My 2 sisters and I are planning to fly in September 2025 to Amsterdam then go by train to Belgium (where our maternal grandparents immigrated from), then to Paris. Any suggestions on where to stay and what to see? We are in our 60’s and are interested in art, history, economics, nature and sociology. First time visitors.

Everyone here is happy to help, but in order to get useful advice, we need more information.
For hotels, what is your actual budget? What type are looking for? Do you need an elevator? All of you in one room?
How many nights do you have on the ground, not including travel time getting to and from Europe?
As far as what to see, there are about a thousand things. Other than the family connection, what draws you to these locations? A few guidebooks might be a good idea to get you started.

sociology will find some of the stuctures in Amsterdam and Brussels interesting. The catholic religion was allowed to continue despite Amsterdam being avowed Protestant and you can still see the catholic enclaves in one part of the city.

Brussels and Bruges still have the women only small enclaves where excess women lived out their lives rather than having to become nuns.

Now as Susan says, how long, how much etc etc

We just got back from a trip that included Brussels, Bruges, Antwerp and a day trip to Ghent. I have recently started a trip report (below). If you are going to stay in Bruges, I highly recommend Boutique Hotel Sablon.

https://travelswithmaitaitom.com/belgium-france-2024/

How long are you planning in each place?
Is Amsterdam an absolute must or maybe would you prefer to spend more time in Belgium and Paris.
Where in Belgium are your grandparents from?
The Netherlands is much more than just Amsterdam and there are other places to visit/stay instead of Amsterdam, which is expensive. Flights will also be more expensive into AMS next year as Schiphol are increasing their fees considerably.

Hello sdc, welcome to Fodor's. I will wait until there are a few more details in place to be able to comment on your plans ... everyone is keen to help!

Lavandula

Also interested in determining the best way to transport 5 people from the airport and to see attractions in the region that has the most flexibility. We are not interested in formal bus tours or renting a car.

In Belgium, Bruges was by far our favorite city. From there, we were able to take the train then tram along the North Sea to a resort town that is our last name! We got to Ghent from Bruges, then spent couple nights in Brussels before taking the trains over to Paris (Gare du Nord not my favorite area of Paris but that where Brussels trains leave you). In Bruges we stayed in lovely Guesthouse No. 11 along a canal in the heart of the city. The rooms were so beautifully decorated, and there are only a few along with a garden for breakfast in good weather. Were in Amsterdam years ago, and glad we opted to stay in an old canal house, not an American chain hotel. It's all about atmosphere! Have a wonderful time, September is usually great in northern Europe.

From AMS the train is the easiest choice, if you don't have a ton of luggage.Otherwise take a cab, make sure it has a blue number plate, or book a car service.
Public transport is excellent in the Netherlands, Belgium and France, though it will depend somewhat on where in Belgium you want to visit.

Yes, if you tell us where in Belgium you want to go (where were grandma and grandpa from?), that would help us focus our advice.

I agree with hetismij, if you aren't driving then catching a train is the only sensible way. However, remember that even the train doesn't extend everywhere, although it is pretty good across the Netherlands and Belgium. There will be reasons to take buses if they came from somewhere remote.

Lavandula

Just putting it on the table re The Netherlands.

Please also consider cities like The Hague, Rotterdam, and Leiden. Especially Rotterdam gets you much nearer to Paris: it's at 2.5 hours and Antwerp is 1 hour by train. Delft is 15 minutes, The Hague 30 and with the ICD service Rotterdam - Amsterdam takes 40 minutes, Rotterdam - Schiphol: 20 minutes. Rotterdam - Utrecht: 40 minutes.

I have been living in Rotterdam for ages and I can tell you it's an exciting, modernist Dutch city with a unique vibe. In some ways it's a mini Asian mega city.

I know people want Amsterdam not as a daytrip, but to "be" in, but I can tell you, everywhere outside of Amsterdam you get better value for money.

Major advantage: being so well placed for Belgium. We even do Paris as a day trip: for us it's less travel than going to Groningen (or Harlingen )

These are awesome recommendations. Thank you so much!

I am also considering a planned group bus tour as an alternative. A few members of our family have mobility issues. I’m wondering if that might be easier on everyone. If so, are there any tour companies you would recommend?

Pretty much anywhere is easier and quicker to get to by train than Harlingen, unless you are in Leeuwarden.

Good advice regarding places other than Amsterdam. They will be cheaper to stay in too.

It is not hard to do these countries on your own. If you are first timers this is a good beginning as in these countries lots of English is spoken. You will find tours will only hit the highlights and if you want a detour in Belgium to your family sites there may not be the possibility of entertaining this. There would still be some walking involved even if you had a tour; for example, the centre of Brussels is pedestrianised. A bus tour will take you around the outside, to some of the further-away sights such as the Atomium and the Colonne du Congrès, which are accessible by road. You would not see the tourist staples like the Grand' Place and the Galeries Royales de St.-Hubert unless you were prepared to do some walking. You might find it easier to walk at your own pace, on your own terms, rather than trying to keep up with a guided tour. Just something to think about.

