Amsterdam has way more to offer than weed and the Red Light District – obviously!

If you go to Amsterdam for your second time, you’ll get the chance to explore the city as the locals do. Especially during summer, Amsterdam offers a lot of food and places to hang out at. Scroll down below the pictures to see my favorites (I’m a huge foodie, so you know the places I recommend are good :p)

What are you waiting for – grab a bike and explore the city and its 1821 bridges or hop on a boat and discover some of the 31 miles (50 km) of canals

Things you should know by your second time around:

  • Try Surinamese food!!!!!!!!
  • You pay 50 cents or sometimes even €1 to use the restroom at bars or clubs. YIKES!
  • Tap water is the drinkable everywhere and restaurants will mostly only give it to you if you ask for it. Then it’s free.
  • Smoking weed isn’t legal. It’s just that police don’t really care.
  • If you haven’t heard about MeetUp – it’s a great way to find like-minded peeps (and locals) to hang out with doing activities you enjoy

My favorite places in Amsterdam were

Air Nightclub – they had a Brazilian “Favela Party” where I felt like I was in Brazil – AMAZING! Wasn’t feeling the €17,50 cover :/

De Tulp – on sunny days to sit outside and people watch, for rainy days to sit inside and feel as if you’re in a jungle

De Peijp district is a fantastic place for people watching – some rich and snooby locals as well as normal ones and tourists ?

Foodhallen – for local food stands and shops with merchandise by local creators

Hanneke’s Boom – a great place to watch the sunset, have a drink and sit by the water

ICscuypje – OMG – creamiest, most bestest and deliciousest ice cream you’ve ever had. Nuff said!

☘️ Juiciety – for juices and vegan sweets inspired by the owners’ Surinamese heritage. This place will also get you off the beaten path, so you can explore Amsterdam’s newest up-and-coming international neighborhood.

☘️ Meatless District – as you may have guessed – this place serves vegan meals and they’re freaking delicious!

Pho 91 – excellent vegan Pho that tastes just like its meaty cousin; they have Pho and other dishes with meat as well, though!

Warung Spang Wakandra – Surinamese / Indonesian food for a great price.

Westergasfabriek and its surrounding park – go there for an event or for the weekends to just enjoy a day in the park with people of all ages

☘️ = vegan

If you haven’t visited all the museums the first time in Amsterdam, visit them now! Here you can purchase your Van Gogh Museum ticket and a skip-the-line ticket for the Rijksmuseum, for example, as well as hop-on, hop-off bus & boat tours, etc. ?