STRAAT Museum redefines the gallery experience inside a spacious warehouse at Amsterdam’s NDSM wharf, reachable via a free ferry from Centraal Station. Inside, over 180 monumental works by 170 global artists (including Eduardo Kobra’s towering Anne Frank mural) were created on-site, preserving the spontaneity of outdoor graffiti. The raw, industrial space lets you watch artists at work during rotating exhibitions. Unlike traditional museums, STRAAT embraces street art’s rebellious roots: massive stencils by Banksy-esque provocateurs share space with hidden tags. The café serves gluten-free treats, and the gift store stocks affordable prints. Post-visit, explore NDSM’s open-air murals that blur the line between museum and street art.

Step back in time at Fort Macon State Park, home to a meticulously restored pre-Civil War fort that now serves as a museum, offering daily guided tours and frequent cannon and musket demonstrations. The park provides public access to the pristine beaches of the Crystal Coast, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, Beaufort Inlet, and Bogue Sound. Visitors can explore undisturbed natural salt marshes and estuaries vital to the coastal ecosystem.

The former Heineken Brewery in Amsterdam offers some 3,000 square metres of special exhibition space. Learn more about Heineken's rich history, the tradition and craft of brewing, and the people behind this multinational company in this monumental building located at the Stadhouderskade. Good to know: two drinks are included in the admission price.

The Singel Flower Market is one of Amsterdam’s most colourful attractions. The small shops are located inside a row of floating barges — a holdover from the days when the flowers arrived in Amsterdam every day from the countryside by boat. At the flower market you’ll find tulips of every colour, either in bouquets or as bulbs to plant at home. If you plan to buy bulbs to take out of the country, be sure they have a "customs cleared" stamp on the packet so you won’t have trouble at the border.