Amsterdam has an opinion of a rainy place, but to be honest last years are very warm and there are barely rainy days. The rainiest time of the year is winter. However, if you are in Amsterdam and it’s raining, don’t worry I put together a list of things you can do when the weather is pretty miserable.
On this
- TonTon Club
- Amsterdam Dungeon
- Banksy Exhibition
- Jump Square Amsterdam
- Stand Up Evening
- Pathe Tuschinski Cinema
- Traditional Dutch Brown Cafe
- Visit Irish Bar and Listen to Irish Music
- KattenCafeKopjes
- Visit Foodhallen
- Spend Some Time With Locals
- Hide in a Cafe
- Explore Unique Restaurants
- Heineken Experience – Explore Brewery
- Nemo Science Center
- Ripley’s Believe it or not
- Go Clubbing or Bar Crawl
- Glow in The Dark MiniGolf
- Micropia
- Anne Frank House
Below I talk more about these atracctions, so keep on reading and if you know another nice spot for a rainy day, please leave a comment in a section under the article.
1. Ton Ton Club
Having fun at TonTon Club is one of the coolest things you can do on a rainy day in Amsterdam.
What is TonTon Club about? There are old school arcade games, board games, from Pinball to Crysis, Pacman or Streetfighter and Air hockey.
You can count on unique food and good drinks. It’s a nice place for a date, but also to spend a good time with friends and relax. Prices are fair, you get 6 tokens for 5 Euro.
Location 1 :
TonTon Club West,
Polonceau-kade 27, 1014 DA AMSTERDAM
Location 2 :
TonTon Club Centrum
Sint Annendwarsstraat 6, 1012 HC Amsterdam
Check TonTon Club Website for current opening hours — Link Here
2. Amsterdam Dungeon
Amsterdam Dungeon together with Madame Tussauds are perceived by some people as a tourist trap. I visited both and I had a great time with my family and my girlfriend. There are some places I wouldn’t recommend you but these two are worth visiting.
Amsterdam Dungeon, as well as Madame Tussauds, are close to each other so you can explore both during one afternoon. You watch actors playing historical, scary and funny scenes. They try to do it as interactive as possible so for each performance they ask someone to take a part in a play.
I must admit that actors do a very good job. They get really well into their acting roles. The atmosphere is thrilling, actors speak perfect
Be aware that experience is very interactive and most probably you’ll be picked at least once 😉
3. Banksy Exhibition
I am sure you know Banksy, even if you don’t recognize his name, you’ve seen at one point his art. Banksy is a new age modern artist who brings a great value into this world, make people stop for a moment and think about life, why we do what we do, what’s right and what is wrong.
Banksy Exhibition in Moco Museum is something very unique. I am not into museums but this one is special. If you are familiar to Banksy and you like modern art, this is a place for you.On the entrance you can get an audio guide for as little as 2,5 Euro and its definitely very convenient.
As you see this is the only museum I put on this list. I think the Moco Museum and its Banksy exhibition is the most interesting one in Amsterdam. I would suggest you book tickets online, so you save some money and don’t waste time waiting in a queue. Banksy exhibition is open daily from 9 am to 7 pm.
4. Jump Square Amsterdam
Jump Square in Amsterdam is a huge hall, full of trampolines with 2400 square meter of jumping area. It’s an ultimate mix of sport and fun. You can play dodgeball, trampoline basketball, big air bag, high-performance area, fun area or just enjoy jumping. After exercise there is a little bar and you can get something to eat.
You may think that only kids visit Jump Square but nothing further from the truth. There are people of all ages visiting Jump Square.
Prices
Prices are decent. For 30 minutes session, you pay 7.99 Euro per person. (By the way, a half hour is enough for you to get totally exhausted) For 1 hour of jumping, you must pay 12.99 Euro. If you come with
Check Jump Square website for current opening hours – Link Here
5. Stand Up Evening
Amsterdam is a standup, storytelling and gigs Mekka. There is something happening daily and performers trully know what they do. Today I am planning to go to Mezrab for an open mic Storytelling Night. There is always something to do and below I am share my favorite spots and websites where you can check current plan.
Among my favorite stand up venues in Amsterdam are:
- Mezrab
- Boom Chicago
- Comedy Embassy
Mezrab
I would call this place the house of stories. Mezrab is a spot with an exceptional atmosphere where employees work for free, there is always a mother soup, prices are very competitive and you feel just like at home. Entrance is most of the time free, donation based. When being in Mezrab you just feel that
Boom Chicago
Boom Chicago located in Jordan district is the heart of Amsterdam’s standup. In 2018 it turned it’s 25 anniversary so still you can enjoy there standups, improvisations, in general – live performance. Check their Facebook Profile.
