneese landscape gardens, a historic garden, a garden maze and several inspiration gardens that change annually. Visitors can get to Keukenhof Gardens by public transportation or biking, however if you are short on time just book a prearranged tour like Flower Park Ticket and Transfer or a Day Trip to Keukenhof Gardens (be sure the time for the tour is short, around 5 hours and not a full day of 8-10 hours). I rarely suggest a tour, but it is not a direct location, so if you want to go without a tour then take an uber.
Parade Week will be from April 9-13 with the Flower Parade being held on Wednesday, followed by the Haarlem, Flower Parade taking place on Saturday April 12th. All of the Netherlands takes their flowers seriously, but especially in the North Holland cities like Amsterdam and Haarlem. The flowers around Amsterdam, especially in Dam Square, the canals in the Jordaan neighborhood and in Museumsplain will be some of the most amazing arrangments you will ever see. If you are spending more time in Amsterdam than just a day, I highly suggest spending the day at Keukenhof Garden, walking in the tulip fields and the short river cruise at Keukenhof, to catch a glimpse of some of the tulip fields.
After you return to Central Station, be sure to squeeze in a canal cruise and meal before taking off again. If you spend most of your only day in Amsterdam at Keukenhof, then you won’t have much time to see the city by foot. A Canal Cruise tour from Central Station will show you most of the city, at its best. Companies such as Flagship for an hour, Blue Boat Tours if you’re traveling with kids for 75 minutes or Captain Jack cruises for 90 minutes (adult humor and stories) are great options you won’t be dissapointed in. Be sure to have a good meal before leaving Amsterdam, such as a steahouse like Cannibale Royale Handboogstraat, a 5 star meal in the train station at Grand Cafe Restaurant 1e Klas or a local cafe you happen to wander into and hope for the best.
Spring Break is a great time for a trip to Amsterdam, being that it is typically at the end of March or 1st week of April and that is the beginning of tulip season. Even thought this time is popular in Amsterdam, it is still a bit early for most of Europe and can often find flight deals for less. Don’t count out flying for cheap into cities like Paris, London or Brussels which are all a quick train ride from Amsterdam. This would also be a great way to see two or more cities on one trip, but Amsterdam really does need a minimum of 3 days to do it justice. Less than that and it’s just a quick stop over with a Dutch teaser.
Get Back to the Airport
Remember, if you are running late or are exhausted after your day of exploring the Dam, you can always order an uber or hail an overpriced taxi to take you back to the airport in less than 20 minutes from anywhere in the city. It’s worth making your flight over getting to the airport the cheapest by train. My hubby is much better at giving into an uber or taxi than I am, but with kids or mobility issues it is the easiest option to get around the city. Amsterdam is an amazing city to wander through and see where the day takes you, so remember that is always an option and sometimes the best one! Next time you see Amsterdam as a layover option on a European itinerary, don’t shy away from the extra long layover and turn it into your first trip to Amsterdam. I say first, since there will be more after you visit once!
For those who do want to stay over only one night in Amsterdam I do have a short list of hotels I would suggest, so that you can make it back to the airport easily, especially if you have an early morning flight.
- Park Plaza Victoria Park
- Sint Nicholaas Hotel
- Doubletree by Hilton (Hilton points)
- Kimpton de Witt (Hyatt points)
- Ibis Amsterdam Central (inexpensive, but minimal)
All of these hotels are located in the square around the train station and allow you to walk right to the train station easily, to get back to Schipol Airport. Another option could be checking into an airport hotel so that you are sure to be out of the city and close to the terminal. I’m not really a fan of this option, because I don’t think anything can compare to seeing a peaceful Amsterdam morning, but if your flight is really early it might be worth it. It also might be worth it if you want to use hotel points or free night certificates since many of the hotels are located near the airport.
- Hilton Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
- Ibis Schiphol Amsterdam Airport
- Sheraton Amsterdam Airport Hotel
- YOTELAIR Airport Hotel
- Hyatt Place Amsterdam Airport
- Mercure Hotel Schiphol Terminal
- Crowne Plaza Amsterdam- Schiphol
- Holiday Inn Express Schiphol
There is nothing better than a trip to Amsterdam, even if it is only for one day. If it is only a day or night in the magical city of canals, then it is even more important to use your time wisely and travel in an efficient pattern or direction to maximize your minimal time. Have you been to Amsterdam? What was your favorite part?
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