Melissa Adams is a freelance travel writer and American expat based in Amsterdam, NL. As AFAR's Amsterdam expert, she covers what to see, do and eat in the Dutch capital at http://www.afar.com/travel-guides/netherlands/amsterdam/guide. She blogs about her adopted city at UnClogged in Amsterdam: An American Expat Plumbs Holland (http://www.uncloggedblog.com).

Melissa is the author of numerous feature and cover stories that have appeared in such publications as GoNomad, Matador Travel Network, Sonderer's Travel Magazine, The Daily Meal, OC Metro, Body Beautiful, Southern California Home & Outdoor, OC Flair and Here Comes the Guide.

After earning a degree in English from UCLA, Melissa began her career as a staff writer for the Automobile Club of Southern California's Travel Research & Publications department. Over three decades, she has exercised her passion for words as an advertising copywriter, corporate communicator, PR writer and newspaper columnist. For more than 10 years, The Orange County Daily Pilot ran her weekly "Check It Out" column, covering books and literary topics on behalf of The Newport Beach Public Library. She now heads WordGeisha, Ink., offering freelance writing services for agencies, private clients and the media.