Canals, Culture and Connection: A Mother-Daughter Amsterdam Adventure

Where to stay

There is no shortage of wonderful places to stay in Amsterdam, no matter your budget or preferred hotel vibe. We split our time between two hotels, and there are two more I’m excited to check into the next time (and there is definitely going to be a next time!) I’m here.

Close to the Central Station, yet away from the crowds and touristy shops, is the charming Hendrick's Hotel, which takes its design inspiration from “the intriguing and mischievous life” of Prince Hendrick of The Netherlands. With a cozy fire-lit lounge and 25 uniquely appointed rooms, it's a warm and welcoming home base for exploring the city.

The Hoxton, made up of a series of five historic canal houses on the Herengracht canal and a short walk to The Dam, is a hip and lively place to stay. It has 111 stylish rooms, but doesn’t feel that big, and their flexible check-in time means if you arrive on an early morning flight, you can get into your room right away for a quick nap. They also have a great breakfast!

The Ambassade Hotel, on the same canal, is an elegant hotel built across 16 historic townhouses. We were delighted to learn that it also houses the largest collection of CoBrA art in Amsterdam and a library/bar with an impressive collection of signed first-edition books. The restaurant, spread across several intimate dining rooms, each filled with original art, features a modern French-inspired menu.

Finally, the splurge-worthy Pulitzer, made up of no less than 25 renovated historic townhouses spanning two canals, is an elegant and romantic hotel I’d love to come back to with my husband. It has a beautiful courtyard garden hidden in the heart of the hotel, two great restaurants and a sexy Art Deco bar.

Dutch art

Amsterdam has some incredible museums, and you will not have time to see them all! If you only have time for one, visit the Rijksmuseum, which features over 8,000 works of Dutch art from the 12th century to today, including masterpieces from Vermeer, Van Gogh and Rembrandt. The café in the main lobby is a great place to grab a drink after all that culture!

For impressionist fans, the Van Gogh Museum is a must-see, showcasing not only the largest collection of his painting, but also numerous pieces from his contemporaries such as Gauguin, Monet and Toulouse-Lautrec, from both Vincent’s personal collection as well as those of his art dealer brother. And if you’ve never seen Van Gogh’s famous "Sunflowers" or "The Bedroom" in person, I promise you, they will take your breath away. The colors and textures just don’t translate to photos.

Next door is the Stedelijk Museum, and nearby the MOCO, both with impressive collections of modern art, but we were museumed out and needed to eat!

Shopping

When you’re in Amsterdam, you will learn that Gouda is not just one type of cheese, but actually a shape of cheese, and it comes in cow, sheep or goat varieties, with many flavors of each, including truffle, chili and even stinging nettle! There are cheese shops all over the city, but two of the best are Nassen on Huidenstraat 23 and DeKasskamer on Runstraat 7. The cheeses are vacuum packed, can sit out for a month and are safe to bring through customs, so stock up!

The Dutch have an effortlessly cool look and there are a number of great local boutiques to shop if you want to bring home some of that style. Check out Catwalk Junkie for jeans and cute tees, Fabienne Chapot for colorful, feminine styles or Summun for basics with cool-girl flare.

And for cute, unique souvenirs, StoryTiles on Singel 410 features artsy depictions of The Netherlands and other whimsical designs. You can get one to frame, or you might start thinking about a whole new bath or kitchen backsplash!

We also checked out the Albert Cuyp Market in the De Pijp neighborhood. It is billed as Amsterdam’s most famous outdoor market, but other than a place to try some street food, I wouldn’t recommend it.

Canals, tulips & windmills

A definite must-do when in Amsterdam is a canal boat cruise. There are many to choose from, but we picked a small-group tour on Captain Robby’s electric cruiser, and were regaled with stories from Amsterdam’s past and present while sipping a glass of wine, munching on stroopwafels and cruising past historic sites including the Anne Frank house and the Westertoren. He even made a pit-stop for some fresh bitterballen, a typical Dutch snack.

If you’re lucky enough to be here in the spring, take a half day to visit Keukenhof Gardens, a gorgeous park with sculptures, lakes and a historical windmill surrounded by seven million spring flowering bulbs. There are many places to grab a quick lunch here, and tons of tulip-themed souvenirs.

Dinner & drinks

There are so many great places to eat and drink. Here are just a few to consider:

Hamelse Modder near The Hendrick's Hotel is a modern, farm-to table, Dutch-influenced restaurant with inventive dishes, including many vegetarian options, all beautifully plated. The rhubarb cream pudding I had for dessert was amazing.

The award-winning Seafood Bar has four locations across Amsterdam, and we loved the food and ambience so much, we ate at two of them!

Venus & Adonis is a small bistro we stumbled upon while exploring the Jordaan neighborhood, and we loved its food and cozy charm.

For an afternoon drink, the Heineken experience is not to be missed! Check out the brewery tour, or do what we did and just get a ticket to the rooftop bar. It has an amazing view of the city and unique beer cocktails, including a bitter orange that was refreshing and so good!