tips for first Amsterdam visit please?
 

We will be visiting Amsterdam for four days soon, and I have a few questions for this first visit (maybe more to follow as date comes closer):

1) We would like to a canal tour/cruise and there seems to be a lot of choices. Are there any tours that can be recommended or should be avoided? For example, my partner is considering a dinner cruise, but I'm not sure if that's a good idea or waste of money.

2) With a 4-day visit, should we just focus on the city or should we also consider a day trip to another place in the vicinity? If so, what would be a worthwhile destination that can easily be reached with public transportation?

We will be staying near the Vondelpark so access to cruise is also a consideration.

TIA

1. Not any that should be avoided necessarily but you do have plenty of choices. Rederij Kooij on the Rokin is the best value for money. The dinner cruises leave a lot to be desired.
2. With only 4 days I would focus all my energy and time on Amsterdam. Haarlem is only 15 minutes by train from Amsterdam and is a good choice for a day trip.

2) If you only have 4 days then focus on the city. There is plenty to do/see in Amsterdam.

Agree...concentrate on Amsterdam as there is so much to see and do and eat.
If you want to go a tad further afield, Zaanse Schans has some restored windmills and a museum, which we liked. It's good for an hour or so.

http://www.amsterdam.info/excursions/zaanse-schans/

I agree with concentrating on Amsterdam. If you want to go somewhere else as well, take a day trip to somewhere like Haarlem or Delft.

If the weather is good, the Zaanse Schans is a nice contrast to the urban bustle of central Amsterdam. It is about 20 minutes by train from Amsterdam Central Station to Koog-Zaandijk and then it is about 15 minutes walk through the village to the edge of the Schans.

If the weather is bad, hit the museums. For art: the Rijksmuseum (old masters, Night Watch), Van Gogh, Stedelijk (Modern). A pleasingly small porportion of the Stedelijk can be classed as art with a capital F. The Amsterdam Historical Museum is interesting to find out how the city around you was built up, run through the Golden Age section faster and slow down to pay more attention to the 20th century history. The Museum of Bags and Purses is interesting. The Hash Marijuana Hemp Museum is more about the hemp than the hash, though they will helpfully tell you how to cultivate cannabis sativa and sell you seeds.

If you wish to visit a coffeeshop to get stoned that's up to you, but I will warn you that some of the local marijuana can be extremely strong and you can end up writing off the next day to recover, which will be a pity.

After all this touristing you'll need a good bar for a drink. I can suggest Zotte, In De Wilderman, Gollem, Mulligan's (if you want an Irish bar, it's run by an actual Irishman and faces the Amstel near Rembrandtplein). Good food can be found in the area around the Leidseplein, just follow one rule: the best restaurants are the ones NOT in line of sight from the tram stop but round the corners (because the ones right by the tram stop can get away with less effort). Good Italian at Peppino's. If you like whisky and don't mind paying for it, L&B Whisky bar.

Good areas to walk around include the red light district (about the only place where you are at nontrivial risk of pickpockets, watch your bag, but the area is interesting - check out the church of Our Lady in the Attic, do not photograph the ladies in the red windows); the Jordaan to the west of the Dam (Palace) Square has small streets with shops and cafes; the Pijp is a more trendy area; the area along the Utrechtsestraat has some high end boutiques. More mass-market tourist services can be found nearer the Dam square.

If you don't have a hotel booked already, Priceline's Name Your Own Price can work surprisingly well in Amsterdam since all their 4* and 5* hotels are within easy tram reach of any attractions.

Thanks for the great suggestions. I am usually doing own touring, but the SO has been considering this:

http://www.viator.com/tours/Amsterda...d525-2550LIN17

Would this be a great way to spend the day?

Also is there any particular area to find a good Indonesian rijsttafel restaurant or are they scattered throughout?

I would skip the coach tour as you don't get much time in either city. You can buy a train ticket to Delft for € 24.80 round trip. With that ticket you can get off in Den Haag on your outbound or inbound trip. It's only about an hour to Delft and 45 minutes to Den Haag from Amsterdam Centraal.

As far as a rijsttafel, Long Pura near Westerkerk is my go to. Tempo Doeloe on Utrechtsestraat, my favorite shopping street, is reservations only but is worth it if you're after something special.

http://www.ns.nl/en (Domestic Train Fare and Schedule Information)
http://9292.nl/en (Door to Door route planner for the entire country)
http://www.restaurant-longpura.com/
http://www.tempodoeloerestaurant.nl/

Trains in the Netherlands work very well, so I would generally suggest going there on your own and walking around some tourist sights. That coach tour looks like is' good for either people who want to see a bit of several things and have very little time, or dislike the idea of going independently.

Indonesian restaurants are all around. Kantjil an de Tijger on Spui is good, though not very spicy, but their rijstaffels are way overpriced. I've only had one when someone else was paying. They do takeout :)

I like Srikandi it's close to the Rijksmuseum.

The Van Gogh Museum is a must. The Rijksmuseum is also amazing. Amsterdam is an amazing city to visit, we returned there many times. If you want to see the countryside, I second going to the Zaanse Schans, only a short train ride away.

I always rent a car to go visit the Kröller-Müller Museum (for more Van Gogh) at the Hoge Veluwe National Park ( http://www.hogeveluwe.nl/en/14 ) where you ride bicycles in the beautiful trails. Of course you can get there by train, but I never did.

Have a wonderful trip!

My advice to you is to skip Amsterdam and go to a college town (Groningen or Utrecht )

May I ask why you would suggest that?