Top Netherlands Outdoor Activities

Turn your Amsterdam trip into the romantic memory of a lifetime with this private cruise down one of the city’s iconic canals. Surrounded by the glow of city lights and the reflection on the water, your guide regales you with tales of romance as you float under the “Seven Bridges of Love.” Snacks and drinks provided, you and your partner can toast to your love—and a night to remember forever.

Amsterdam’s canals are best experienced from the water—but crowded tour boats can feel rushed and impersonal. This private cruise offers a relaxed way to explore the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Amsterdam Canal Ring with just your group on board. As you glide past historic waterways in Amsterdam, your skipper shares local insight and tailors the route to your interests.

Amsterdam is famously bike friendly, meaning that cars cannot access many of its bridges and canals. See the sights from the street without the effort of walking when you book this private pedicab with capacity for up to two travelers. Your driver-guide will point out highlights such as the Red Light District and the Bloemenmarkt floating flower market.

Gliding through Amsterdam canals at night, with 17th-century houses and ancient bridges lit up in lights, is magical—especially on this private cruise for two. Feel the romance with your beloved as your captain tells stories. Share a glass of Prosecco and snacks, including local favorites, as you travel. The roof and windows are retractable, while blankets and heated seats keep you warm in winter.

Secure advance tickets to two of Amsterdam’s most popular attractions, and save more than a quarter on admission costs when you book simultaneously. Hop aboard a canal boat and cruise along the city’s UNESCO-listed waterways. See landmarks like the Anne Frank House and Westerkerk, and learn more about the sights from your audio guide. Then, discover the kooky attractions at Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Amsterdam, where you’ll have a pre-booked timeslot, plus free time to explore at your leisure.

Discover Amsterdam like a local: on two wheels. This small-group bike tour takes you past some of the city's most-important landmarks, including the Magere Brug and the Hermitage Museum. Afterward, you will experience the city from the water on a cruise through the city's canals with drinks and cheese included.

A vibrant university city with a history that dates back to Roman times, Maastricht is a must on any visit to the Netherlands. Discover secret tunnels, tranquil canals, and historic buildings using this fun, interactive smartphone game that's perfect for families and friends alike. Follow the map using GPS (data connection required), solving puzzles and challenges as you go. One download is good for teams of up to six.

Cruising the canals is one of the best ways to see Amsterdam, but some boat tours can feel crowded and impersonal. Skip those and embark on a private tour in a boat exclusively for your party. The luxe boat is equipped with pillows and in case of rain a roof top. The local skipper will take you through Amsterdam's canals and show you the most beautiful hidden places, while you can enjoy unlimited beer, soda, and wine.

The Dutch love their bicycles, and there’s no more authentic and sustainable way to explore the countryside than on two wheels. This small-group tour covers the Waterlands, countryside just outside Amsterdam, and visits one of the Netherlands’ few working windmills as well as scenic villages and dairy landscapes. The flat terrain and electric bicycles make this 10-mile (15-kilometer) adventure accessible for a range of fitness levels.

Discover Leiden’s city center, without having to keep up with a large tour group, with this interactive, self-guided scavenger hunt. Simply download the app onto your smartphone, and set off as you solve clues and play games that guide you around the city. A unique alternative to a traditional walking tour that you can stop and start as you please.

Head to Amsterdam Icebar Xtracold, where you’re treated to three complimentary drinks—while relaxing in a frosty bar where everything, even your drinking glass, is made of ice! Continue this totally ‘cool’ experience by taking a canal sightseeing cruise on a luxury glass-topped boat. It’s the best way to see Amsterdam’s top highlights.

Gain an authentic perspective of Amsterdam on a private bike tour of its rustic highlights, away from the hustle and bustle of the city center. Benefit from your native guide’s insights as you explore hamlets, castles, and even a cheese farm, and capture memorable snaps of scenic windmills and canals along the way.

