Amsterdam and Ideas- Need help ASAP
 

Going to Amsterdam with husband and another couple at end of June. Could stay there 6 days of less and then go to another area. Probably go to other area without friends. Any suggestions?
We like sightseeing, hiking, a little biking.

I suggest you read through the Amsterdam / Netherlands trip reports posted on Fodor's in the past few years. Also, pick up a good guidebook.

Where should that other area be? In the Netherlands? In a nearby country?
And what are looking for? Sightseeing? Walking? Cycling?

Thank for quick responses. I have been reading past responses and ill get a book today. Lots of names of cities that I know so little about so book will be useful.
Sounds like there is plenty in the area to see and do.
And yes, we are agile 50 plus that like a good workout. Husband is a cyclist. Really prefer small quaint towns!

BA...within your time allotment you can see a good deal of Am'dam and surrounding sites. Depending on the amount of time you and husband set aside after splitting from friends, you will be in a good geographical position to see some of Belgium (Brugge, Antwerp, and nearby Luxembourg and vicinity).

Below, I will add some of my photos of said areas which may give you colorful ideas giving some answers to your well-stated questions...above all, kick back and have FUN!

Have a look at Zwolle and surroudings. A nice series of once important trading towns along the river IJssel, like Kampen, Deventer and Zutphen. The countryside around is a nice mixture of field and wood. For a touch of grandeur there is the former royal palace Het Loo near Apeldoorn. Distances are short and bicycles can be rent at the railway station in Zwolle.
Utrecht would be another good place to base yourself. Close to nice walks, such as along the river Lek from Vianen and Culemborg, or along a small meandering river from Linschoten to Oudewater. North of the city is also good walking or biking country, like from Weesp to the well-preserved fortified town of Naarden.
Alternative is Belgium. Gent is a good base for Brussel, Antwerpen and Brugge. Mechelen is an amazingly interesting provincial town, halfway between Antwerpen and Brussel. I understood the area is popular for cycle tours, but I'm not sure of rentals.

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ite-things.cfm

Some of my and others favorite things about Amsterdam.

BAH...look 'em over
https://picasaweb.google.com/stuartt...jijtPg8r6L6QE#
https://picasaweb.google.com/stuartt...russelsAntwerp any questions, do not hesitate to ask.

It's very easy to jump on a train and go to other cities from Amsterdam such as Harlem, Den Hague, Leiden, Delft, Gouda, etc. I liked going to the Zuider Zee area also. Pick a couple that look interesting to you.
The museums are great and I always like walking around Amsterdam and enjoying the architecture.
Watch out for the cyclists because they zoom by so fast that you could get hit.

While you are in Amsterdam take the ferry across the river behind the station.
For €15pp you can go up the old Shell Overhoeks Tower (now called Adamtoren) to the viewing platform for a view across city. It opens tomorrow!
You can see a video (in Dutch) of the tower here: http://www.rtlnieuws.nl/nieuws/laats...ms-uitkijkpunt

And this is a link to the lookout https://www.adamlookout.com/

Here's general information on the transformation of the tower: http://adamtoren.nl/

Into coffeeshops? (where marijuana is sold above the board from a menu) - if so say so if not will not bore you though to pop your head into one of these will give you a unique view into an integral part of Amsterdam and The Netherlands. Many tourists come here just for that!

if your husband is a cyclist, he would like perhaps to rent a road cycle and go on a sunday social ride somewhere around Amsterdam?

Meesterknecht, on Kerkstraat, will have the info (Sammy Dirksz is superfriendly and a wellspring of knowledge on all things road cycling in the area)

http://meesterknecht.cc/

and don't forget to spend a day in Rotterdam ;)

I would caution against miking in Amsterdam itself however - not a piece of cake - head out of the centrum - like taking the free ferries from behind Central Station and then heading for Waterland - a rural area with great bike paths and neat old small villages.

But that's true for any direction out of the city,

e.g. along the Amstel river to Ouderkerk, or via Zuidoost to Abcoude and Waver, and Botshol.

But I agree: Waterland is wonderful .

I've done the Amstel - Oudekerk - Abcoude - Breukelen ride umpteen times when I was leading bike trips thru The Netherlands and it is really neat- rural and wild unlike much of rural Amsterdam.

Before riding learn the etiquette rules of the bike paths - never ride two abreast if crowded unless you are setting the pace - use the horn when passing someone, etc. And yes carry that potato!

the HORN? meep meep!

For my first (only so far) trip to Amsterdam, going in knowing nothing, I found Let's Go Amsterdam to be an excellent guidebook.

I also caution about bike riding within the city. It's downright crazy. Save that for wherever you figure out your other stop to be, somewhere less conjested.