Weekend Guide to Exploring Dusseldorf
If you are thinking about heading to Germany, we have the perfect weekend guide to exploring Dusseldorf for you. My family and I went to this city and spent 48 hours there and want to share our experience with you. We felt 2 days was a good amount of time to see and do everything we wanted to in that city. This makes for a perfect weekend getaway!
Getting to Dusseldorf from other areas of Europe is fairly easy. We took a train from Amsterdam Central to Dusseldorf and it took us under 3 hours to get there. The train ticket prices were decent as well – varies depending on time of day, but expect to spend less than €100 for a round trip train ticket.
From walking next to the Rhine River to hopping in and out of bars, there is something for everyone to do in this city. Below is a weekend guide to exploring Dusseldorf that includes options on where to stay as well as fun activities!
Things to know before heading to Dusseldorf
- Keep cash on hand. Dusseldorf is a little behind the times when it comes to banking, and not all taxis, pubs and restaurants take credit cards. It’s always good to have some cash on hand, but make sure you have enough when coming to this city for the weekend.
- Always stamp your ticket for the tram. This might sound silly, but the tram system relies a little on the honor system. It’s not often anyone is coming around checking your ticket. You can buy your ticket from a machine onboard (not the driver) and be sure to time-stamp it—or risk a fine.
- You can get your bearings by finding the tower. The easiest way to determine where you are is to look for the round television tower, the Rheinturm, located amid the Medienhafen and directly on the river. Use this as your “North Star” and you shouldn’t get too lost!
- You likely will need to call your waiter/waitress to get the bill. This is true for many cities in Europe – they allow you to sit there and chat for as long as you need and don’t rush you. Now if you are in a rush, you will need to flag them down (appropriately, no snapping) and request to pay.
- Be careful with Altbier. The beer native to the region may be low in price, but it is not low in alcohol! Additionally, be careful when taking down too many of these – drink slow and be smart.
Accommodation Options
Things to do in Dusseldorf
Cruise on the Rhine River
If you are looking for a low-key activity with food and drinks on the water, this is for you. This is a fairly quick cruise (1 hour) and they take you down the Rhine River and back. On the cruise, they serve food (traditional German) as well as drinks for purchase. They provide both indoor and outdoor seating so depending on the weather you can sit out on the deck and soak in the sun and the views!
Hotrod through the city
This is truly a hidden gem. The Dusseldorf Hotrod Tour was probably the highlight of our trip for most people in our family. It’s unique and something you wouldn’t typically do as you are traveling through Europe! You have to remember to bring your license or else they won’t let you drive a hotrod – this isn’t like go karts! You can choose to do a tour through the city or head out toward the countryside. Let the wind whip around you as you cruise around bends at 60-70 kmh bobbing and weaving through cars!
Visit Altstadt
This “Old Town” is situated in the heart of the city and is full of life. The so called “longest bar in the world” is here because there are about 300 bars, clubs and restaurants all within a 0.5km radius surrounding the Town Hall. This sounds like a location you could spend days around! You can try Altbier, one of the city’s most iconic exports, at many of the bars along this area. As noted above though, make sure you are careful with this beer!
Also in Altstadt you can find other highlights such as the Basilica, Rhine Tower, the Shipping Museum and Old Town Hall. You can guide yourself through these areas or book a guided tour, depending on how you like to be a tourist!
Walk along the Rhine
Similar but different to cruising on the Rhine, you can also choose to walk alongside it. The river itself winds through the city so you can see older streets and newer streets on your walk. Take your time popping into cafes or small local shops!
Street Art and Museums
Dusseldorf, along with a lot of other cities across Europe, live up to the hype of the amount of museums to visit. There are a dozen of museums across the city that you can visit! A few museums for you to consider:
- Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen: Modern art
- Classic Remise Düsseldorf: Vintage cars
- Neanderthal Museum: Ancestors/Cave Men (targeted toward families/young children)
- Museum Kunstpalast: Glass craftmanship
- Hetjens Deutsches Keramikmuseum: Ceramics museum
If you are more into the street art scene, the one district you must visit is Flingern. This area is known for its nightlife, Techno Music, and incredible outdoor artwork. Specifically for street art, make sure to head to Kiefernstraße! Every house on the street is painted in it’s own unique way – talk about a great photo op!
We hope this weekend guide to exploring Dusseldorf has been helpful! As we continue to explore Europe, we will provide other itineraries for cities in Germany. If you are looking for things to do in Amsterdam, make sure to check out our post about fun Amsterdam Activities!
