In September I will be takig my very first trip to Amsterdam. Will be digging into the tour books in the next day or two on what to do etc., but to help get me started in my planning does anyone have any hints or tips for a first timer like myself? I'd sure appreciate any advise you can offer! <BR>Many thanks!<BR>Carol

Hope this doesn't sound 'mean', not meant to be - have you tried a search on this board? Just type in Amsterdam, select Netherlands, and click the search/find/OK (whichever it says) and you will get many, many comments about Amsterdam.

www.amsterdamhotspots.nl was helpful to me (I went for my first time earlier this summer, 5 days, solo, female, at the beginning of a European trip).<BR><BR>I'm certainly no expert but if you have any specific questions that another 1st-timer might answer feel free to email direct.

Alice, how incredibly mean of you.

Carol, make a beeline for the Jordaan district & just wander up & down the canals. I made the mistake of just doing the Dam Square area my first time and hated its tacky plastic Times Squarishness . . . get into the neighborhoods!<BR><BR>For great places to eat don't miss:<BR>http://www.specialbite.com<BR>I've never had a bad recommendation from them - fun reviews!<BR>HTH & have a great trip!<BR>=)

Adam, how incredibly helpful your note was!

I second that !! fortunately my first trip was spent mostly in & around the Leidseplein neighborhood (that's where my hotel happened to be) . I only saw the Dam and red light district on my last day's walk-around and was not real impressed.<BR><BR>But Leidseplein, Vondelpark, the Jordaan, even central canal district, were great!

We just returned from our first visit to Amsterdam. There is so much to do that we found 4 days wasn't enough. But then we love museums. <BR><BR>I would suggest deciding just how much time you want to devote to museums and (as we did) if you want to spend some time out of Amsterdam viewing windmills and seeing the country.<BR><BR>Amsterdam was amazing. The first thing I would do if the weather is nice, (not raining) is to take a boat out on the canals and get a "feel" for the city. If it is raining head to one of the museums. I highly recommend the Van Gogh museum if you only have time for one museum. <BR><BR>If I knew how much time you had and what your interests were I could better advise you. <BR><BR>I am looking forward to planning a return trip....we planned to do so much and yet only touched the surface. But, nonetheless, we had the BEST TIME!!