Weekend in Amsterdam

1. Arendsnest, cafe specializing in Dutch beer (on Herengracht 90). The owner is a certified beer specialist! Try a mini beer tasting
2. Stroll through Vondelpark - take a break from the crowds and enjoy a coffee with apple cake (apeltaart) or beer in one of the park cafes. Film Museum's Vertigo cafe is great for a lunch too.
3. Walk along one of the major canals (Prinsengracht, Herengracht, Keizergracht, or my favorite little one, especially at night: Brouwersgracht)
4. Find a cosy "brown" cafe and enjoy a few "biertjes" (small glasses of beer). If it's warm enough, plant yourself at an outdoor cafe for great people watching (Dam, Leidsplein, Rembrandtplein)

Quick Tips:

Hit the top museums (Van Gogh, Anne Frank House) early in the morning or just before closing time to avoid the line-ups.
Check out the Theatre Museum or Bible Museum for a glimpse inside a grand canal house.
Stedelijk Museum of modern art always has a few surprises and tends to be less crowded than Van Gogh and Anne Frank museums.

Best Way To Get Around:

Walk - also try to get off main tourist streets
Tram/bus/metro - use "strippenkart" (strip card), punch 2 strips for trips in the center within 1 hour (tram 20 takes you around the city and to the main sights) Beware of pickpockets! Bike - fun way to see the side streets

Located in a historical building just a short walk from Central Station, you'll find nice water views and some other related historical buildings in the area.

This museum is really for shipping, wooden boat, and maritime history buffs. There's an overwhelming amount of detail and artifacts. Quite a local museum, less popular than the Van Gogh, Anne Frank and Rijksmuseum, so less tourists.

I found the atmosphere a bit stuffy, but the special exhibits are well organized. Kids will enjoy the full-size wooden ship docked in the back. You can enjoy a coffee break in the museum cafe with a view of the water.

After your visit, you'll have a good picture of Holland's shipping and sailing history, especially the powerful world impact of the Dutch East India Company (VOC).

This is a historic zoo that's a little rundown in parts (some cages are pitifully small and cramped). But it's spread out and lovely to walk through.

See how Dutch families enjoy the day out with their children, and imagine how ladies used to stroll along the paths with their parasols in the previous century. Like the Botanical Garden, the zoo is a place that dates back to the time the Netherlands was a shipping world power.

Watch out for the overhead passage for apes - you just might catch one peeing on an unsuspecting passerby. The aquarium is a huge, darkened hall of glowing fish of all sizes. It's quite eerie and spectacular.

Head for the new cafeteria for a break when you need to recharge. Give yourself two to three hours to enjoy the zoo.

Any city with water has to have a tourist cruise and Amsterdam has plenty of canals to see. Most of the cruise companies take roughly the same 60-minute loop through the city on the major canals.

Day or night, a boat ride gives you a different perspective of those memorable canal houses, from the narrowest sliver of a building to the grandest of houses on Herengraacht.

Spot your favourite type of gable and then enjoy the view from the water. Keep your eye out for quirky details on buildings and quick glimpses into canal house windows.