Amsterdam for stoners?

June 25, 2008 8:26 AM

Amsterdam for stoners?

Please recommend your favorite cafes, hash bars, head shops, and other destinations for bud enthusiasts in Amsterdam. Also, especially fun things to do in Amsterdam whilst baked?

posted by anonymous to sports, hobbies, & recreation (14 comments total)

Cafe Goa is a bit quieter and less touristy than some of the other coffee shops.
posted by rottytooth at 8:34 AM on June 25, 2008

I liked The Rookies coffee shop, although it's somewhat touristy.

Also it's important to note that places called coffee shops are for buying and smoking weed. Places that are called cafes are just for coffee and tea and such.
posted by ludwig_van at 8:41 AM on June 25, 2008

My mate drew wrote this guide - a few years ago, mind, but some of them are probably still open.
posted by handee at 8:55 AM on June 25, 2008

My favourite coffeeshop, is alas also just about the smallest - The Grey Area - the AK47 there was awesome. Think I had blueberry last time I was over and it was possibly even better.

Apart from that, once stoned we wound up going to various exhibitions and such. Nothing better than a good art exhibition or terrifying old house* when high.


*That is, the Amstelkring, a chapel in the attic of a house, from when they were having to hide their services. The best bit was the miracle that occurred in the town - to put it bluntly, a small child sicked up some biscuit, and they proclaimed it to be a miracle. They then all marched through the town for days on end. I mean, if the wafer had been sicked up, on fire, and then spoken to them, fine... But he sicked up some damn wafer!
posted by opsin at 9:16 AM on June 25, 2008

Great question. My advice: Don't buy the first buds you see. Shop around a bit. You will see tons of amazing greenery in Amsterdam and the first, second, or third samples that catch your eye will not be the best- this I promise. Keep in mind that most cafes sell it based on a certain quantity for a standard price- that is, 20 euro will get you 2 grams of strain X but only 1 gram of strain Y. I'd steer clear of the joints they sell in the cafes- you can get decent bud that way but most of the spliff will be pretty cheap tobacco. Back when I smoked nicotine I enjoyed twisting some roll-up in with my greens, but you have to use good, moist, tasty tobacco for it to be any good. If you prefer rolling your spliffs with the non-wacky weed, I'd recommend grabbing a pouch of good tobacco at any tobacconist (I prefer American Spirit personally) and rolling your own.

The best way to experience this part of the culture would be if you're traveling with a group. That way everybody can buy their own gram/what-have-you of a different strain, and everybody can take turns rolling it up. If you're going alone or with a partner, your best bet for sampling may be to grab your own sample or two and hang out for a bit in your hostel's common area- you'll meet tons of friendly people who will love to twist one up with you. It's fun.

As far as activities go, Amsterdam has one of the best international food scenes in Europe (that I visited), so I highly recommend checking out an Indian or Thai place if you have any such proclivities. You will not be disappointed. The Van Gogh museum is amazing, and Vondelpark is a must.
posted by baphomet at 9:16 AM on June 25, 2008

I missed the more inside... so here are a few more things to do in Amsterdam whilst baked:

The beguinhof is worth a visit, it's just a quiet corner, but has a very meditative atmosphere: Beguinhof photos on flickr. The aforementioned "church in a house" is very cool. Just strolling around the canals and flower market can be great.

If you're there on a Saturday morning, go to the street market on Albert Cuyp street and have some fresh Stroopwaffel (waffles with hot toffee in - just divine). The market is good fun for people watching, too.

The Pianola Museum is a gem of a place - it's basically two rooms stuffed floor to ceiling with player pianos, run by an elderly bloke who'll show you around and stick on whatever music you fancy (as long as it's on a player piano). pianola museum link. That was one of the oddest places we visited during our recent stay.
posted by handee at 9:32 AM on June 25, 2008

The greenhouse is always a favorite of mine, I've not been in a couple of years and when I did it was pretty packed, but the coffee's cheap and the atmosphere's nice, great place to spark up with friends.

Another place I loved if you're into hallucinogenics (or just good herbal tea's) would be the "conscious dreams" head shop. I had a box of hawaiian mushrooms from there last time I was over that made the world a very beautiful place indeed, and me and my associates spent many a happy morning drinking tea and discussing our plans for the trip in the seating area at the back.

Also, if you want to spend eight euro's on being rocked to sleep while extremely stoned then I recommend the boat tours, my last group regretted taking one because it literally killed us all we were so caned, but if you're interesting in seeing the sights then I've really enjoyed the tours in the past when I was in a more appropriate state.
posted by emperor.seamus at 10:38 AM on June 25, 2008

Rokerij was fun, if a bit hipsterish .
posted by wayward vagabond at 10:46 AM on June 25, 2008

Whatever you do, don't go to the Anne Frank museum.
posted by aereoperro at 11:19 AM on June 25, 2008

I liked Barney's Breakfast Bar and Dampkring. That was some years ago, not sure if they are still around. Other names I remember: Abraxas, Siberie, and Noon.

The houseboat where I stayed was near the Amsterdamse Bos Park, so I spent a day there, ah, contemplating the daisies. That was fun.
posted by medeine at 11:52 AM on June 25, 2008

Quoting from my response to another Amsterdam question:

"Maybe rent a bike and then try to get lost. The most fun I had in A'dam was just wandering around, getting lost and found. The city is built in semi-circular rings of canals fanning out from centraal station. Hours of fun can be had playing the left-left-right game: You just drive your bike (or walk) and turn left at the first intersection you come across, then left at the next, then right, and repeat. :) If you get really lost, stop into the closest pub, order "een biertje", and chat with the staff."
posted by stungeye at 12:38 PM on June 25, 2008

Electric Ladyland: Museum of Fluorescent Art is pretty fun, and Paradox isn't too far (and is quiet and chilled with good food).

Nescafe is a very laid back coffeeshop with a liquor license, on Nes.

A picnic in Vondelpark on a sunny day is a thing of joy.

If it's your first time there the Van Gogh Museum and the Rijksmuseum are a must, and I recommend a walking tour of the old city, such as this one. You can always stop at the coffeeshops you see along the way, and there are many, such as Hill Street Blues which has an awesome picture window overlooking the canal.

2nding Barneys - great for a big fry-up breakfast followed by a digestif.

posted by goo at 1:00 PM on June 25, 2008

Tweede Kamer for the hash, Dutch Flowers for the weed, Gollum for the beer
posted by hardcode at 2:11 PM on June 26, 2008

Amnesia, out towards Jordaan and not far from Anne Frank House is slightly off the beaten track for tourists and seems to be mainly frequented by locals, which can only be a good sign. They grow their own rather than buy the mass-produced stuff that you'll find in most other places, and it's of an extremely good quality too.
posted by anagrama at 1:47 PM on June 27, 2008