laurenj7

My husband and two children ages 10 and 12 will be traveling to the Netherlands as part of my husband's business trip. We will have 4.5 days, 2 of which will be in Utrecht where his meeting will be. I have been searching on these forums on how we might spend the 2.5 days before his meeting - We arrive in Amsterdam early afternoon on Sunday and need to be in Utrecht Tuesday night.

I am looking outside of Amsterdam to explore on this trip, and am looking for a base for the first two nights and advice on what to do with those 2.5 days. My kids and I will be on our own in Utrecht and I can travel from there while my husband is working, so for the first part of the trip I am looking for a base city to stay and ideas which would not be overlapped with potential travels for when we stay in Utrecht. I was looking on a map and considering either the area around Hoorn/Enkhuizen, or Geithoorne area. The area around Maastricht looks amazing as well -I am also interested in Delft - I'm not sure which of these to see with my husband as a family, and which to save for when he is working, making trips out of Utrecht. Thanks for your help! I think I am trying to see it all in such a short time and need to focus!

We would be interested in Museums, some walking tours of towns/cities, canal rides - my kids are flexible and very excited about this. We are interested in some small and traditional Dutch towns, landscape and architecture as well. I don't think they would do well "aimlessly wandering" for hours and hours (which my husband and I would love!).

Also, a recommendation on a fun and interesting hotel for the first two nights would be great.

tonfromleiden

With the short distances and Utrecht right in the centre, it's hardly worth the trouble to change hotels.
A nice day-trip is Dordrecht, a historical city on a crossroads of waterways, combined with Kinderdijk, the famous windmill complex. It can be reached by river ferry from Dordrecht (http://www.cityguiderotterdam.com/tr...here/waterbus/). To add to the fun, there is a connecting ferry from Kinderdijk to Rotterdam, where you can pick up the train to Utrecht.
Delft is a beauty. It's easily combined with The Hague (Den Haag), if only for the Mauritshuis museum and the area around the Binnenhof, the government centre. From Delft to The Hague can also be done by tram.
Near Utrecht the former fortress of Vechten could be a welcome combination of adventure for the kids and history for the parents. I'm afraid www.waterliniemuseum.nl/nl-nl/bezoek/ is Dutch only.
And a visit to Hoorn and Enkhuizen can't go wrong. The Zuiderzeemuseum is always a pleasure: www.zuiderzeemuseum.nl/en/10/home/
This http://9292.nl/en# is a perfect real-time planner for all your public transport.

laurenj7

Thank you for your detailed and thoughtful response! Those are all great ideas that I will look into.

If we do stay in Utrecht for all 5 nights, my husband told me most of his business coworkers are staying at the Park Plaza hotel. He said he could request to stay somewhere else if we wanted - does anyone have any good recommendations for a place to stay in Utrecht? Near the canals, or closer to the city center? the Park Plaza looks to be a "typical" big chain type of hotel.

Thank you!

Cathinjoetown

One point in the Park Plaza's favor, it's very close to the main rail station.

menachem

Just go straight to Utrecht. Park Plaza is very central, but your best access to the city is through Utrecht Central Station, weirdly. Not ideal.
But yes, it's right opposite Utrecht Centraal.

From Utrecht Arnhem is near. The Open Air museum is a well considered life size catalogue of Dutch vernacular architecture, and the city is of course famous for its role in Market Garden and Operation Pegasus.

Just so you know: Amsterdam is about 20 minutes by train from Utrecht CS.

I don't know what the policy is for business hotel bookings, re preferred chains and all that, but you could have this, for a very reasonable sum:

https://www.booking.com/hotel/nl/ach...rc=hp_iw_title

booking lists more apartments in Utrecht. I didn't know your dates, so I guestimated, but Utrecht is not the tourist destination that Amsterdam is, so you'd have options, even in tourist season.

laurenj7

Thank you - I will look into this option too - we will be there July 3 checking out July 8.

Arnhem sounds like another great option to visit.

tonfromleiden

Try to find something in the eastern part of the city, behind the Oudegracht. That's a beautiful, quiet area.

menachem

tonfromleiden, you're so right. That part of the city is gorgeous. And because it's small, everything is within walking distance. Stores, sidewalk cafes, good restaurants. Utrecht is certainly alive at night, but with none of the sleaze of Amsterdam.

menachem

Just to give you an idea

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-q6Tz43a2AQ

menachem

Arnhem:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dsbmn1Q8H3I

laurenj7

Beautiful! Thank you!

tonfromleiden

Menachem's first video starts with the Oudegracht. The only canal in Utrecht and famous for its warehouses: on the water and below the street and the houses. Wikipedia even has got an article on it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oudegracht

laurenj7

Wow, this is great!

Any specific recommendations on restaurants or things to do in Utrecht beyond what I can find on trip advisor? Anything off the beaten path? I really appreciate all of this feedback!

Is Leiden worth a stop?

menachem

Leiden? Yes! Totally (personal bias: I studied there, it's the Oxford of the Netherlands) Yet another town with a central canal and gorgeous 17th and 18th century architecture along it. Two supercool museums (your children): one the ethnographic museum (close to the station), the other the antiquities museum on Rapenburg. Both really interesting, for children as well (mummies!)

For restaurants, check out iens.nl
It's a Dutch review site, also in English now: anything that scores above 8 is worthwhile.

tonfromleiden

I can't advise you on restaurants, but somewhere you should try an Indonesian-Chinese place, a remnant of the Dutch colonial days.
If there is one city in the Netherlands which deserves a visit, it is Leiden... Best on Saturdays, when the market is held on both sides of the Nieuwe Rijn. You'll love the quiet alleys and squares around the Pieterskerk (Peter's Church) and the elegant Rapenburg. For a touch of Americana go to the other big church, near which you'll find a small museum for the story of the Pilgrim Fathers: www.leidenamericanpilgrimmuseum.org/PageB1.htm