Brussels to Amsterdam suggestions?

[vafoodie]

Just booked a 10 day trip. Flying in and out of Brussels. 5 nights booked in Brussels then on to Amsterdam. We have never been there. What to see and what to avoid? We figure we’ll take a few day trips from
Each base. We like history, food, and poking around in funky (safe) neighborhoods. Our millennial is very worried because she had her phone snatched there, but everyone has a story like that for most major European cities, so we are not deterred. Are we wrong?

 

[braumeister]

Yes, Brussels has very high pickpocket concentration. Be especially careful on trams and in stations.

If you haven't been to Bruges, it's only a short train ride away and well worth a day or two. Belgium is one of my favorite places.

 

[Car-Guy]

Checkout Zandvoort (Amsterdam area) if you like things like beaches, (careful one area is clothing optional) biking, casinos, nice hotels, restaurants. They may even have some races going on at the world class track located there. (if you like that stuff). Been a few years but is was great for me. Lot's of history in the Amsterdam area too.

Nice drive from Brussels. I've done it a few times.

 

[rodi]

We spent a week in Amsterdam in 2015 with teenagers... Things that were hits:

Ann Frank Museum (but be prepared for long lines)
Van Gogh museum.
Rented bikes and did a windmill loop.
Did an evening boat tour.
Walked through the red light district. It caused some good (from a learning point of view) discussions with the boys about different cultures being more/less tolerant about different things... part of the point of travel is to learn about different cultures. We went in the afternoon (vs evening) to dampen the shock value.

Don't have any advice on Brussels - only spent time in the Eurostar train station...

 

[LastOfTheBoomers]

A second vote for Bruges. In Amsterdam - do the Heineken Brewery tour - my favorite brewery tour ever!

 

[tulak]

I was in Brussels and Bruges earlier this year. I was less impressed with Brussels. It’s a grittier city and easy to see the highlights in a day or so.

I really enjoyed Bruges. Great architecture and food. I ended up renting a bike for the day and biked to the sea. Lots of dedicated biking trails and it’s flat, so easy to get out and explore the countryside. I’d definitely go back.

Amsterdam is a fun city with lots to do. When I was there with my kids, we rented bikes in Haarlem and biked to the sea. That route was hillier. You could also rent e-bike, which would make it really easy.

Have fun!

 

[SecondAttempt]

We spent a week in Amsterdam in 2015 with teenagers... Things that were hits:

Ann Frank Museum (but be prepared for long lines)

And plenty of tears. I think this is an extraordinarily well done museum because it is fairly austere in terms of what it has in it but it somehow really makes you think without rubbing your face in what was happening.

 

[PaunchyPirate]

I also suggest visiting Bruges as a day trip (at least). I also was just in Delft for a day from Amsterdam and enjoyed the time there.

 

[SecondAttempt]

I spent a week in Amsterdam several years ago at a conference. We stayed in a vacation rental in the Jordaan neighborhood. It was really cool on Friday night when all the locals were on their rooftop terraces (as were we) playing music and signing! Fun experience.

Rodi already provided a good list. I would add the Maritime Museum. Amsterdam is also just a really fun city to hang out in. We walked through the red light district almost nightly since it was between our house and the area with lots of restaurants near the central station. I did not find it seedy at all.

Be aware that our rental had VERY steep stairs. They were almost like a ladder. I think this is pretty typical in houses there. Someone with even slight mobility problems would likely have issues.

I have heard some people get intimidated by Amsterdam because of the prostitution, widespread presence of drugs, drunk (mostly) British tourists, and so forth. If you can take that in stride it is a great city. I was personally not bothered by it and felt very safe everywhere. But I know some people in the organization I was at the conference for felt uncomfortable and have lobbied never to have a conference there again.

I will definitely be going back to Amsterdam but I wanted to give you the honest perspective that it may not be for eveyone.

 

[braumeister]

One thing to be careful about is walking in Amsterdam. STAY OUT OF THE BIKE LANES!!!

When you hear a bicycle bell, it's a sign of celebration because the cyclist has just run over a tourist.

 

[rodi]

The stairs in Amsterdam are definitely a thing... We stayed on a 3rd/4th floor vacation rental and the ladder comparison is real. Also they aren't real wide - so that's also like a ladder.

 

[steelyman]

And plenty of tears. I think this is an extraordinarily well done museum because it is fairly austere in terms of what it has in it but it somehow really makes you think without rubbing your face in what was happening.

The recent Ken Burns documentary “The U.S. and The Holocaust” is relevant. I visited the museum on a day trip from Noordwijk.