A Few Days in Amsterdam...

Contributed by Trish Gau, The Hive Overland Park

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My family loves to travel! Our youngest daughter recently embarked on a Semester at Sea and, of course, we had to "drop her off" (this was mostly because she needed our suitcase space and people to help her schlep her stuff to the cruise ship). The boat departed from a port near Amsterdam so it was the perfect opportunity to spend a few days there before she left. We stayed at a Doubletree near the Amsterdam Centraal Station which ended up being very convenient because we were able to store all of her luggage for a few days while we traveled to some other places (more details on that in a future blog post.)

Our first morning we went on an excellent small group canal cruise. Did you know that Amsterdam is called "the Venice of the North"? The boat was the perfect size and gave us a great overview of some of the highlights of Amsterdam. Delicious baked goods, beverages and snacks were included and added to the social atmosphere of the ride. Pro tip - the early bird gets a less crowded canal and a more enjoyable tour (in this early bird's opinion)!

In the afternoon we went on a tour of the Anne Frank house. Tickets can only be purchased from their website and every Tuesday at 10am Central European Time (Google this) the tickets are released for a visit six weeks later. You can buy a ticket for the museum only or pay a little more to listen to an introductory program first. We opted for the presentation which gave a timeline and some of the history of the Frank family and how the museum came to be. The ticket includes an informative audio tour. It's hard to fathom what the Frank family went through during this horrific time in history.

The next morning we headed to the Van Gogh Museum to see some of the Dutch master's art. This tour also included an audio tour which was very interesting and included information about the art as well as the mental struggles that plagued Van Gogh throughout his life. There are also small group or private tours available. There are so many excellent art museums in Amsterdam; it's difficult to pick one! The Rijk's Museum has a variety of artists' work in it and gets great reviews - but luckily we didn't choose that one because the museum was striking/protesting that day and people were not allowed to enter (they were a little angry). You never know when you have to adjust your plans when traveling!

One important piece of information for anyone visiting Amsterdam: beware of the bikes! It is amazing how many bicycles are on the roads. They come from every direction and dart through crowds. Make sure you look all ways- twice! They even allow scooters (small motorcycles) on the bike paths. It is very easy to lose track of where you are so be careful when you look at the map on your phone - you don't want to get slammed by a bike. You have been warned!

On our last evening in Amsterdam, our daughter had plans so Ken and I asked the concierge where we could go that might be a little less crowded. They suggested taking the free ferry behind the train station to Amsterdam Nord. There, we took a nice stroll along the harbor walk and then headed up to the A'dam tower to look at the city from the observation deck and take a swing over the edge of the building. The view was beautiful and it was the perfect spot to watch the sunset over the city.

There are many other excellent tours and areas of the Netherlands to visit. If we had a few more days we would have gone into the countryside for a day trip or a cheese tour. I love to check out the huge variety of tours on Viator and let everyone choose their favorite. Make sure you take the time to relax and enjoy a beverage at one of the many lovely cafes around the city.

If you need help booking your next trip, make sure to fill out the Hive Travel interest form and we would be delighted to help you plan your vacation.