Alternatively you could do a tour, sit out what you must, and then come back and see things after the tour that you want to do at your own pace. I don't have a tour that I recommend; in 1988 I did a Europe tour with Cosmos which was (is?) a budget tour company (I was 19). The tour started and ended in England but I chose to start and end on the continent, so I had a few days in Brussels before I met the tour in a hotel, and when it started they assumed we had had enough time in the city and just drove around these peripheral sights. That was fine by me as I hadn't seen them, and I had had my fill of the city. I don't do bus tours nowadays, or at least not for Western Europe. It was a good trip to get me oriented, but I prefer nowadays not to stay in hotels on the outskirts of cities as most tours do and like to travel at my own pace. I manage language differences and nowadays there is no issue with currencies because they all use the euro and you just get your money from an ATM. Travel is simpler now and trains are easy. You could of course do your own trip but just plan day tours for certain sights (for example, a tour of Flanders Fields war sights, or a canal tour of Amsterdam, Bruges or Ghent). That might work well for you. In that case I would think about a travel agent, and see if you can find one specialising in Benelux and France. There is a point to using travel agents judiciously.

There are possibilities and you might seek out tours that cater to older people. I can't help there, but other people here might have some ideas about good tour companies.

EDIT: Canal trips in those cities are able to be selected on the spot without pre-booking - you don't need a travel agent for this. Sorry if this was misleading!

Lavandula

Ghent would make a great base for day trips to Bruges, Ypres, Antwerp. I would hire a driver to and from the Brussels train station with luggage. You don’t want to deal with commuter trains if you have members with mobility issues.

I think it would be really fun to take the tour of St Bavo’s cathedral in Ghent for the Mystic Lamb altar piece. Then keeping up with this theme in Paris, go to the Musee de Cluny museum for the Lady and the Unicorn tapestries. The museum also contains the original stained glass from Sainte Chapelle (once displayed Thorn of Crowns, Piece of True Cross, and a nail - now in vault), a lot of historic artifacts from that church and Notre Dame. All these are in the same area. Sainte Chapelle requires timed reservations.

Also consider a day trip from Paris to medieval Rouen for Joan of Arc, William the Conqueror, and Viking history or a day trip to Bayeaux for the famous tapestries and possibly Mont St Michel (probably need a tour for this).

You can also take tours from Ghent to the WWI battlefields, and rail tours from Paris to the D Day beaches.

Re: Transport for 5 with luggage
I would arrange for a driver to pick you up from the airport or train station ahead of your trip.

Re: mobility issues
All these locations are flat (cobblestones can be tricky in the rain) and have great transportation options like trams and buses. Don’t worry about finding a seat on either because most people give up their seats to people with mobility issues. You can do a search for accessible walking routes in the areas you will be visiting and always seek out help at tourist offices and train station ticket offices. The clerks speak perfect English and can offer the best advice, such as help with tram tickets and maps. Sometimes seniors are free or get reduced prices so don’t forget to ask.

I have not been on Rick Steves tours but have heard good things about them. He has a "Heart of Belgium and Holland in 11 Days" tour that might be worth checking out. There is no harm in asking if a group of 5 would get a slight discount (the worst they can say is no!"

It does seem the Rick Steves tours do require participants to be fairly active. You could always call to inquire if your family members would be a good fit for this type of tour.

If you decided on the Rick Steves tour, you could fly in a bit earlier and visit where your family is from. You can easily make your way from Amsterdam to Paris by train after the tour.

These suggestions are extraordinary helpful. Thank you! Our group is now up to 5 of us sisters. Based upon your suggestions, we have found flats in Delft, Bruges and Paris that are slightly off the beaten pack but have beds for each of us, kitchens, elevators and a/c. And are reasonably priced. We booked a van to pick us up at the airport in Amsterdam because we know we will be tired. But none of us will have checked bags so we are planning to use public transportation to get around otherwise. We are now planning museum visits, tours, day trips etc based on your recommendations. Our grandparents are from Flanders, so especially interested in exploring Ghent and Antwerp in addition to Bruges. Thank you so much for your suggestions!

I just want to add another voice about tours. Not only do Rick Steve's tours expect you to be pretty active, tours in general are not geared towards those with mobility issues. While I usually travel alone, I have taken a few tours in the last seven or eight years when it was a place I didn't want to do alone, and no matter how much the bus takes you to spots, there is always a good deal of walking and sometimes stairs, and you can't sit down and rest when you want to, you have to keep up with the group. (They won't be happy if you slow the group down!)
You also might not be able to sit out one site, because the bus might not pick the group up at the same spot where they dropped the group off, so you would be on your own for that day.
Just things to consider.

It sounds like you've made great progress with your plans. I hope you have a terrific time.