We loved our time in Amsterdam, its within the top ranks of all the cities we’ve ever visited! If it’s your first time to Amsterdam, here are a few things to know that will make your holiday that much fun & easier.

4 Fun & Useful Tips For Your First Time To Amsterdam

Don’t Stand In The Red Bike Lane!

The red lane next to the sidewalk is the notorious bike lane – be very mindful when crossing here! There are hundreds of thousands of bikes in Amsterdam, and tons of people are riding throughout the city day and night. If you drink or visit some smoke shops, be very mindful of this lane! Bikers have the right of way – you dont want to get run over!

The City Is A Museum Mecca

You will never run out of museums to visit in Amsterdam! With 75 options to choose from, you can see the famous like Banksy and Van Gough. You can also view some out of the ordinary museums, from The Museum of Shoes and Handbags (You can see items Lady Gaga wore!) to a museum on an actual houseboat.

‘Coffee Shop’ And ‘Coffeeshop’ Are Two Very Different Things

If you see a sign with ‘Coffeeshop’ in the title (with no space between the words), then that is a store that sells cannabis, not a place to get lattes lol! A lot of smoke shops though do sell drinks though (like tea and hot chocolate), and many require you to purchase one if you decide to smoke at their establishment.

 Transportation Is Very Accessible

Getting around in Amsterdam is very easy! If you’re not riding a bike, you can catch the metro, which is super efficient and how we got around the city. We had the iAmsterdam Card and having free metro rides day and night saved us so much time! (We also got a free canal tour around the city, included with the card.)

Got any other good tips for a first time to Amsterdam?