we just departed amsterdam and WOW. this may be our new fave destination. the beautiful old buildings along the canals are beyond charming. the humans ate insanely good meals & if you aren’t a meat eater or if avoid dairy / gluten it’s still extremely easy to find amazing food. we loved the museums, the parks & the vibe. plus the city was super dog friendly! all that said, amsterdam def requires some planning so you don’t end up with the impression that all of amsterdam is a party city filled with drugs & the red light district ( no judgement if that’s your thing tho!).
check out our tips for flying with your dog & the scoop on international travel.
STAY
this hotel gets a full bean endorsement. no pet fees and super duper dog friendly - they included a dog guide for info on friendly bars, restaurants, pet stores & even vet info! they also provided me with a luxe dog bed, bowls & poop bags. if you aren’t familiar with the hoxton hotels, expect a chill but trendy vibe. it definitely caters to a “type”. almost everyone checking in had away luggage and the lobby/ bar/ restaurant was filled with young professionals on their macbooks. that said, we would totally recommend the hotel to anyone - the atmosphere is not off putting or pretentious and the front desk team was delightful. do expect to carry your own bags to your room though and note there may be some stairs involved!
the location was perfect, tucked into a picturesque canal in central amsterdam close to the great shopping and restaurants in 9 streets & jordaan. amsterdam is totally walkable. the humans trekked across from museumplein back to the hotel (about an hour walk) and it was great. the human bed was super comfy and the bathroom was spacious. the humans chose a room that was on the smaller side & did not face the canals, but we were really only in the room to nap, change, shower & sleep. the hotel delivers fresh juice, bananas to your room each morning. super useful for powering up before heading out for the day! we’d absolutely stay here again.
bonus: our fave stroopwafel shop was around the corner.
EAT
because we traveled in june, we were lucky enough to be able to eat outside a lot and therefore, i was able to dine with my humans us most of the time. some restaurants the humans have included are NOT dog friendly, but i love having some down time to nap, so it’s OK by me.
just enjoying a unicorn cupcake at pluk.
pluk:
do it for the ‘gram! this breakfast/ lunch spot is adorable & the food & baked goods are super photogenic - but also tasted great. we loved how easy it was to skip the dairy (hello oat milk!!) and the fruit bowls were phenom. i did eat inside with the humans and no one said anything - not sure this place is dog friendly, but definitely isn’t opposed to well behaved, silent dogs. one location has outdoor seating.
don’t worry, i didn’t really eat this. but the humans did!
our faves were the classic & the salted caramel. make sure to ask for them to prepare yours fresh. a warm stroop is the best!
chic dog friendly outdoor seating, young and cool crowd and good food.
they even have lady human’s fave: oat milk!
we happened to exit our uber right in front of matcha mafia and lady human LOVES her matcha, but this chic, instagrammable spot won skeptical man human over too! the drinks are amazing and don’t miss out on the baked goods. this spot is super walkable from museumplein, so if you need some caffeine after hitting up the museums, this is your spot. also, the neighborhood de pijp is super cool and the restaurants and bars over in that area all looked really fantastic.
if you only have one apple pie on your trip, make this the stop. super pup friendly and the humans report the apple pie is absolutely amazing. they even gave me a tiny taste of apple! be sure to look in the kitchen and see how all the apples are peeled and cored.
NOT dog friendly, but the humans say it worth having your pup nap at the hotel while you enjoy. this restaurant in a gorgeous greenhouse is on every foodies list. the humans were skeptical given how hyped up it was, but we had an excellent meal and would absolutely go back! note: this is a prixe fix multi-course menu and you will need to reserve way in advance. lunch reservations are easier to get.
NOT dog friendly, but was probably the humans’ favorite meal of the trip. this restaurant is right near the river and housed on the top floor of a building filled with artists studios. the food was amazing. when reserving (which is a must well in advance), you can specify any food preferences or allergies and your server will be mindful and provide alternatives.
DO
a canal tour: rederij paping
we booked a private tour with dog friendly rederij paping and it was perfect. our guide marc, also the owner, showed us the entire city by boat. he was warm, generous and even stopped for some cookies mid tour! seeing amsterdam by water is an absolute can’t miss.
parks: the parks in Amsterdam are gorgeous so be sure to save time (and energy) to stroll and relax. our: vondelpark
wander: You’ll know when you are getting to the more touristy part of town when you see big crowds and the buildings get larger - some parts were cute, but mostly would not recommend for eating or hanging out. stick with9 streets, jordaan, museumplein and de pijp for good bars, food, cute canals and beautiful parks.
museum picks (not dog friendly!)
rijkmuseum: the major museum for the Dutch masters. the building is beautiful and the gardens outside have places to sit, snack and works of art that shouldn’t be missed. buy tix in advance and skip the very, very long lines.
van gough museum: not only does the museum have some of the most iconic Van Gough paintings, it does a great job of telling his life story, exploring his relationships to other artists and providing context for his art.
MoCo: the humans LOVED this museum and if you like contemporary art, you will too. it’s a quirky, fun building and you can get through the whole thing in about an hour, so it’s great for anyone who prefers a short museum experience. the humans went during the banksy exhibit and had never seen so many works of his art in one place!
SHOP
we found this super cute dog fashion boutique while strolling and it’s a must for anyone with a pet. we didn’t make any purchases but the store had upscale pet brands like Louisdog and some stuff we’d never seen before.
this store is insane in the best possible way. Even if you aren’t in the market for a glitter unicorn patch army jacket, pop by and put a coin in the dancing stuffed animal machines. We loved it here!
vegan, sustainable, organic and CHIC. lady and man human did some major damage here.
mens, women’s and home. super cool stuff!