Nice things to do for dp on trip to Amsterdam

[Bimgy85]

Taking my DP away to Amsterdam in November, flights and accommodation all paid for by myself. It's a surprise and he doesn't know about it yet.

How should I tell him? Or any nice surprise kind of tips? I was thinking of booking a few excursions and putting together a little booklet or something.

Any ideas? Or special things to do in Amsterdam?

A hooker?! Just kidding. The zoo is really cool if that's your kind of thing, and the Heineken experience if he likes a beer!

Oooh Amsterdam is lovely. Do all of it! Sorry I’m not much help. There’s some great websites by the Amsterdam Tourist board and it’s such a culturally rich place you’ll not get bored.

Rijksmuseum
Van Gogh Museum
Haarlem (20 mins or so away)
Spa Zuiver (its a bus ride out of town)

There’s a great restaurant called pigs and punch which does ribs and stuff. Upstairs is a fake speak easy you can book into which does incredible drinks! Also sex museum is good for a laugh and a boat trip is fun!

Trip on the canal is a must. Anne Franks if your into that kind of thing. Sex museum is actually interesting. Red light district has a good vibe if not a little wierd seeing the folks in the window! Hire out some bikes as a lot of people cycle and it’s very bike friendly.

Kuekenhof, a large garden in Leiden used to belong to the queen.

Find 2-3 little objects that say "Amsterdam" he has to unwrap and guess... e.g. a sex toy,, small plastic doll's house tulip, a clog - they make it progressively easier to guess!

there's loads to do....get a travel pass which now includes your return journey to/fro the airport

naff AF but do a canal tour of some sort, they do help you get your bearings for wandering about

the ferries at the back of the Centraal station get you over to the north side and are free, the NDSMwerf has some nice restaurants scattered about

The A'damLookout has a few things, tall, great views, rotating restaurant, and a roof top swing

You can get an IAmAmsterdam card that includes all sorts of touristy things and travel so that may be worthwhile for you, but we have found we really like to wander and eat and wander a bit more and have a drink, and so on! So it's better value for us to just get the three day pass

We went just into december and the christmas lights and canal lights were very pretty, not sure when they start

Definitely hire bikes - we really enjoyed cycling through the Vondelpark. The houseboat museum is tiny but interesting. We loved the Happy Pig Pancake shop - delicious!

Thanks everyone definitely gonna try book the Heineken experience and I've heard the house of bols is good too. I've heard there is a boat Chinese restaurant on the canal?

If you want to go to Anne Frank’s house you need to book well before you arrive - try now!

Take him to Febo for delicious croquettes from coin operated serving machines. The Rijksmuseum is special. Don’t miss a trip on one of the boats along the canal.

House of bols

And find some Indonesian food

Definitely late night Indonesian food. Some restaurants are 24 hour

Cultural stuff:
Heineken
Van Gogh
Ann Frank

Let hair down stuff:
Get stoned
Live sex show
The obvious wander around the red light district

Relaxing stuff
Vondelpark
Just sitting in a lovely spot with a beer/whatever by a canal and watching the world go by

Everyone is lovely in the dam. I've never had a bad time there

We are recently back. Eat apple cake! Wander through one of the markets. Audio tour around Van Gogh museum! Have a wonderful time

Winkel 43 has the best apple cake I have ever had www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g188590-d1728791-Reviews-Winkel_43-Amsterdam_North_Holland_Province.html

Vondelpark is nice but small. You can bike round it in about 20 minutes. Don't be afraid to bike on the roads and cycle path. It's actually easier than in the UK because everyone follows the rules.

Christmas lights will probably be on by November (Sinterklaas is celebrated on 5 December, so the fuss starts earlier than in UK) Sinterklaas himself arrives in Amsterdam on 18 November. There will be a procession through the city.

Floating Chinese restaurant is called the Sea Palace, not far from Centraal Station. It’s OK but pricey.

If you want to go to the Anne Frank House try and book in advance online. The queues can be horrendous.

Thanks everyone great replies here!!

Ok, thanks for name of floating restaurant, not really interested in too pricey! Any decent food places with reasonable prices? Would be interested in fishing out the cheaper nicer places.... if possible.

Central Amsterdam Mock Museum Banksy exhibition. Stedelikt modern art museum. Film museum has lovely restaurant that looks over the river. Body Works exhibition. Zaanse Schans village with windmills and lovely old houses. Boat ride round Amsterdam. The markets.The shops selling delicious cakes.

We avoided the seedier side of Amsterdam, but the flower markets are fab, and there was a flea market near our city centre hotel. It's a beautiful city to walk and cycle around. The sex museum is fun, although I nearly needed to be resuscitated after I sat on a chair that started to vibrate without warning .

We also had dinner in the Supper Club, which was quite an experience. Beds instead of tables & chairs, cabaret, DJ. There's no menu, somebody just brings you food every so often and there was a great cocktail menu. It wasn't cheap, but half of our bill was booze, and it occupied a whole night of our stay, so we thought it worth paying for.

www.iamsterdam.com/en

ctaste.nl/en/menu/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI2sOm2YXN3AIVVzPTCh0k4QecEAAYASAAEgIHBfD_BwE
If this is still open give it a go. Dining in a pitch black restaurant, weird but fascinating experience. The waiting staff are all blind and the food is really good, though it's about 9 years since I've been.

supperclub.amsterdam/en/supper

There is also a red hop on, hop off bus tour for 24 tour with commentary. I went a couple of weeks ago and last year. There is too much to see and do, so pick the things you want to see. The Van Gogh art museum was fully booked, I think you have to pre book online. Food is expensive, but there are a few small supermarkets in the centre, one near Van Gogh museum, near the grass slope. If you buy the I am Amsterdam pass, free entry to museums and free trams