Amsterdam Activities for Visitors

Do you have some friends or family coming to visit you in Amsterdam? We’ve got you covered with our Amsterdam activities for visitors! We have been in this amazing city for upwards of 6 months and have already had multiple visitors come see us. It’s such a great city to visit for a few days while making stops in other cities/countries as well.

We have had people visit typically for anywhere from 2-4 days and then continue on their journey to Belgium, Germany or France. We have a list of our favorite things to do with friends/family and have visitors pick off of our list. As each group is different (ex: my family wants to do more thrilling adventures and Charlie’s parents are more into museums), there is a plethora of things to do.

Take a look at our favorite Amsterdam activities for visitors below and let us know if you have anything to add!

Historic Activities

These are the most popular activities in Amsterdam. When people think of the city and what to do – these are what come to mind!

1. Rijkmuseum – No brainer on this one! The Rijksmuseum is the national museum of the Netherlands dedicated to Dutch arts and history. The most popular museum in Amsterdam, even if you do not go inside, you must see the exterior and soak in the stunning architecture.
2. Van Gogh Museum – Another iconic museum in the Netherlands. The Van Gogh Museum conducts research on the life and work of Vincent van Gogh and the art of his time.
3. Anne Frank Museum – Another museum? Absolutely, cannot miss this one. The Anne Frank House is always popular, so make sure to get tickets in advance (tickets go on sale every first Tuesday of the month for the following month).
4. Moco Museum – What, another museum? Yup! The Moco Museum is an independent museum dedicated to exhibiting modern and contemporary art. The museum was founded with the mission of attracting broader and younger audiences, and of making art accessible to the public.
5. Cheese Tasting – A great Amsterdam activity for visitors! Who doesn’t love cheese? There are a few cheese tastings that you can pick from in the city, so make sure to do your research and see what works best for your group.
6. Rent a Boat and cruise the canals – This is a must do, no questions asked. One of the best ways to see the city is from cruising the canals! There are many different boat rental companies, so depending on what you want to pay and the size of the boat, do some research and pick your preference!
7. Rent & ride a Bike – Okay, so I don’t force this on our visitors. It can be quite scary riding your bike around Amsterdam, so only offer this to your visitors if they can handle it!
8. Vondelpark – For anyone who wants a nice, chill walk in the park! This is the Central Park of Amsterdam, if you will.

Thrill Seeker Activities

1. A’Dam Tower Lookout & Swing – Want to have your stomach drop? This is a great activity for thrill seekers! Head to the top of A’Dam Tower for some amazing birds-eye views of the city and hop on the swing to get the best view!
2. Bungee Amsterdam – This is for the serious thrill seekers! The bungee site overlooks the centre of Amsterdam and beyond from 50+ meters above ground level. It’s off of a completely restored monumental crane with 3 5-star hotel suites and a whirlpool on top of the crane!
3. Mystery City Games – This is fun with a group of visitors! If you have folks who like walking tours of cities, make sure to check this out. Groups set out with nothing but their wits, a treasure map and a backpack of beautiful tools and boxes to solve the mystery. No downloads or apps needed.
4. Amsterdam Dungeon – Spooookkyyy… this is a horror theater show! If you have any visitors looking for something on the scarier side, make sure to bring them here. Walking through the Dungeon, you get to see short performances accompanied by sound, smell and light effects.

Unique Activities

1. The Cat Boat – For your animal loving friends! This is the one and only animal sanctuary that actually floats! 🙂
2. Sunset Canoe Tour – For your outgoing folks – Travel with a guide to this rural area, and paddle past reed beds, meadows and picture-postcard villages!
3. Casa Rosso – Ooh la la.. this is for only 18+ folks! Casa Rosso Erotic theatre is a club in the centre of the Red Light District. This theater is known for their entertaining sex shows!
4. Amaze Amsterdam – Yes, another ‘museum’… but this is unique! Amaze Amsterdam is an immersive experience in which the pioneers of Dutch dance combined their powers into the experience of a lifetime.
5. Tony’s Chocolonely Chocolate Bar – Calling all chocolate fans! Everything here is about chocolate and you can learn everything about Tony’s serious mission while enjoying crazy delicious choco-creations.
6. Theater Tuschinski – If you have any movie buffs, take them to this theater! Its gorgeous interior was designed in a way to offer theatergoers the feeling that they are stepping into an illusion.
7. Red Light Secrets – The world’s first and only museum of prostitution! It’s no big secret a big part of Amsterdam’s history is the Red Light District. Check out this museum to learn more about the rules, the women, the type of clients who visit and more!
8. WONDR Experience – This area has a bunch of Amsterdam activities for visitors! You can visit the Pink Beach, you can go roller blading, or maybe you want to take a cute selfie in the museum!
9. TonTon Club – Get your game on! This is a hot spot for folks who like games & arcades. Grab some food and drinks and play games like air hockey, pacman, or whatever game your inner child desires!

Drinking+ Activities

1. Heineken Experience – This is one of our favorite Amsterdam activities for visitors! We have done both the VIP Tour as well as the Regular experience and both are amazing. If your visitor’s enjoy beer, this is a must have item on your itinerary.
2. House of Bols – This is for your visitors who enjoy a good cocktail! In the ‘Art of Flavour’, ‘Hall of Taste’, Extraction Room’ and ‘Genever Room’ all senses will be stimulated, and visitors discover the secrets of all 42 Bols liqueurs and Bols Genevers. Those who wish to learn bartending can do so in the magical Flair Booth. The big ‘Do It Yourself Bar’ allows you to create your own cocktail guided by one of the bartenders!
3. Cocktail Cruise – A shared cruise for your friends and family that includes snacks and the most delicious drinks! Cruising through the canals is an amazing experience, enjoy it while sipping on a variety of cocktails!
4. Xtra Cold Ice Bar – My family had a wonderful time in this bar! They came during the heat wave so it was glorious hopping into a bar that is -10°C. When you walk in there is a lounge area where you can sit and have a drink before heading into the cold area. Once your group is called, you put on a big jacket & gloves (they provide it) and head into the freezing room! They provide one ice glass for you and you can have beer & shots inside.
5. CoffeeShops – You don’t find me here, but we have had visitor’s who come to Amsterdam strictly for this. For those who know – Coffeeshops do not serve coffee. 🙂 There are many around the city – take your visitors to see/try a few!
6. Hash, Marijuana and Hemp Museum – This is another spot for your visitors who want to spend time in the Coffeeshops! Explore the World of Cannabis and learn more about the amazing versatility of the cannabis plant.

Eating Activities

Some may call eating an activity, so we have listed out our favorite food recommendations below! We’ve linked the restaurant’s menu/additional information below for you to learn more about each spot. There are so many wonderful places to eat in Amsterdam, this just touches the surface!

1. Foodhallen
2. Mr. Porter Steakhouse
3. Stroopwaffles
4. Fries with mayo
5. Bar Rouge
6. Vegan Junk Food Bar
7. Lolo & Ceppi’s
8. Coffee & Coconuts
9. SkyBar
10. Michelin Star Restaurants

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We spent about 5-6 months creating this list of Amsterdam activities for visitors so hopefully it’s helpful for you! We know there are so many other things to do in Amsterdam so if we missed something good, comment below! As we continue our journey in this big city, we will continue to add additional things to do once we have done them. 🙂

If you and your partner are looking for date night ideas or have another couple visiting you, make sure to check out our Most Romantic Date Nights in Amsterdam!