I haven't been to the zoo in a very, very long time, and my decision to visit this one was a bit of…read morea surprise. My plane arrived early in the day, so I got to my hotel well before the room was ready. I was able to stash my luggage in the housekeeping area until check-in, but what's to do with myself for five hours? Enter Artis. Located just had a block from my hotel, this was a natural choice. It's probably not exactly what you have in mind when you think of a zoo. Instead, it seems more like a giant, beautifully-maintained park full of gardens that happens to contain animal exhibits, a planetarium, playgrounds, and fun interactive things for kiddos and the young at heart. (I am DELIGHTED that the tulips are still going strong.) As soon as you enter the park, you pass through some absolutely lovely flowerbeds, complete with benches for basking in their beauty. From there, you have your choice: there are so many things to see and do! In addition to the habitats that have multiple layers of fencing (and/or moats, and/or electrical fences, and/or signs warning about sharp beaks, teeth, and claws--I'm looking at you, jaguar and griffin vulture), there are some habitats that let you get up close to the animals, too. There's a lemur zone, where the lemurs lounge in trees just next to the path. There are indoor areas where you can walk right through a primate habitat or bird habitat. There's a butterfly habitat! It's a real treat, and everywhere you go, there are helpful people ready to tell you the funny story about how a bad taxidermy job got the emperor tamirin its name or point out the adorable Pygmy marmoset hanging out right next to you. It really is a wonderful place, ideal for kids and adults, groups and singles, and anyone who loves nature. It's a really nice group of guests--everyone is kind, and people are happy to point out the bird that is hiding behind the bush or the frog that is in that rolled-up leaf, and the youngest guests get super excited when you point out the massive walking stick or the capybara that is taking a nap right next to the fence. I got lots of steps in and enjoyed every minute of it. Absolutely recommend.

Artis Zoo completely surprised me in the best way and ended up being one of my favorite experiences…read morein Amsterdam. From the moment you walk in, it feels less like a typical zoo and more like a beautifully designed park that just happens to be filled with animals. The grounds are stunning, with wide walking paths, old trees, and historic buildings that give it a really unique charm you don't usually get at zoos. The enclosures are thoughtfully done, and you can tell there's a real focus on animal care and creating natural environments. There's a great mix of animals too, from the big, iconic ones to smaller, more unique species that are just as interesting to watch. What really stood out was how peaceful it felt. Even with other visitors around, it never felt chaotic or overcrowded, which made it easy to take your time and actually enjoy each area. It's the kind of place where you can wander for hours without realizing how much time has passed. If you're visiting Amsterdam, I can't recommend Artis enough. It's the perfect mix of relaxing, interesting, and genuinely enjoyable -- whether you're into animals or just want a beautiful place to spend a few hours.

Geese! This was a petting zoo of sorts. They had geese, chickens, goats, and some other varieties…read moreof birds for kids to look at and walk around with. The small sand playground was great for our toddler. They had a very cool fire truck playscape with a slide. The park had comunal toys such as bikes, wheelbarrows, plastic ice cream cones, and shovels. There was one side lined in benches for parents to sit and watch the little ones run around. We didn't see any hours listed, so they kindly asked us to leave when they closed at 5:00 pm. I'm not sure what time they open.

Fantastic Park for little kids!…read more This park is great! We visited Amsterdam with our 7 year old son, and we saw a lot of history and culture. It was good to go to Amstelpark on a warm day and do all the little kid things. We biked to and through the park. We splashed in the big wadding pool, rode the small train through the park, tried to go to the petting zoo but it closes at 3pm (but we still saw some animals), my son played in the playgrounds, and rode on the little rides. He was so happy. (I would say 7 or 8 years old would be the oldest ages that would really enjoy this. Ideal for 3-6 year olds).

Absolutely beautiful park in the south corner of Amsterdam. Plenty of things to do for the kids as…read morewell as the adults. The zoo section is super fun alpacas, ponies, wombats and more. The year round jungle gym is great for the active ones too In the summer the kids park opens up where they have bumper cars, remote control boats, and lots of other fun things to play with.

On our last day in Amsterdam, we decided to come check out their botanical garden, and we are very…read morehappy that we did! This is a nature lover's paradise right here. They have endless plants, flowers, a butterfly sanctuary, and an on-site cafe and store. One part of the botanical garden right next to the cafe is under construction, but I don't remember what they are going to put there. I was able to block out the construction noise in my mind and enjoy the amazing nature the botanical garden had to offer. This was also the place where I learned that Amsterdam runs their monthly emergency tests at noon on the first Monday of each month. Hearing all the air raid sirens in a peaceful setting was really strange. We come from Las Vegas, a hot and dry climate where most flowers and plants nestled here won't be able to survive in. Seeing all these flowers alive and well in a climate where it doesn't get too hot was a great opportunity to admire. Also included was the biggest palm tree I've ever seen in my life, which is enclosed in a different sanctuary tucked away in the back of the garden. Also located behind the garden is a canal, where we saw a few ducks hanging around. Numerous birds, such as parrots, can also be found. After walking around the garden and admiring the plants and flowers, we stopped by their on site cafe for a quick lunch. My mom and I had their soup of the day, which was a tomato soup served with bread on the side, and my dad had their espresso and some sort of egg salad meal, I don't remember the exact name. The soup, though it was a light meal, was excellent and it paired well with the bread. Before we left, we checked out their store, where I picked up a shampoo bar, a conditioner bar, and a face bar. My parents also picked up some plantable pencils to plant back at home, though these may not survive for long after they're planted. Visiting the botanical gardens was a great way to wrap up our trip to Amsterdam and it was worth spending an hour or two here.

Beautiful place but it does have a pricey entrance fee…read more All in all worth it. I recommend taking a few bites of food and really just enjoying the outdoors. In the greenhouse it does get hotter naturally, but is well ventilated and isn't ever unbearable. Amazing plants, but only the most important ones had signs in English. A treat nonetheless. Saw the largest potted fern of my life, really amazing. 2 story greenhouse gives great views!

Overall rating: 4.6 Visiting from NYC…read more Wow, such a cool place! I was killing some time waiting to check-in to my hotel. Two floors, very digestible. They have an activity paired with each exhibit which is cool. I didn't understand it, but it was cool to watch others. Everyone was very friendly and informative. I learned a lot, but can't say I retained any knowledge. I highly recommend. Great solo, friends, on a date, any occasion.

My major in university was Microbiology and Immunology, so when I found out that there was a museum…read moreall about microorganisms in Amsterdam, of course I just had to go! A MUSEUM ABOUT MICROBIOLOGY, HOW COOL IS THAT?! The exhibits I particularly enjoyed were the Petri plates displaying colorful cultures and the glass sculptures of various microorganisms. We were in there for a couple of hours, but I could have easily stayed for another hour. Adult tickets were €17.50, although I got the student price of €10 since I still had a valid student ID. It was annoying how you had to select the date and time you wanted to go, although when we wanted to change the date due to a change in plans, it was no problem. Micropia is one of the more unique museums I have been to, and I loved it! Highly recommended! [Yelp collections: Europe 2024; Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Museums and Art Galleries]

We had Captain Andy for our evening canal tour - awesome experience!! Super funny and good size…read moregroup. Definitely ask your tour guide questions, it makes the ride funnier and more interesting.

Andy was a fantastic captain for our afternoon canal cruise! We did the "Strangers are gross"…read moreprivate tour and it was the perfect blend of historic info and natural banter and conversation. It felt more like a friend taking us out than a tour. Would 100% recommend to anyone.