3 days In Amsterdam, September
 

DH and I have 3 days to spend in Amsterdam. We would like to take a canal cruise, (evening?) maybe 3-4 hours, and a full-day tour of the countryside; windmills, cheese, wooden shoes, all things Dutch. Also, will go see Ann Frank’s house and visit the Jordaan area.
Does anyone have a canal cruise and/or countryside tour to recommend?

Just to be clear 3 days as in 3 full days, or 3 days arriving Day 1 and leaving Day 3? Where are you arriving from/leaving for?

You can get a train up to Zaanse Schans if you want the full tourist thing of windmills, clogmakers, cheese etc.
No recommendations for day tours though there are plenty I am sure. Try searching for day trips from Amsterdam. Zaanse Schans/Volendam/Marken is a popular one. You will also see ones to Giethoorn, but then you will mostly see Dutch motorways.

Maybe get the train to Enkhuizen and visit the open air museum and the old centre instead. Or Knderdijk, also doable by train See the thread about getting them from Haarlem, a similar route from Amsterdam.

If you enjoy cycling then you can rent bikes and get out into the country very close to Amsterdam.

You will need to book Anne Frankhuis as soon as tickets become available for your dates. You buy a timed entry ticket online at the website.
Same with the Van Gogh Museum.

I second hetismij's suggestion to go to the Zuiderzeemuseum in Enkhuizen. Enkhuizen itself is a beautiful city too. Cycling into Waterland along Nieuwendammerdijk and Durgerdam shows you a beautifully preserved rural landscape close to the city. Alternatively take the regional bus to the former island of Marken from Amsterdam Centraal and walk around the island, or out to the lighthouse, The Horse, along the historic "werven", raised dwellings to protect the islanders from frequent flodding.

I often recommend a bus trip to the village of De Rijp, which became insanely wealthy in the 17th century.

Hetismij2….Thank you Zaans Schans looks like a good idea..will check out the train for that! We are aware of the booking system for Anne Franhuis and have the ticket date marked on the calendar. Cyclng is also on our agenda, but we are not museum people. And 3 full days…allowing one just to walk around the city

menachem…thanks for the tip on Marken…it looks like a wonderful place to spend some time…and walk out to the lighthouse! And we will look into cycling to Nieuwendammerdijk as well.

Compiling a list of things to do, and attractions, then will see what can fit into 3 days in Amsterdam

Your tickets for Anne Frank House will be available on the first weekday of the previous month, so August.

Check out Tulip Festival Amsterdam for tours/tics as they have tours that encompass tulips, windmills, cruise, etc.

I will be there in April if I can help in any other way.

I am staying in a detached house on a canal. Excited for it.

thanks for you reply Jan47ete, unfortunately we won’t be there for the blooms, but will check out the tours. Will you do a trip report after your vacation? Hope so!!

Gypsy8, the last couple of times we’ve taken the train to Haarlem for the afternoon, a short ride from Amsterdam. A lovely little town, we always enjoy pottering around and sampling handcrafted gins. Our fav bar is Wigbolt, just off the main square and cathedral. We usually stay for dinner and then get back, makes for a fun outing.

Thanks geetika….I have been giving Haarlem a good look, strong contender there. You have been to Amsterdam more than once, then? Any trip reports posted for me to read?

Unfortunately no TR, sorry! Zaanse Schans would also make for a good half day tour, plan on being there by 10ish, so that you’re done by noon, when the tour buses descend on the place. Then train back to Amsterdam for the rest of the day.

IMO, with only three days in Amsterdam I’d do only a half day tour outside the city, ZS in the morning, or Haarlem in the afternoon. On our last trip in August last year we left for Haarlem only past 4pm, got back to our hotel around midnight, making full use of the long daylight hours. Amsterdam has so much to offer you’ll barely scratch the surface in the time you have.

I would do a real village instead of the fake one that is Zaanse Schans.

3 days in Amsterdam
 

thankyou menachem……I did chec kout the 3 towns you have already mentioned, and am interested. However, wanting to see windmills and how wooden shoes are made…where is a ‘real village’ we should go to see these. We would prefer to stay away from tourist towns, but not knowing anything about Netherlands and only having 3 days, we rely on Fodor’s Family to be our guides.

The Resistance Museum in Amsterdam is one of the best I've seen. Very well done.

Zuiderzee Museum in Enkhuizen, as hetismij already posted. Easily reached by train and a short ferry ride.