Amsterdam Vacations

Because of its location near large bodies of water and its large population, Amsterdam's winters are typically mild with frost but have little snow. The summers are warm, with average highs staying below 80 degrees Fahrenheit, making it a pleasant time to visit and a popular time for tourism. Summer also has a variety of festivals to attend, including the Holland Festival and the Gay Pride parade. If you plan to see the tulips in full bloom, plan to visit during the spring. Regardless of your timing, book your travel ahead of schedule with Orbitz.com to get the best accommodations available in the best parts of town.

Amsterdam vacations cover any season of the year. The most popular is during April, when the tulips in the famous tulip gardens and the fields surrounding the city are in glorious full bloom. Amsterdam Travel fares and accommodation costs will be more expensive at this time of year. There are flower festivals all through the summer, and the historic cheese markets don't open until June. Biking is very popular around the city and is good for any weather pattern, as are the festivals. Visit around the end of April to help celebrate Queen's Day, a national holiday, or visit in September for the very industrial and experimental Robodock Arts Festival.

Will Graanstra Fritehuis

This stall near the Anne Frank Huis has been open since 1956 and is still loved by the Amsterdam locals who crave the founder's crispy fries.

Lanskroon

Local residents love this humble bakery for its speculaas cookies during the winter and its fruit-swirled ice cream during the summer.

Toscanini

Favored by locals, this simple yet elegant eatery boasts unique Italian foods and wines and even offers bread and pasta made from scratch.

Mulligans

This Irish pub offers live Irish music on most nights and also has a Sunday open-mike night, so you can try your hand at entertaining the local crowd.

Kokinklijk Theater Carre

See performances like a local in this intimate theater where most local performers are on stage, and shows are in Dutch.

If you're a seasoned bicyclist, rent a bike from Bike City in the Jordan neighborhood; they only rent Dutch bikes so you’ll blend in like a native.

Visit the Plantage district to explore botanical gardens and greenways like the Hortus Botanicus.

Visit the floating flower market on the Singel canal; flowers have been sold on barges here for over a century.

Take a free tour of Gossan Diamonds to see how this precious material is cut, shaped, and fitted to jewelry.

Visit the Rijksmuseum to see masterpieces like Rembrandt's Night Watch and Vermeer's Milkmaid.

This elegant 17th-century merchant's house reveals dazzling details about Dutch Golden Age life, including an ornate (and hidden) Catholic church.

Time-travel through the centuries at this historic museum, just a short walk from Dam Square. View maps, paintings and artifacts charting Amsterdam's rise from medieval fishing village to Golden Age world power.

Lovingly preserved, this unforgettable museum showcases the Frank family's wartime hideout while multimedia displays honor Anne's memory with photos, films and original writings.

Escape to this peaceful nook to see tiny houses, a park and authentic 14th-century architecture including Begijnhof Kapel, Englese Kerk and the country's oldest wooden house.

Bask in the glory of the Dutch masters at this world-class museum, featuring works by Rembrandt and Vermeer. If you visit during the week, stroll the Renaissance and Baroque Gardens to see fountains, ponds and architectural gems.

Explore this Dutch native's works from wild landscapes and somber peasant workers to sunflowers and self-portraits. Devote the day to art: the Rijksmuseum is nearby.

Beyond the tulips, beer takes a close second in Amsterdam pride. Tour this infamous brewery complete with tastings, interactive displays and Heineken family history.

Flower pride is contagious from the famous floating Bloemenmarket to the Amsterdam Tulip Museum. Make a springtime pilgrimage to Keukenhof Gardens where the landscape turns into a living, tulip-infested rainbow.

Begin your Amsterdam travels in the city's historic center. This well-traveled square is alive with street performers, tourists and pigeons, plus the Royal Palace and National Monument. Celebrate Queens Day with the locals decked and dyed in orange.

Madame Tussauds Amsterdam

Visit the world-famous wax museum at its Amsterdam location to see lifelike replicas of famous starlets and actors.

Reypenaer

Attend a one-hour cheese tasting from this cheese maker that has been creating cheeses for over 100 years.

TunFun

The place for families with children, this kids' playground features everything from slides to its very own disco.

Keukenhof Gardens

One of Amsterdam's most popular attractions, the gardens are filled with more than seven million tulips and other flowers in the springtime.

Gassan Diamonds

Learn how rough diamonds are turned into sparkling jewels when you watch diamond cutters and polishers on this popular one-hour tour.

Van Gogh Museum

Admire approximately 700 paintings and drawings by famous artists including Van Gogh, Monet, Gauguin, and more.

Anne Frank House

Tour the secret annex and view a reconstruction of Anne Frank's bedroom, as well as her actual diary.

Vondelpark

Amsterdam's equivalent of New York City's Central Park is filled with street performers, cafes, and footpaths.

Heineken Experience

Take a self-guided tour of the old brewery and learn about the history of the family and the beer.

Artis

Visit Europe's oldest zoo, where you can find an African savannah, a planetarium, a petting zoo, an aquarium, and more.

Thanks to its liberal atmosphere, friendly people, excellent museums and charming canals, Amsterdam, capital of the Netherlands, is one of the most popular destinations for a European vacation, drawing more than 3.6 million annual visitors. The city’s legal Red Light District and cannabis “coffee shops” get a lot attention, but you can skip both and keep a smile on your face. In fact, the coffee shops will no longer be an option come 2013 when the country’s ban on them for non-residents takes effect. Instead appreciate the 2010 UNESCO World Heritage Listing of the city’s 17th-century canals with a boat ride along the waterways. Cycling is a great way to get around the city, too. Head to Museum Square to brush up on Dutch art history at the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum, and on modern art scene at the Stedelijk Museum. Then, pay a somber visit to the Anne Frank House. Nightlife is big business in Amsterdam, and the city is strong on the performing arts and draws top electronic DJs from around the world. Major venues are in the Leidseplein and Rembrandtplein areas. Fashionistas know that the city is home to designers Viktor & Rolf and the popular brand G-Star. For sustenance, yes, there’s cheese and beer, but be sure to check out a few of Amsterdam’s Indonesian restaurants, a reminder of Dutch colonial heritage.

AOL Travel’s Amsterdam Guide

AOL Travel's Best Amsterdam Hotels