Here are a couple:

- Keukenhof will be open, 15 minutes from Amsterdam. If you've never been there don't miss it.

- To get around Amsterdam, rent a bicycle. 

- Lots of great restaurants. For Indonesian try Blauw (on the edge of the city center but worth the trip). For Dutch cuisine try Greetje. You'll need a reservation for both. Both are upscale for Holland but for Geneva standards quite cheap. 

- Try Dutch snacks, including fries with mayo, kroket (ragout stick). Ideally take them from a wall vending machine.

- Don't ignore the Red Light District, especially Nieuwmarkt (main square); it's not just prostitutes but also the best area to go out at night (especially if you prefer pubs over clubs). The place is entirely safe, even for 3 female travelers. 

- Shopping: Kalverstraat and Nieuwendijk for highstreet fashion, PC Hooftstraat for upscale.

- Best museums: Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh. Especially Van Gogh will be very crowded. 

- Not sure about clubs, not my thing. Escape at Rembrandt Square has been around for decades.

- The morning after a night of drinking, take a canal cruise. You'll see a lot without having to move. 

That's all I can think of; ask if you're looking for anything specific.

Thanks a lot, Nazli!

We have decided to postpone the trip and plan it more in advance for any time soon. I wil now definitely have more time to have a look at the sites you recommended and also download the App. Was not aware of this one. Cool! thanks and Enjoy Easter! Carol

Hi Edward!

Thanks a lot for the personal tips. They are really useful and match the tips I received from someone from Amsterdam via e-mail. I guess I know what not to miss in a weekend in Amsterdam by now ;)

I enjoy trying local typical foods and will not miss the Red Light District because of the prostitutes. I am actually curious to see them on the shop windows! Quite weird but interesting I guess.

Thanks again and enjoy Easter!

Carol

One more tip: the best fries of Amsterdam: Vleminckx at Voetboogstraat 33 (just off Kalverstraat, the main shopping street). It's really small but there's always a queue so it's easy to find. 

best tip - leave amsterdam as soon as possible and go to Rotterdam ;-)

LOL

That is not a bad idea, Martin. Evn though I did not have a good experience with a group of people from Rotterdam once, I can not judge its whole population because of this group. I might consider your advice if you send me some nice tips about what to do in Rotterdam ;)

Maybe before the second world war, before it was bombed and rebuilt with the taste of a adolescent Skoda owner. 

I heard that the Dutch government were thinking of bombing it again to start over, but that the city of Almere objected because that would make them the ugliest city in The Netherlands.

Interesting that your taste is guiding here Edward. I guess you are from that living musuem called Amsterdam. The problem with amsterdam, is that it's full of "amsterdammers" ;-) 

Rotterdam, it's the place where the money get's made - Amsterdam, where they can only spent it....

Anyway - Take the trian Rotterdam, you will not regret it.

What to do:

Take a harbour tour with the spido - take the long one and see everything in the biggest port of Europe (used to be of the world). Impressive ships, big industry etc.etc. You can hop on at the foot of the Erasmusbridge.

Take a boat to Kinderdijk, where you can see the famous windmills in their stunning landscape. Beats canals and keukenhof 10 fold.

Once you've done that, settle down for a beer or a nice glass of wine in "de oude have" - the old port. Visit, if you still can one of the cube-houses (it's a bit dated but still fun). Once you had a couple of glasses - head over to "het scheepvaart kwartier" (shipping block) - admire the old offices of the big shipping line. Stop for a beer at Cafe Loos. (google it) - they do good food to.  Continue to the river and admire the Erasmus bridge and the new skyline around the old office of the Holland America line. Finish the day at Dewi Sri - with a great "rijst tafel" - (various indionesian dishes).

Finish your day at the "witte de with" straat - life goes on here around the clock with great bars, everything you would like to eat and drink you can find here. 

Museums : 

- Boymans van Beuningen: classic and modern art

- Scheepvaart museum : Nautical museum

- Kunsthal - Modern Art

- Visit the SS Rotterdam - an old restored ocean steamer

- Visit the Euromast and enjoy the city from high up. 

I think that beats a city filled with drunk guys on their stag trip, sex tourists and drug tourists my miles. Unless if that's what you are looking for ofcourse :-) Go off the beaten track - Rotterdam has so much to offer and is so much under-estimated - as you can clearly see in the reaction above!

BEAUTIFUL!!!!! And such detailed tips... now I must go to Rotterdam as well ;)  Thanks!!

And to put the picture of Rotterdam from Edward into perspective - they are redoing the central train station, and therefore the picture posted above is very dated. It looks like this now.. I would say that is quite stunning architecture! 

Be carefull in Amsterdam though - they are trying to built a new subway... doesn't really go to plan so far.... ;-)

Ok enough of this now... 

I guess I hit a nerve. I was really just joking; Rotterdam is a nice city with friendly people and great restaurants. But it wouldn't be my first choice as a tourist destination. 

I'm from nearby Alkmaar, but I lived and studied in both Amsterdam and Rotterdam. 

So was I :-)

And that's the problem. it actually has a lot to offer to tourists, but nobody promotes it enough.

Don't worry guys, I got the jokes! If someone ask tips about Brazil I would defend the Northeast and someone from the South would come to say it is much nicer there, etc ;) No big deal.

My friend gave up the trip because the last minutes costs are too high. So.. we need to better plan this trip in advance. And why not a long weekend including both, Amsterdam and Rotterdam?

Maybe we should even organise a glocals event over there! Or you let your friends know that I am going with mine and maybe they want to show us around a bit?

THANKS A LOT for all tips!

Enjoy Easter,

Carol

| And why not a long weekend including both, Amsterdam and Rotterdam?

Because you'll need that time for Amsterdam, certainly if you want to go to Keukenhof. 

And while you're at it, you can't really visit Holland without going to The Hague, Delft, and possibly a few other towns. 

Even better - combine Rotterdam with Antwerp!!!!