Comedy Embassy
In comedy Embassy you can meet comedians from all over the world. What’s cool not only about comedy embassy but about all these spots, entrance is cheap. It’s ideal for students and expats.
Ok, above you can see my favorite standup venues in Amsterdam and on this website you can read a current weekly show plan.
6. Pathe Tuschinski Cinema
They say it’s the most beautiful cinema in the world. I don’t know others which are as cool as this one. It’s definitely a place to go when Amsterdam is rainy and you don’t really want to spend time outdoors. Keep in mind that you want to book a pic in a big screening room. Small ones are not that cool and this big one is EPIC! 😀
The cinema is almost 100 year old. It was built by immigrant from Poland and opened in 1921.
Pathe Tuschinski is located just next to Rembrandtplein, close to Mcdonald. You can take a tram from a central station and you get almost in the front of the cinema. After movie you can get some good burger on the other side of the street ( BurgerBar – blue and red logo )
7. Traditional Dutch Brown Cafe
What is a Dutch Brown Cafe? Here you can learn about Traditional Dutch Cafe. I have written an article about them. But in short Brown Cafe is a bar, where locals meet, eat some snacks, have a beer, play billiard. In Amsterdam, there is more than 500 of them. Each of these cafes has its special atmosphere and some of them were established in the 1600s.
Here is a list of my favorite Brown Cafes in Amsterdam
CAFE CHRIS, CAFÉ INT AEPJEN, CAFE DE WETERING, CAFE HOPPE, DE ZOTTE, CAFÉ DE DOKTER, ARENDSNEST, GOLLEM
8. Visit Irish Bar and Listen to Irish Music
That’s what I like in the evening. Some of these bars are open even from 9 am and it’s fine. You can eat there a full Irish Breakfast and enjoy an Irish Music. But what’s the best about these bars is a live music and that’s what you can experience in the evening.
My favorite spot for Irish music in Amsterdam is bar The Mulligans located 3 minutes away from Rembrandtplein. There you can listen to live music up to 4 days a week. Check upcoming events on their website – link here.
The Mulligans is pretty small bar, so be sure that you come early and you reserve a table. There is some space upstairs but basically you see nothing and it’s too warm. Just come early. If you would like to learn about other Irish Bars in Amsterdam here is another article I have written – LINK HERE
9. KattenCafeKopjes
KattenCafeKopjes is a very interesting, pretty new spot in Amsterdam. If you like animals, especially cats this is a place for you to go.
You pay 3 Euro for entrance and you can spend 2 hour in the cafe. Before you enter a venue you get a short lecture teaching you the rules. There are 9 cats walking around and you drink a coffee and eat a vegan red velvet cake. That’s how it goes! Interested? Learn more from their website – LINK HERE
10. Visit Foodhallen
Foodhallen ( De Hallen ) is an amazing spot but be aware that it can be often packed, so I don’t recommend to go there during the weekend or on a sunny day. The best time for you to go there is during the week – not in
It’s a cool place with many different little bars. Everyone finds there something tasty. In the center, there is a big seating area and around there are little Foodtruck like restaurants. You can choose from burgers, a Mexican food, seafood, steaks, vegetarian food, nachos, hotdogs, dumplings. You find also vegan, glutenfree and lactose-free food there.
Food in Foodhallen is in moderate prices. You can find something on bugdet but also expensive bites.
11. Spend Some Time With Locals
There is a website called withlocals.com I always recommend
Below I mention a few withlocals rainy day tours you may be interested in:
Culinary Journey in a Designer’s Home: Middle Eastern Flavors
From Local Market to Kitchen Cooking Workshop
Private Cheese & Wine Tasting in a Canal House
Authentic Dutch Treats: Bites & Tastings
12. Hide in a Cafe
Coffee is the only addiction, we all agree we don’t need to fight with. If coffee would disappear from the world, everything would immediately stop. At least for me, I love coffee, not only because it makes my brain wake up, but I like a taste, smell, and atmosphere of drinking coffee in a cafe.
Amsterdam is a great places when it comes to cafes. Don’t confuse cafes with coffeeshops. In Coffeeshops you smoke weed, and of course you can drink coffee, but if you just want a coffee and maybe an apple pie than you go to cafe.
Amongs my favorite Cafes in Amsterdam there are: Back to Black, Coffee and Coconuts, Lot Sixty one and Trakteren.
Of course there is much more than this but these are my favorite. You don’t really need to search for these particular cafes. Just walk around Amsterdam and find a cafe with a nice view so you can stare through the window on passing by people 😉 That’s at least what I do when I don’t write my blog.
13. Explore Unique Restaurants
Most probably when you visit Amsterdam you book a hotel with breakfast only, so going to a restaurant is just something you do every day. But I would like to mention a few restaurants that I like a lot and maybe some of them will be interesting for you.
