Was just notified that business needs me to go to a conference in Amsterdam the first week in July! (meeting is a Friday and Saturday morning). Considering it falls just after July 4th I was thinking of flying out the Friday before (June 30th) and making a week-long vacation out of it. Only pre-requisite is need to be in Amsterdam by the morning of the 2nd Friday and thus fly out from there (on Sunday). Due to open-jaw ticket prices being close to RT prices I have flexibility on where I fly into.

In sum, I was thinking of flying somewhere in that portion of Europe (arriving Saturday am) and have 6 full days before meeting. Initial thoughts were flying to Brussels and seeing Belgium for 4 days or so and then going to Amsterdam a day before the meeting and leaving the day after the meeting. I am completely open as I have never been to Amsterdam before.

Thoughts?

Assuming you're going to be tied up with business a lot while in Amsterdam, frankly I'd stay there the whole time and use the free time to take advantage of taking trains out for day trips. Otherwise I fear you'll be leaving Amsterdam without having seen much of it, and certainly none of the surrounding area. There is much to see in Holland, and you could have a great time exploring it. If you really wanted to do another place, I'd recommend Brugges (flying into Brussels).

You're free in the afternoons after your Friday and Saturday meetings in Amsterdam?

If that's so, I'd fly to Brussels and go directly to Antwerpen. Spend 3 nights in Antwerpen with a day trip to Brugge. Then head up to Amsterdam. Take a canal boat trip your first day there.

If your post-meeting afternoons are not free, then I'd fly to Amsterdam, spend two days in Amsterdam, then do day trips to other Dutch destinations (Haarlem? Delft?) and a day trip to Antwerpen, or possibly Brugge/Antwerpen.

Thanks for the responses. Just to clarify.

Sat 7/1- arrive am (Brussels??), free all day
7/2- free all day
7/3- free all day
7/4- free all day
7/5- free all day
7/6- free all day
7/7- Conference starts in Amsterdam. Busy all day.
7/8- Conference in Amsterdam until noon. Free after that.
7/9- fly home

Initial thoughts was flying into Brussels and spending 4 nights (7/1-7/4) in Belgium. Definitely want to see Brugges, but unsure beyond that.

Depart on 7/5 for Amsterdam. Stay 4 nights. See Amsterdam on 7/5 and 7/6 and afternoon of 7/8. Depart on the 9th.

Am looking for ideas for ways to best spend my time and locales in Belgium/Netherlands that I should try to incorporate into my visit.

There are plenty of places. You can probably spend 2 days in Bruges + Ghent. On the way from Brussels to Amsterdam, you can stop over in Antwerp for 1-2 days.