This post covers many of the great activities you can do in Amsterdam during July 2024, including several family-friendly, nighttime, and free things to do.
For other ideas, check out our post covering the best things to do in Amsterdam.
For even more fun activities, make sure to check the following posts:
Don’t forget that a lot of the best attractions are included at no extra cost with Amsterdam Tourist Attraction Passes.
We also have a post on the weather in July in Amsterdam.
TOP 10 ACTIVITIES AND ATTRACTIONS IN JULY
The following list provides several fun activities you can enjoy in Amsterdam this June, including concerts, tours, festivities, sporting events, popular summer activities, and more.
1. See a Concert
This July several notable musicians will be performing in Amsterdam.
Concerts
- Lenny Kravitz | July 1
- Taylor Swift | July 4, 5, 6
- Pink | July 10, 11
Festivals
- Royal Park Live 2024 | The Regent's Park | July 4-14
- Guilty Pleasure Festival | Gaasperplas Amsterdam | July 6
- North Sea Jazz Fest 2024 | Ahoy, Rotterdam | July 12-14
- Dekmantal Festival 2024 | various Amsterdam locations | July 26-August 4
- No Art Festival | Flevopark, Amsterdam | July 27
2. Take a Canal Cruise
There’s rarely a bad time to take a cruise through the canals of Amsterdam, but the summer is an especially nice time of the year for this activity.
You can choose from several different types of excursions including hop on hop off cruises, dinner cruises, evening cruises, and more.
If you’re interested in exploring the city and seeing it from the water, this is an excellent way to discover Amsterdam.
For more information about all the different options and how to save money on them, please read our post covering the best Amsterdam Canal Cruises.
3. Dance at the Milkshake Festival
The annual Milkshake festival is a "dance heaby rave utopia" with 9 stages playing many genres of music.
It takes place around Pride Amsterdam and welcomes all who are open to personal expression.
Milkshake Festival 2024 takes place at Wasterpark Amsterdam from July 27-28.
4. Enjoy the Over het IJ Festival
This 34 year old cultural festival pulls artists, performers, and audiences together for 4 days each July.
There's music, theatre, and performing arts to be absorbed and enjoyed, along with food and drink. Needing to know Dutch is not necessary enjoying the events.
Performances take place at various locations on the Amsterdam-Noord wharf (former shipyard) and throughout Amsterdam.
Visit the Over Het IJ Festival from July 11-14.
5. Take a Sightseeing Tour
Here are just a few tours you may want to consider taking this July.
- Amsterdam City Center
- Red Light District
- Alternative Amsterdam
- Amsterdam Food Tours
- Amsterdam Pub Crawls
While a lot of tours will require a ticket, there are some free tours and audio guides you can take which will make it easier to save some money.
We have a list of pay-what-you-like tours here that you can take.
6. Free Open Air Theatre at Vondelpark
From May - September, Vondelpark hosts free open-air performances, comedy, dance, and musical concerts.
Shows take place every weekend on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Shows are typically aimed at a family audience, and some are specifically intended for a youth audience.
Check the Vondelpark Open Air Theater program for shows and schedules.
TIP: most hop-on hop-off bus tours include a stop at Vondelpark, making it easy to get here even if you’re visiting from out of town.
7. Go on a Food Tour
There’s a lot of great food to eat in this city, but if you’re looking for the best dishes, you may want to consider taking an Amsterdam Secret Food Tour.
As you wander around the city and discover some of the best places and meals to eat, your guide will provide information about the history of Dutch food and its place in Amsterdam’s culture.
This tour covers 6 different stops and provides at least 6-7 different samples including Stroopwafels, Dutch cheeses, fresh Herring, and several other Amsterdam staples such as Poffertjes and kibbeling.
In addition to the food, you’ll also have the opportunity to enjoy at least one glass of local beer or Jenever (Dutch Gin).
You can also purchase an upgraded drinks package for even more drink options.
Read more here or purchase tickets for the Amsterdam Secret Food Tour.
8. Wasteland Summerfest
This fantasy festival's 2024 theme is post apocalyptic. One can expect to see all guests dressed according to theme.
The event itself offers "circus performances, fire shows, dancers, contortionists and much more"
There will also be DJs, food trucks, a circus tent, and kuve nysuc oerfirnances,
Wasteland Summerfest takes place at Kaap Amsterdam on July 6.
