One day in Amsterdam
 

We will have only one day in Amsterdam between Rome and flying home next April. We will be in Rome for a week and looking at Delta's schedule now the only return flights from Rome have a 9 hour(ish) layover overnight in Amsterdam so we are going to fly from Rome to Amsterdam on Saturday then fly home on Sunday. We will be at the end of our trip with our 17 y.o. son, my Mom (71), and my Aunt (64). What are a couple of things that you have enjoyed. I know everyone will have their own favorites but this way I might get an idea of a few things to do in advance of my research. Thanks!

What do you like to do? If you only have a day, it would be much better for you to tell us what interests you, instead of us typing suggestions (that you could read in a guide book) and you saying, "no, not that."

A nine hour overnight is not *one day* and gives you virtually no opportunity to do much of anything. OTOH, if you can stretch it I would go to Keukenhof. See http://tinyurl.com/y8hltjl.

Check out the Van Gogh and Rijks. They are next to each other and just one tram ride out of Central Station.

I'd suggest a canal boat trip (leisurely and easy on the feet as you may all be really foot-sore after a week in Rome). Boats leave from near to Centraal Station. Frequent trains (15 min journey) from Schipol Airport to centraal station if you're overnighting near the airport.

We enjoy just wandering to see what we find, parks, sitting to people watch, museums, and shopping. The 9 hour overnight seemed crazy, so now we are going to be flying to Amsterdam on Saturday morning, staying over night, and then flying home on Sunday. While we enjoy wandering museums, I'm looking for "lighter" things to do. This will be our last day in Europe and first time in Amsterdam. I know one day isn't enough to see much but it seemed silly to have 9 hours overnight in the airport.

In April, for the group you describe, I would make arrangements to go to Keukenhof. Check spaarne's link above.

I should have posted that you can see some pictures of Keukenhof on spaarne's link. (I'm not recommending you all bicycle).

Here is the Keukenhof website

http://www.keukenhof.nl/

and here are more picture of how it looks in April

http://www.google.it/images?client=s...w=1104&bih=702

The one thing I didn't do in Amsterdam that I wished I had is a canal boat ride.

If the weather is nice I loved Vondelpark. The Leidseplein area was my favorite part of town to wander around.