Places to go in the Netherlands?

[A5]

A bunch of my friends and I are studying abroad this summer (in Metz, France), and I've been tasked with coming up with a plan for one of our many 3-day weekends.

We'll all have train passes, so travel isn't really a concern - just finding things to see, places to eat, and places to sleep (think hostels). What are some good places that you have been?

 

[ElFenix]

i went to amersfoort

not much there really.

 

[2Xtreme21]

Amsterdam.

 

[A5]

I guess I should clarify:
Things besides smoking pot and hookers

 

[ShadowBlade]

the bar

 

[MasterAndCommander]

Originally posted by: savoyboy
what else is there in Netherland beside smoking pot and hookers?

Harold and Kumar?

 

[Descartes]

Amsterdam is fantastic. There's a lot to do for just about everyone. Personally, I like just sitting at a nice cafe on a nice day with my friends talking over a bottle of wine, but I would suggest the following:

- Van Gogh museum. You have to at least see it.
- Anne Frank museum. If you read the diaries...
- Jordaan district. It's a nice place that you should at least see.
- If you're into music, the Amsterdam Symphony Orchestra is great.
- Seeing the tulips might be something to do if you're there at the right time
- Try the cheese! I ate a lot of fresh Gouda, Parana, and a handful of other fantastic cheese. You can go into a cheese shop, get samples, etc.

The people of Amsterdam are, in my experience, great; all very nice, independent, and just all around pleasant.

The coffee shops that everyone talks about is usually filled with Americans. The red light district isn't that much different; well, at least it's mostly Americans/other tourists that walk around on the canal streets. Watch out for the transvestites!

 

[azilaga]

Amsterdam. Besides the pot smoking and the hookers, it's a nice place to visit and a great walking city.

 

[Rill22]

Originally posted by: Descartes
Amsterdam is fantastic. There's a lot to do for just about everyone. Personally, I like just sitting at a nice cafe on a nice day with my friends talking over a bottle of wine, but I would suggest the following:

- Van Gogh museum. You have to at least see it.
- Anne Frank museum. If you read the diaries...
- Jordaan district. It's a nice place that you should at least see.
- If you're into music, the Amsterdam Symphony Orchestra is great.
- Seeing the tulips might be something to do if you're there at the right time
- Try the cheese! I ate a lot of fresh Gouda, Parana, and a handful of other fantastic cheese. You can go into a cheese shop, get samples, etc.

The people of Amsterdam are, in my experience, great; all very nice, independent, and just all around pleasant.

The coffee shops that everyone talks about is usually filled with Americans. The red light district isn't that much different; well, at least it's mostly Americans/other tourists that walk around on the canal streets. Watch out for the transvestites!

Amsterdam was great, whether you want to smoke pot or not. Good suggestions above. The Rembrandt museum is there too. Take a canal boat tour. It's really beautiful. Renting a bike is a blast too. You can take bike tours through the tulip fields, or you can just rent one to get around town.

 

[aphex]

In addition to Amserdam, take a trip 30 mins south to Utrecht. Its the oldest city in the netherlands and has a beautiful downtown area with the tallest church tower in the Netherlands.... I lived there for 6 months back in 02, if you want more info, just PM me

Also, there are a few castles nearby which should help fill a day trip nicely.

Some pics from my time abroad (the site is still under construction, but the gallery works)
http://www.joshhorowitz.com/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=26

 

[Skiddex]

dont forget the heineken brewery tour! even if you arent a big drinker, its a fun tour. Also there is a huge museum called the Rijkmuseum, if you are into museums

 

[Horus]

Originally posted by: Skiddex
dont forget the heineken brewery tour! even if you arent a big drinker, its a fun tour. Also there is a huge museum called the Rijkmuseum, if you are into museums

Take a Canal tour in one of the glass-roofed barges. Pretty neat.

There's tons of little museums on the street directly across from Central Stations, that might be cool to look in. Wax museums, Torture museums, neat stuff like that

You also have the Kalverstratte. Basically, a giant outdoor mall. Very interesting stuff there.

I would try to hit some of the smaller towns, like Haarlem and Alkmaar. Alkmaar has a GIANT cheese market on sunday, I think. Plus, when I went to visit a few years back, I was ROCKED because there was a bakery owned by someone with the same last name as mine, the "Bakerhaus Baltus" Good bread.

 

[aphex]

All this talk of the Netherlands makes me want to go back... I had such an amazing time there...

 

[redfella]

Originally posted by: savoyboy
the red light district.

 

[Biggerhammer]

Check out Haarlem- if you are interested in Anne Frank you can check out the Corey Ten Boom house. Fascinating place.

If you want to see windmills, check out Zaanseschaans.

 

[farmercal]

You might want to venture to Brugge, it has section of the city where you can stand and see architecture from several centuries. It?s a fun city to tour and don?t forget to try some chocolate!

 

[josh0099]

I stayed at The Flying Pig Hostel Text It was a pretty cool laid back place.

 

[Liviathan]

Amsterdam. Don't bother going anywhere else.

Grass Hopper.

 

[A5]

Thanks for the ideas everyone - I'll get a plan together and throw it up here when I get home tonight.

 

[KMFJD]

Maastricht is also a very nice place to visit

 

[Taggart]

Van Gogh Museum on shrooms FTW

trust me on this one