Best of Amsterdam

Peak tulip weekend. Easter holiday. April 20th. King's Day preparations. Sunny and 65°.

There could not have been a more lively weekend to visit the capital of the Netherlands. Highlights from our weekend of travel perfection below:

Keukenhof Gardens: Though expensive, the tulip gardens were absolutely jaw-droppingly gorgeous. This is a must-see when the tulips are blooming. Even Patrick agreed! We took the too-easy train to the airport then bought the round-trip bus and admission "Combi Ticket." We went closer to closing time and were able to enjoy the park with relatively small crowds. 

 Red Light District: Easter did not seem to stand in the way of the prostitution business over the weekend, but the news suggested that new legislation in Denver and Washington might have hurt the other major trade. Regardless, the streets were packed and we of course enjoyed the people watching.





Bike Tour: There are more bikes in the Netherlands than people, and with bike lanes commonly two-times wider than the pedestrian sidewalks, seeing the city on two wheels is a must. We opted for a City Tour through Mike's Bike Tours. Our guide (Jeff) was informative and hilarious, and our only regret was not planning ahead and getting tickets to the expanded city tour. Book ahead for those! Several people on our tour even took a second trip with Mike's the next day. It was that good.











Fries with Mayo:
A local favorite, Patrick snagged some from a street vendor and didn't look back. Make sure to grab plenty of extra napkins.

Beers with a View: 

We found it hard to move very far down the canals without stopping for a refreshment. Though there are many things to see, pausing and enjoying the moment provided the majority of our weekend highlights!

Anne Frank House: Are you thinking about going to Amsterdam anytime in the next year? Buy your tickets to this sobering but must-see museum today. We made the mistake of not - the lines topped three hours long almost every time we checked (see picture). With a stroke of luck, we checked at 8:10 in the morning and waited behind 25 people until they opened the doors at 8:45, at which point the line behind us was at least two hours long. Best advice: book your tickets online when you plan your trip!