Amongst my favorite restaurants in Amsterdam are:
Taqueria Tacobar, Spaghetteria, The Vegan Junk Food Bar,
D’Juice House Amsterdam, Meat&Greek, Peperwortel
Check also my article about The Best Vegan and Vegetarian
14. Heineken Experience – Explore Brewery
I wasn’t very excited about visiting Heineken Experience… You know, its one of the most touristic spot in Amsterdam, but… My father-in-law was visiting us and because he likes beer we went for a brewery tour.
To make it short and sweet – we’ve got drunk and it was fun ;p
We both enjoyed this experience. It’s full of interactive things to do. At the end of the tour, you can drink a cold Heineken and chill. There were some people leaving brewery without drinking and they were giving us their free beer coins. Yup.. ^^
15. Nemo Science Center
Nemo is a science center located nearby the central station in Amsterdam. It’s a great experience not only for children but also for adults.
If you are planning a visit to Nemo you may need a whole day. If you really want to enjoy and take the time you need 5 hours. It’s like a huge playground with a bunch of various exhibitions such as
Sensational Science, Water World, Journey through the mind or Science Throughout the Ages. There are 4 floors and on each of them are interactive attractions.
What’s cool and fun in the summertime, its rooftop is accessible for the public, so you can just lay on the top of this building and relax.
Entrance to Nemo Science Cener costs 17,50 euro but for of age 0 – 3 it’s free. When you have Museum card or Iamsterdam card, entrance is free.
16. Ripley’s Believe It Or Not
Ripley’s Believe It or Not is a quite new attraction in Amsterdam. It was opened in 2016 and since than it’s invicibly cool. I am not really into museums but this one is fun.
Ripley’s should be also on the list of “weird things to do” Definitely this museum is something exceptional. There is a 5-dimensional cinema, bizarre attractions, World Guinness records, weird art, for example, you can sit in a giant wooden shoe or stand just next to the tallest person in the world.
Tickets costs 21 Euro and children ticket is 13 Euro. If you get an early bird ticket you pay as little as 10 Euro but you must come between 9 and 9:30. It’s located on the Dam Square, very easy to find.
17. Go Clubbing or Bar Crawl
Let’s go to some party!! Amsterdam is a great place for evening adventures. Doesn’t matter if you like clubs, live music bars, sports bars or strip clubs. Everyone finds something they like.
There is a bunch of cool places to go. I would suggest you go to few places, and don’t stay in one club all night long. Below I put links to my other articles where I mention The Best clubs, bars etc. Enjoy!
Best Bars in Amsterdam
Best Clubs in Amsterdam
Where Do Students Party in Amsterdam?
Red Light District
If you are into partying maybe you’ll be interested in my
18. Glow in The Dark MiniGolf
Glow in The Dark MiniGold is one of these weird, funny but cool experiences. If you’ve never done it before and the weather outside is “Dutch” than it’s
Maybe golf doesn’t sound very interesting, but this one is something totally different. There are such vivid colors and they give you
This Glow in The Dark Experience is located at Prins Hendrikkade 194, 1011 TD Amsterdam. It’s just in between Nemo and ARTIS Zoo.
19. Micropia
This is another cool museum in Amsterdam. Micropia is all about this micro life on our planet. Visiting this exhibition you will learn about microbes and their role in our daily life. Even if you are not into science it just looks cool and sometimes it can be a little bit surprising.
Even though it may be sometimes scary, it’s a great experience for adults and for kids. It is one of the best science museums I have ever visited. This place makes you look at the world around you in a different way, and thanks to this you learn a lot. It’s a valuable experience I can 100% recommend. It’s a science museum but everything is presented in a fun way, so nobody gets bored.
When you buy a ticket for ARTIS Zoo you can get a combined ticket for Micropia at a lower price. How much time do you need in Micropia? I would say that 2 hours are just perfect. Micropia is a part of ARTIS Zoo.
20. Anne Frank House
Anne Frank House is a memorial of our past mistakes. Little Anne was a Jew 15-year-old girl running away from Nazis. Her family hid in Amsterdam and they were living on the back of this small house for 2 years before they were found and sent to a concentration camp where Anne was killed. It’s a very important history lesson, a great example for humanity and I hope it won’t ever happen again.
I encourage all of you to read a Anne Frank’s Diary. It’s originally written by her during German occupation. I strongly believe that each of us should read books like that so we never make the same mistakes again.
Anne Frank House is often packed but it’s worth visiting. The demand is high so tickets are sold only Online to manage visitors. You can buy tickets here.
Tips and Tricks
Visit Less Popular Spots –> Famous locations are going to be packed because of the rain and you won’t avoid crowds.
Check BuienRadar – This is a Dutch website that shows very accurate weather forecast. Follow the link to check if it is going to rain today.