9. Save Money With a Tourist Attraction Pass
If you’re planning to visit at least 4-5 popular attractions per day while in the city, you could save 50% or more off general admission prices simply by using an Amsterdam tourist attraction pass.
Amsterdam tourist attraction passes provide access to dozens of activities, museums, tours, historic locations, and more for one flat price.
You'll get skip-the-line privileges at several attractions!
There are multiple passes to choose from which include several fun things to do including the following examples
- Hop on Hop off Bus Tours
- Hop on Hop off Canal Cruises
- The Heineken Experience
- Rembrandt House Museum
- Ripley’s Believe it or Not!
- The Amsterdam Dungeon
- Van Gogh Museum
- Stedelijk Museum
- Madame Tussauds
- Rijksmuseum
- Body Worlds
- And more!
For additional information on how to use these services and which one will save you the most money, please read our post covering Amsterdam tourist passes.
10. Celebrate Pride Park
Head to Vondelpark for the Pride Park Festival.
With a Pride walk, Sport Pride, open air theatre, Rainbow Market, Youth Pride, and mainstage performances, there's so much to take part in.
Join over 7,000 attendees for the annual Pride Park Festival taking place July 27, 2024.
11. Take a Sightseeing Tour
Here are just a few tours you may want to consider taking this July.
- Amsterdam City Center
- Red Light District
- Alternative Amsterdam
- Amsterdam Food Tours
- Amsterdam Pub Crawls
While a lot of tours will require a ticket, there are some free tours and audio guides you can take which will make it easier to save some money.
We have a list of pay-what-you-like tours here that you can take.
12. Discover the Best Beer in Amsterdam
Heineken beer is brewed in the Netherlands and one of the most popular tourist attractions in Amsterdam is the tour known as the Heineken Experience which is included with some tourist passes.
If you’re looking to learn even more about the various brews in this part of the world, consider taking a Craft Beer & Brewery Tour instead.
Whether you want to learn about your favorite beer or just discover the best craft brews in the city, there’s plenty to do – and drink – in Amsterdam!
13. Attend the Keti Koti Festival
This annual festival commemorates the abolition of slavery in the Netherlands Antilles and Suriname, both former Dutch colonies.
The name Keti Koti is symbolic of the end of slavery because it means "broken chains."
You'll find live concerts, a procession in traditional clothing, and a commemoration at a slavery monument.
All of this takes place on July 1st at Oosterpark.
14. Explore the Red Light District
This is one of Amsterdam’s most famous neighborhoods. Despite its name, the Red Light District is more than just a legal sex-worker district.
It also has art museums, a great food scene, and lovely architecture.
Though not for everyone, the Red Light District can be an eye-opening experience.
Learn more about what you can do in the district from our detailed post on Amsterdam’s Red Light Distric
15. Take a Bus Tour
If you are looking for a quick way to see a lot of the city, a hop-on hop-off bus tour is a great option.
Also, if July temperatures are too warm for you, tour buses are air-conditioned!
16. Sit by the water
There are a number of places to sit near the water in Amsterdam.
Ijburg Strand | Blijburg aan Zee can be reached by tram 26 (end of the line) – a real sandy beach on the Ij water.
Strand West | City beach pavilion located at Stavangerweg 900 in west Amsterdam near Houthavens (Westerpark).
Strand Zuid | City beach pavilion located at Europaplein 22 near Beatrixplein and RAI.
Real beaches at Zandvoort or Bloemendaal | are great to watch the sunset and have a meal on a summer evening.
NEMO Terrace | Chill on the roof of the NEMO Science Museum (at Oosterdok 2) with cool views of Amsterdam.
17. Go for a Bike Ride
Amsterdam is incredibly bike-friendly and one can get anywhere in the city by bike. The bike lanes are about as popular as the roads are!
Whether you want an easy means of transportation or want to live like a local, consider renting a bike for at least a day.
For those traveling with children, be sure to rent a bakfiets so they can also come along for the ride. Find out more about renting a bike in Amsterdam.
TIP: If you have bags w ith you and need to store them for a few hours while you go for a bike ride, see our post on convenient and safe bag storage locations.
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