Find the smallest bar in Amsterdam. The woman who runs it is amazing, we ended spending an afternoon in there with a local guy who kept buying us drinks! We went in October and the weather was quite mild.
My SIL lived there for a while and hubs and I visited a few times- always in winter!
October might be too early for Christmas markets but we enjoyed those, and outdoor ice skating (with mulled wine and hot chocolate!)
I'd definitely recommend a boat tour. It helped us get our bearings and it's a nice way to see the city... there are also evening cruises etc so lots of choice depending on your budget. We also hired bikes for a few hours which was a complete riot - it was pissing it down but we had so much fun, they make it easy to cycle everywhere and there are always places to store your bike outside the museums and lots of cafes etc - we are not the most athletic but it was a good laugh!
There are lots of museums if that's your bag - we did Van Gough and Anne Frank, but there are tons, and I'm sure various galleries too. We also went to the cheese museum, and friends visited the sex museum after a few drinks when they last visited - there's something for everyone!
My favourite thing was just to wander and soak up the atmosphere. Jordaan (hubs refers to "hipster central") is wonderful and the difference between there and the more touristy central areas is huge. It's not a huge city though and the trams and bikes make it easy to get about.
If your intention is to pop into a "coffee shop" while you're there, I'd suggest some research in advance... MIL ended up in one last time she visited, she was shocked 😂 point being some are so nice you wouldn't even suspect. And others basically look like kebab shops... mostly in Centraal where the younger tourists who are there to get smashed are - pretty much! Hubs is straight edge so we never visited or partook but it's a part of the culture so thought I would mention.
We loved it, and always enjoyed the food and drink. I'm sure you'll have a blast whatever you get up to!
Anne Frank’s House manages to be incredibly moving despite the continual snake of tourists moving through. Expect to queue, but worth it - or book timed tickets in advance and you can just walk in (if you can still do this - we visited five years ago))
I'm an Amsterdam blogger and have HEAPS of reccos for our favourite things to do, areas to explore, places to eat etc on the blog. Always super happy to help if you have specific questions, just mail me via the contact form or message me on here. You're going to have an amazing time!
Me and ds went a couple of years ago. We went in October and weather was splendid :-) Coats not needed. Yes - if you book Anne Frank house on-line you can walk past miles of people queuing. We booked that first then booked the trip around it - that's why we went.
We stayed on the Botel Amstel. Loved it. You catch a free ferry to it from Grand Central station where a lot of the action is. You can wizz about places on the trams. I was too cowardly to hire cycles.
Make sure you see the Anne Frank house - book online before you go. The Church in the Attic is worth a visit. Do a walking tour and a boat tour. There is an Ibis opposite the main train station with trains regularly to and from the airport. There is also an hotel shuttle from the airport to the hotels. The chips with mayo are delicious.
Google free walking tours - lots of fun and a nice way to find out interesting things you might miss otherwise. Not free of course, they ask for a "tip" at the end.
We stayed at the Ibis Styles opposite the main train station. Great location. Lovely hotel, basic but you won't spend much time there!
Anne Frank house, of course - book early in advance.
Mooch around, take in the atmosphere and treat yourselves in the pancake house.
I’m just back from 3 nights in Amsterdam , it was lovely.
We stayed in Zaandam, a pleasant area just outside of Amsterdam, but very quick and easy to catch a train to Amsterdam Centraal, trains were every 10 minutes or so, cheap, and quick into the centre. Hotels were generally much cheaper than the equivalent in the city centre.
For a fun trip on the canals, look up ‘Those Dam Boat Guys’ for an entertaining trip round the canals. Small boats of 10 passengers, they encourage you to bring wine/beer/“other substances”, and give you a relaxed, informative tour of the canals. It was a lot of fun.
At the moment you can only book the Ann Frank House online, as they are doing renovations so they are limiting the number of visitors, and you can’t buy tickets on the door. Not sure whether this will still be the case by October.
We hired bikes for a few hours, which was a lot of fun.
