Amsterdam is one of our favorite cities in the world and it also happens to be the capital of our own country. For us it is always an easy and fun city trip. So also recently when we discovered Amsterdam in a completely different way from the A’DAM LOOKOUT.

This blog was written by travel writer and Traveltomtom team member Ashley. She was invited to visit and explore the A’dam Tower on behalf of Traveltomtom, and wrote this blog about her experiences.

A’DAM Tower

The A’DAM LOOKOUT is located on top of the A’DAM Tower in Amsterdam North. The lookout is the crown on the A’DAM Tower, the iconic building across the water from the Central Station. It’s located right next to the Eye Film Institute. The tower and the lookout are very easily accessible, even though they are separated from the rest of the city by the IJ.

You can reach A’DAM LOOKOUT by taking the free ferry F3 (to Buiksloterweg) from behind the central station, followed by a short walk along the IJ waters to the main entrance. This free ferry runs 24 hours a day, every 4 to 6 minutes. Even if you miss the ferry, it’s just a short wait for the next one.

The A’DAM tower is a multifunctional building. In addition to the lookout, you will find a chic restaurant, a hotel, meeting rooms and workspaces. There are also a number of companies located in the A’DAM tower, such as Sony Music.

360° Sky deck

After you have bought your tickets downstairs at the entrance, you will go up with a special elevator. Look up in the elevator, because a real light show is taking place. Very cool! Once you get to the top, you will want to go straight to the sky deck, where you have incredibly beautiful views of Amsterdam and surroundings.

There are signs everywhere with information about what you can see in that direction. Give your eyes a good treat and have a good look around.

Personally I think the best view is towards the city itself, where you can see ‘Amsterdam’ written in large letters on the roof of the central station. Very awesome! Try to spot the historical city centre, the famous canals and characteristic Dutch polder landscape. 

Swing Over The Edge

This swing is what made us very interested and excited about the A’DAM LOOKOUT. How special is it to swing with an unobstructed view of the city of Amsterdam at a height of 100 meters and actually swing over the edge. Pretty cool to know that Over The Edge is Europe’s highest swing.

This is absolutely something for all daredevils and thrill seekers out there. I will honestly admit that I thought, we’ll just do that swinging. But once we were sitting down I got the creeps. It is one of the scarier things we have done. But looking back at it now, it is really cool. Swinging with such a view over ‘our’ capital, unforgettable.

Find more amazing things to do in our complete guide of the best places to visit in Netherlands.

Panorama Restaurant & Rooftop Bar

After enjoying the amazing view and perhaps pushing your limits while swinging, it’s time for a well-deserved snack and drink. At the top of the A’DAM LOOKOUT you will find the Panorama Restaurant. This restaurant offers a wide range of lunch, snacks and drinks. Of course, you are always assured of the best views of the city here. On the sky deck you will also find the Rooftop Bar. This is open for drinks.

Amsterdam VR Ride

Another cool attraction you can do when you are at the top of the A’DAM LOOKOUT is the exciting VR ride. Sit down, put on your glasses and enjoy an exhilarating ride. In this VR Experience you are in a roller coaster that goes right through Amsterdam. A truly unique way to experience Amsterdam and certainly a fun addition to the A’DAM LOOKOUT.

Souvenir shop

When you have seen everything above, you can take the elevator back down. When you go down, you will see another light show in the elevator, so pay attention again! Before you walk outside, you first walk through the souvenir shop. Take a good look around, because there are nice products and gifts to get here.

Tickets

Then it’s time for perhaps the most important information, because what does a morning or afternoon at A’DAM LOOKOUT actually cost? The regular ticket to go up the A’DAM LOOKOUT costs €18.50 ($20 USD). This only gives you access to the sky deck and you can enjoy the amazing views. For only €7.50 you can add the swing Over The Edge. For €7.50 ($8 USD) you can add the VR ride as well.

If you know in advance that you want to do the swing and the VR ride, it is better to buy a combination ticket. The best option is to buy the LOOKOUT + Thrill (Swing + Amsterdam VR Ride) ticket. This includes everything for €27.50 ($30 USD)

In addition to these two tickets, there are various other combination tickets available on their website. Access in combination with a drink, a burger menu or an extensive lunch. They also offer family tickets which can certainly be more beneficial for families.

Traveltomtom thoughts on A’DAM LOOKOUT experience

Team Traveltomtom visited the A’DAM LOOKOUT on a sunny winter morning. The beautiful weather of course ensured that we had amazing views and were able to truly enjoy them. As already indicated, we found the swings really cool but a bit scary. It may be less suitable for smaller children.

We also think the VR ride is a good addition to the overall experience. You can easily spend a few hours once you are at the top. Especially if you decide to have a drink or lunch in the restaurant.

As far as we are concerned, a real must do in Amsterdam, if only for the special view over the beautiful capital of the Netherlands.

Enjoy your trip to Amsterdam!