Canoe the canals of Holland’s Waterland region at sunset on this 4-hour trip from Amsterdam. Travel with a guide to this rural area, and paddle past reed beds, meadows and picture-postcard villages. Savor the sound of birdsong and scents of wild flowers, glide through landscapes once painted by Rembrandt, and learn how the flat countryside was reclaimed from the sea. Take a swim if the weather allows, and finish with a picnic dinner overlooking a lake and the area’s wooden windmills. Numbers limited to 10 people for a small-group experience.

Explore one of the world's most bike-friendly cities like a local on this two-wheeled private tour of Amsterdam’s best sights. Covering lots of ground in a short time, this tour is perfect for getting to grips with cycling around the city and includes visits to some of Amsterdam's most important landmarks and interesting places.

Discover a new side of Amsterdam’s World War II history on this private bike tour. Meet your guide and get outfitted with a fully adjustable 7-gear bicycle before cruising along the Amstel River, passing sites like Holocaust memorials and the River Quarter, where Anne Frank grew up, and learning more about WWII and Anne Frank’s life from your guide than you ever would on your own.

Combine the freedom of independent travel with the structure of a guided tour on this well-planned self-driving tour through the beautiful Flower Bulb Region. Drive your electric vehicle yourself, guided by the pre-set GPS navigation. The audio guide will keep you company along the way, telling you interesting things about the nature and culture of the region. The full tour will take about three hours.

Get to know Arnhem better while having fun with your friends or family on a self-paced scavenger hunt. Follow the instructions through an app and solve puzzles and riddles that will lead you around the city. Pass many of Arnhem’s highlights so you get a good feel for the place. The whole activity takes a couple of hours but you can go at your own pace.

Paddle through Old Holland’s Waterland, home to traditional Dutch villages, on a canoe tour from Amsterdam. Enjoy the sound of birdsong and scents of wild plants; glide past reedbeds and weatherboarded villages, and hear about the region’s traditional way of life from your guide, who offers insight you won't find in the guidebook. Stop for a swim if the weather allows, and visit an island for a picnic of local produce. Numbers limited for a small-group experience that comes with plenty of personalized attention.

Head to the coast and experience the Dutch beach lifestyle on this private self-guided tour in a Renault Twizy electric vehicle. This 2-person, eco-friendly vehicle is the best way to get around and is small enough to park virtually anywhere. Follow the built-in GPS and listen to the audio guide as you pass coastal villages, nature, and sand dunes.

Explore the Wadden Sea islands on a full-day small-group tour from Amsterdam to the UNESCO World Heritage-listed islands in Holland. Look for seals, birds, and plant life as you travel around the islands by boat, stopping at the national park, a traditional village, and stunning beaches. Enjoy a meal of fresh seafood (own expense) and, if weather permits, enjoy a short hike on the mudflats.

Enjoy Amsterdam's sights and a classic high tea aboard this elegant saloon boat, which calls at all the attractions from the Anne Frank House to the Westerkerk, as you navigate the UNESCO-listed canals. The captain provides live commentary while the host serves tea, coffee, scones, finger sandwiches, and much more.

Don’t let windows obstruct your view of Amsterdam’s UNESCO-listed canals—instead, cruise the Dutch capital’s charming waterways on an open-air boat that promises unrivaled vistas of the waterfront architecture. Upgrade to include a craft cocktail to sip as you sail and relish being far from the land-based crowds for a more relaxed experience.

The sand drifts, forests, and grassy plains of the De Hoge Veluwe National Park lie just an hour from Amsterdam. On this tour, escape the city and get back to nature as you take in the park’s natural landscapes. Visit several viewpoints, have chance to hike or bike along the park’s trails, and look out for wildlife such as deer, wild boar, and mouflon. An optional drop-off at the Kröller-Müller Museum or Jachthuis Sint Hubertus Museum is also possible.

An ideal tour for foodies, this journey around Amsterdam’s canals focuses on local food and produce. Taste 6-7 Dutch delicacies and enjoy 4 drinks, including traditional favorites like bitterballen and real apple pie. Learn about the local history of the neighborhoods you visit, and cruise down canals in search of your next tasting, with plenty to see along the way.