Hello,
I will be spending the first two weeks of December in Leiden and would welcome:
-suggestions of interesting things to see/places to eat in Leiden.
-info on any of your favorite day trips out of Leiden/Amsterdam using the train system.

I know this is all pretty broad, but I will enjoy benefiting from your expereiences and advice.

Thanks,
TX

Trainconnection to any place in NL, even in Belgium are very good and very frequent.
So Amsterdam, Haarlem, The Hague, Rotterdam, Delft, Antwerp, Brussels etc are easy to visit.
Check www.ns.nl

There's an excellent Natural History museum in Leiden; Naturalis. And the Antiquities museum is very well known.
It's a student town as you undoubtedly know; very lively, lots of low-cost eating places; sorry, can't think of any specific recommendations. And easy access to anywhere. The Hague is very nearby; the houses of parliament, Mauritshuis, Escher Museum, lots to see and do.

Leiden has a lot of museums of all types, including one which is supposed to have van Leewnhoek's microscope. The farmer's market on wednesdays is very large and diverse. If you like bagels, try Bagels and Beans, and don't miss dutch pancakes. There are a number of pancake houses along the beestenmarkt. The olde leiden pancake house is delicious -- the pancakes are served on huge plates with blue and white images of dutch scenes. Also, the Burcht is an amusing diversion. If you go there on a rainy days it feels like something from Lord of the Rings. The Leiden arboretum is the oldest in Holland, if not Europe (I can't remember which.) As previously mentioned, you can get just about anywhere by train from Leiden. There are also bus connections to the major towns if you prefer bus travel.

What sort of "interesting things" are you interested in? What is your profession?

Leiden is an ideal train hub. Amsterdam Centraal is about 40 minutes, Den Hague Centraal is 12 minutes, and Haarlem is about 20 minutes by train. There is frequent service to all.

Thanks everyone for the advice. I'm at the airport right now + will be in Leiden in the morning. I am looking forward to pancakes, museums, + day tripping. Tot ziens, TomX

Have a great time TomX! Tot ziens.

The National Museum Kaart can be a boon if into museums - good for one year for unlimited entry into hundreds of national museums if you go to the big three in Amsterdam and the Frans Hals in Haarlem and Mauritshuis it should more than pay for the card, which can be bought at any museum. And no waiting in line with the pass. And lots of lesser museums such as in Leiden are covered as well.