I forgot to mention that we really enjoyed a day trip to Delft and The Hague. They are quite close together and can be done in a day. There is a large antique market in Delft that is very interesting. I thing it is held weekly. We found a beautiful 17th century Delft tile that hangs in our hallway as a reminder of our trip.

Hi Guys.... I love FODORS..
Here's the problem.. I'm travelling from Charlotte, NC and my best friend is travelling from NYC.
So if anyone knwos any great website offering affordable flights.-please let me know

I'm not going for coffee

I'm agthering all info before we finalize, but i was looking at the MAES B&B or prinsensted & Hotel Agora


I do appreciate all your responses

Sorry for all the typos.. excited

May I suggest www.vrbo.com/82969 and http://www.valens.nl/nlhtmldocs/canalsite.html

FlyOpenSkies.com is offering NYC-AMS business class for $1045.92 r/t all in.

Yes, VanGogh and Rijksmuseums close together and worth the visit. But sounds like you might find them dull. I agree with AmyP22 that canal boat and trams are good means of transport, sightseeing. As for so-called Red Light district no big deal, it's OK just to walk around in the older areas.
Don't know what kind of fun you are looking for...but be careful of pickpockets. Also why don't you see the countryside...lots of quaint towns and fun places.
Ozarksbill

I love taking the free pedestrian and bike ferries from right behind Centraal Train Station to the other side of the Ij - for two reasons - it lets me see Amsterdam from across the water - the old Flemish-style facades and the zillions of bikers of all sorts who use these commuter pedestrian and bike ferries.

Indeed i also love just sitting and watching these ferries ejaculate their loads of bikers who anxiously await the ferry's doors to come down so they can get moving - a real bike jam ensues.

palenque...hadn't heard about a Red Light clean up...that would be a shame in changing the ambiance of the old section.
Regarding bikes on ferry to other side of the river, yes I saw them and just didn't think about that little excursion!
Ozarksbill

The idea of the clean up is to improve the old area. Now it is very tawdry, and most of the women are victims of the sex trade, they are not there voluntarily but are forced into it having been brought in illegally, usually having paid highly for the privilege.
It is already better than it was a couple of years ago. Your chances of being mugged/beaten up/murdered are considerably less there now.
I really don't understand the attraction of the place to tourists.

I didnt find the redlight that seedy.
I visited mostly in the day though.
My sister and I did walk through at night.
It was really crowded. Actually it was carnival like.
Just didnt things in the booths...

The Red Light district "seedy compared to..." Those red lights aren't exactly concentrated into one block but perhaps its the term "seedy" which is up for interpretation...it's Amsterdam...and as to getting mugged or assaulted..by whom? Perhaps some of those very upright visiting and oh so quiet soccer fans from other countries..now THEY are "tawdry" for sure!!!

as to museums...seing that the Rijksmuseum is considered to be one of the greatest in western Europe I certainly would consider going even if only 400 or so works are on view during the renovation.

I went to the Van Gogh for the first time this past April...the show "Vincent and the Colors of the Night" while interesting wasn't exactly a heart-stopper IMO...but that's subjective I realize.

I really don't understand the attraction of the place to tourists.>

but the Red-Light District is invariable listed by tourists as one of the top sights in Amsterdam - if not the top site that visitors plan to see when going to Amsterdamned.

And i see the attraction because this area, tacky as it is, is a one-of-a-kind place where sex is on view, for sale and exalted - both with the red-lit picture windows with scantily clad young ladies sitting in them and all the porn shops and the tout out front of Casa Rosa yelling "real f...y, f....y", etc.

Many after seeing it are rather disgusted but still it will be one of their top memories of their trip.

I've stayed at Mae's - very pleasant. If you stay there, check out the brown cafe De Rigeur not far from there. And for the canal ride check out St. Nicholaas boat club. I am so surprised that it is not often mentioned on this site - a much better experience than the big canal boats. You can even take your coffee shop purchases to enjoy as your cruise along. Just google it and find their website - enjoy!

If you like to relax a bit, I like the Vondelpark. A nice big park with good terraces (i.e. the Filmmuseum).

The Begijnhof court from the 14th century is a very nice place to relax a bit too - it's one of these almost closed courts with houses around them.

I still think the Rijksmuseum is a must, even when it's only partially openened. I also like the Old Church, probably Amsterdam's oldest building in the heart of the Red Light District.

You said you were looking for a cheap flight, here are tips to find one:
http://www.amsterdam-advisor.com/che...amsterdam.html

I tinkered with flights on 1800flyeurope.com and can see that it's about $100 cheaper to fly in later Sept than in August. Also, sites will be less crowded then, and I know the usual temperatures will be cool mornings/evenings and mild at mid-day.
Those Sept flights were ranging from $720-800 all-in.

Amsterdam is so much more than the redlight district.
For those who havent been, dont even think about the RD or coffeeshops if you arent into that.

My sister neither smokes, drinks, nor patronizes prostitutes and she had a great time in AMS.

These are 5 things that I have done on my 3 visits and will do again this fall.

1.Take a stroll through the Jordaan & wonder at the architecture. Thank God it isnt moving day for you.
I have watched someone hoist a couch up the front of a building.

2. Visit outdoor markets.
http://www.amsterdamescape.com/AmsterdamMarkets.html

3. Visit worldclass museums.
http://www.amsterdam.info/museums
I have been to Van Gogh 3 times but yet to make it to Rijks.

4. Take boat cruise through picturesque canals.
http://www.amsterdam.info/tours/canalcruise
I have taken the nighttime Lovers 2 times and
I think the daytime one was Canalcompany.
This is a must do IMO.
The nighttime one is so cool.
The Lovers one gives you ample wine and snacks to eat.
It is very casual. The lights on the canals are so beautiful.
We got our advanced tickets at a shopfront on the Damrak.
Then went the next evening.

5. Visit churches.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Categor...s_in_Amsterdam
I love St Nicholas. It is a little jewelbox to me.
This coming trip I want to visit Our Lady in the Attic.

I would take my Mom or a party animal to Amsterdam.
Both would love it.
Wouldnt it be cool if the whole world could be like this?

travelnut,
sign up for fare alert on www.kayak.com
With this alert I was advised of one day only sale on NWA and got RT SEA/AMS for $548.00

I'm going to Amsterdam in October & I would like to thank (suec1)for the info on St.Nicolaas Boat Club.
I booked my flight from Vancouver BC direct to AMsterdam via KLM... something you might want to consider if you don't want to fly everywhere else first. It does cost a bit more, but it's direct.
Also, I found lots of info when I typed in 'Amsterdam in October' into google's search box... something you might want to try as well.