First time in Amsterdam
 

Arriving in Amsterdam at 6am in August and staying overnight at the Hilton Amsterdam. Leaving the following day on a 1pm flight to Venice.

Any suggestions for things to do or restaurants nearby? The only thing on our list right now is the Anne Frank House which is 1 mile away. We are in our 50's, fairly active and open minded about new adventures.

I would take a boat cruise on the canals. I know some leave from the train station, not sure where else they might dock.

The lines for Anne Frank House are usually very long.

I agree with the canal cruse - it is touristy but enjoyable ( and a good way to see some of the city).
I think there is a boat stop near the AF House.

Hi; Try buying your tickets to the Anne Frank house on line. www.annefrank.org/ [No wait] Also, a very good French restaurant is www.theeboom.com/ iris1745/dick

Are you staying at the Hilton Amsterdam on Apollolaan - the infamous John Lennon/Yoko Ono hotel? If so, that is located in the "Olympic Village" area of Amsterdam, south of Vondel Park. It's a bit of a hike into Amsterdam's Centrum, where most of the "things to do" are located.

But don't worry.. you can easily take the tram into the center of town. Line #5 & #16 can be picked up just a few blocks from the Hilton. Both run right into Centraal Station, line #5 down the NZ Voorburgwal, and line #16 down the Damrak.

I'm assuming that you will be travelling to Amsterdam on the train from Schiphol. When you buy your train ticket at the NS counter at Schiphol, you can also purchase a Strippenkaart for tram & bus travel at the same time. Don't forget to ask them for a map of the tram system. It's very easy to navigate.

I've found that if you visit the Anne Frank House later in the day, you can usually avoid long lines. Then again... I've never been there in August.

I'll third on the canal cruise - I kind of enjoy a twilight cruise, when the lights of the city start to come on.

I'd also like to recommend the Amstelkring - Our Lord in the Attic - a three-story church hidden in the attic of a canal house. The "hidden" church is pretty impressive, but more so is the story of tolerance. Of all the museums in Amsterdam, this is perhaps one of my favorite.

www.opsolder.nl

As far as museums, Amsterdam has so much to offer, it really depends on what your interests are. If you like WWII history, definitely visit the Resistance Museum. If you have an interest in regional history, the Amsterdam Historical Museum is filled with information. If you're into art, there's the van Gogh, the Rijksmuseum, the Stedelijk (sp?), and the Rembrandthuis. If you're really <i>"open minded about new adventures"</i>, try the Sex Museum and the Hash/Marijuana Museum.

Enjoy your time in Amsterdam!

Robyn :)&gt;-

Oh my goodness. Thank you for all of the information! It's a very good place for me to start!

As for the Hilton...we are staying there with points. I know it is not in the city center but hey, it was free which is kind of the reason we decided to take the one day stopover. I have never been to Amsterdam and thought it would be fun.

I had read about the lines at the Anne Frank house and figured I would probably purchase tickets ahead of time. Just hoping the lines are not too long. *S*