I'm going to Amsterdam at the end of the month for the first time with a couple of my friends. I've already narrowed down several things I'd like to see and do (bike tour, parks, museums, etc.) but I'd love to hear of anything you thought was particularly fun or fabulous! Please share what your fave thing to do there is or a particularly memorable experience. I'd love a good laugh while I'm at work.

seriously - a visit to a coffeeshop to sample legally sold cannabis from a posted menu - can't do this anywhere else in the world.

Even if you don't inhale savor this type of experience.

And if you love bud then you're in heaven. And it's all legal.

Well that's my number one.

I have a couple of favorite things about Amsterdam.

Contemporary design shops - even department stores - for northern European design etc.

Antique shops - since there is not the same infatuation with antiques that you find in the US or maybe the UK or France, you will find surprising things often at good prices.

I like something besides looking at museums and eating in restaurants, so I can recommend the English Speaking Theater of Amsterdam, where you could have a great evening. There are usually other plays, musicals etc in English, as well, and there is a cabaret scene in Amsterdam.

PalenQ stole my answer ;-)

Besides that I enjoyed two wacky museums (the weather was rainy) one called Museum of the Tropics and the other one of the Erotica Museum in the RLD.

When the weather was clear I loved hanging out in Vondelpark.

One evening I saw an amazing & edgy duo of fire jugglers/dancers performing in Leidseplein Square. That was definitely an unexpected highlight.

And like Suze i have other joys - taking the free ferries from behind the Centraal train station to the other side of the IJ is great - seeing the ancient Amsterdam seafront of old buildings from across the water. And watching all the bikes and they jam on and off the boats - great bike watching - old grannies on bikes, etc.

OK, you asked for it:

staying at an S+M-oriented hotel. Believe me, you won't be laughing very long.

(S&M = Sex and Marijuana for the unexposed)

dukey you have to tough it out at such a place i suspose.

Well tata823 WANTED a good laugh at work. Thanks, Dukey!

S+M does not mean Sex and Marijuana, Pal.

no but a S&M hotel probably also has Sex and Marijuana?

has your back finally heeled?

Great city for walking around and taking in the sights...especially around the canal rings, in the golden light of the late afternoon. Just a beautiful, laid-back vibe to the place.

And yeah, the novelty of experiencing a 'coffeehouse' for the first time was genuinely memorable to me as well. The menu cracked me up.

dinner in a restaurant ( outdoors) near one of the canals in a warm summer night with lights and candles flickering everywhere - fantastic .

(but may be less exciting than S&M hotel!)

bm

Well I'm a boring old fart and have never bothered with coffeeshops or smartshops. I have been to Paradiso a few times which is always good. And I did get stuck at the top of the ferris wheel on Dam Square one december. I went on it under protest - my son, who lived in Amsterdam at the time, and I were Christmas shopping and he insisted we should in the ferris wheel because of the view form the top. Well we went in, and of course it stopped while we were at the top to let people off/on - but it didn't move agin. We sat up there with a freezing wind blowing around us. Eventually they got it moving again - it was ony 15 minutes or so but it felt like hours!

I don't remember much about the few coffee shops I've been to : )

Nor the restaurant(s) thereafter - but its a fun town and you can get great food there.

The sex shops are very funny too - you have these very prolonged discussions about the "skin feel" of the silicone dildo or whatever they try to get you to buy. Hilarious.

Yes, an S+M hotel is known to periodically have both sex and grass use going on.

In either case, the patrons supply the S and the M; all the hotel does is supply certain pieces of equipment.

Danon, I can assure you that your favorite thing can easily be equally (if not more)enjoyable/memorable/satisfying than S+M!

details on the S&M hotel please - i may want to check it out for the 'ambience'

thanks

In Amsterdam I enjoyed playing my favorite game, "Cafe Society". Basically it entails getting up, getting coffee, walking around, stopping at a bar for a drink, maybe some shopping, getting lunch, walking some more, stopping for another drink, etc. and so on all day until time for bed.

I also love the ancient looking pissoirs, strategically located around town. Standing in their and peeking out the small holes at eye level is something, well, unique.

Sorry this is only a male pleasure it seems.

<i>a particularly memorable experience</i> was the canal boat ride. Over-hyped and the worst waste of of time in Europe.

For pleasure sit at the Cafe Luxembourg for lunch or a drink and watch Amsterdam come by.