Amsterdam, Thanks for the Sunny Days: My Favorite Canal City Recommendations
Goodbye Amsterdam, and thank you for sharing your rare sunny days with us. This city charmed me completely: canals, bikes, tulips, and apple pie eaten on a boat. If Amsterdam is on your list, here are the recommendations I give everyone.
The quick take: book a small-boat canal tour (ours came with apple pie and a historian), day trip to the Keukenhof tulip gardens in season, and leave room for aimless canal-side wandering, which is the city's real main attraction.
Watch: My Amsterdam Highlights
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Do Not Skip These
- A canal tour with Pure Boats. We booked a smaller boat and it was magical: apple pie, drinks, blankets, and a historian sharing Amsterdam history and humor along the way. Ask for Captain John.
- The Keukenhof tulip gardens. A bit outside the city, but you catch fields of flowers on the drive out, and the gardens themselves are unreal in season (roughly late March through mid May).
- Canal-side wandering. The best museum in Amsterdam is the city itself. Pick a neighborhood, walk the rings, stop for coffee, repeat.
Planning Notes
- Weather: pack layers and a rain plan. When the sun comes out, the whole city glows and everyone moves outside.
- Getting around: walk or bike like a local, and trams cover the rest.
- Timing tulips: Keukenhof only opens for spring, so build the trip around it if flowers are the goal.
FAQ: Amsterdam Trip
Is a canal cruise worth doing in Amsterdam?
Yes, and the small-boat versions are worth the upgrade: fewer people, blankets and snacks, and guides who actually tell stories.
When should you visit for tulips?
Spring. The Keukenhof gardens open roughly late March to mid May, and the flower fields on the way there are part of the show.
How many days do you need in Amsterdam?
Three to four full days covers the canals, museums, and a Keukenhof day trip at a relaxed pace.
Keep Exploring
More from my travel diaries: a week in Japan, with London and Medellin guides coming this week. And my Miami life is always at Coral Gables Love.