Windmill De Rieker and other Amsterdam, Netherlands Off The Beaten Path Tips

Rent a bike and follow the Amstel out of town. In just a short while you'll leave the city proper and find yourself in the 'countryside' where you'll find the 'Windmill De Rieker'.
Built in 1636, it was designed to drain the polders (reclaimed low lying land). This windmill now serves as a family home.

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While riding along the Amstel River out of Amsterdam you'll see a couple windmills. This one is further out than the 'Windmill De Rieker' but still an easy bike ride just the same.

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De Otter Windmill is on the opposite side of Centraal Station than the DeGooyer Windmill (which contains the t'IJ Brewery/Pub).
You can find this windmill near the intersection of 2e Hugo De Groot and Gillis van Ledenberch. Get off tram #3 at Hugo de Groot and De Otter can be found just a few blocks west on the Kostverlorenvart. You're out of the historic center of A'dam here, you'll notice mostly newer buildings in the area.
When we visited in March '01 it appeared to be going through some sort of restoration and was fenced off. It looks like it will be real nice when finished.

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DeGooyer Windmill, here's a 2 for 1 deal for you. Visit a real windmill without leaving A'dam, and have a glass of the most potent beer brewed in town also.

't IJ Brewery and it's brew pub, IJ Proeflokaal, serves on tap several of its own beers. Try the Columbus, it's 9 percent alcohol - and really packs a kick.

This place gets very crowded with locals and in the know tourists. The afternoon we stopped in you could barely get in the door. We had to find a table in the basement (not much atmosphere here, but plenty of good people). Ended up comparing Dutch and American politics with a couple locals (who appeared to be feeling no pain)

Take trams 6 or 10 towards the Javaplein, get off around the Pontanus - you should be able to see the windmill from here, it's just a short walk. When returning you'll have to take either tram 6 or 7 (7 and 10 go in opposite directions here).

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Actually, I think this woman was hoping they'd put the pissoirs off the beaten path.
That's a pissoir just behind her in the picture. You can usually tell when one is nearby from the stench of urine in the air! Of course you might have stumbled into a favored location that doesn't actually have a pissoir nearby.

Sorry ladies, facilities for you aren't quite as convenient (or plentiful).

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