While my husband is attending a conference in Brussels, I will be on my own. What shall I do? I was in Brussels once before but didn't make it to the art museum so that is on my list and I have been to Brugge. I am especially wondering what to do if the weather is bad. Yes, I have a couple of guidebooks but I would like to hear your ideas becaue sometimes others inspire me to try things I normally wouldn't. Thanks so much.

take a train to antwerp; there are plenty of things to do, a visit to the fashion/design museum (modemuseum) is one of the funnier things to do on a rainy day; antwerp has also the diamond center, which is worth a visit, and many more things (if not just walking the streets of the town)...

also when in brussels, there are many lunchtime concerts and other lunchtime events you can attend for a small fee - the website is only in dutch, but if you let me know when you are around; i can inform you what is going on. http://www.opbrussel.be/Nieuwsbrief/bb.asp

i don't know if you have been to the musical instruments museum; its rooftop terrace é restaurant/coffee shop near the art museum are worth a stop.
you cant take a hop on/off bus both in brussels & antwerp. they stop near the major sights.

another town worth a visit is Gent, but I would suggest it for a slightly better weather day. also to be reached by train from brussels. visitors we have had in recent years from abroad prefer it over bruges, especcially walking the smaller streets and art scene near patershol, or seeing it from the water is nice.
whatever you decide to do, enjoy your stay !

As soon as you get to Brussels, pick up a copy of the weekly English language magazine, The Bulletin. Go through the What's On section and you will find extensive listings of concerts, exhibits, special events (the events themselves may in French or Dutch but the Bulletin's listings and descriptions are all in English).
Our friends weren't that impressed by Gent, they definitely preferred Brugge and also liked Leuven more than Gent--but to each his own.
Don't forget you can easily do a day trip to Lille or Paris in France, Delft, The Hague, Amsterdam, etc. in the Netherlands (although the train to Amsterdam is nearly 3 hours each way, so that's a LONG day trip), or even Aachen in Germany.

I didn't make it to the Arts Museum, but it has some nice masterpieces (Jacques-Louis David's "Death of Marat," for example).

The musical instruments museum is very interesting.

I also didn't have time to investigate art deco in Brussels. There're some important buildings (get a copy of Time Out Brussels, for example).

I bought Pierre Marcolini's chocolates in Paris, and they were really great. When I was in Brussels, I went to Mary's, but in a future trip, there's no question that I'd be heading to Marcolini.

Ronda, I second lotjes idea. Antwerp is an easy train trip from Brussel, and is easy to get around. The Rubens house (where the painter lived) is good, as well as the arts museum (Museum van Schone Kunsten). If you are interested in fashion, you can do a fashion walk (get info at the tourist office), as well as see the fashion museum.

Paris is easily reached by train for a day trip too; have a look at the Thalys timetables if you are interested.

And I topped a post about Lille for you; very quick to get there by train from Brussels, and an interesting small city.

Thank you for all the great ideas. I'll definitely get a Bulletin or Time Out and go through it. I'll be in Paris prior to Brussels. I really don't want to do big day trips but rather stay in Brussels. The weather would have to be really nice for me to venture out to Antwerp or Ghent.

The last time I was in Brussels with my husband at a meeting, another couple was with us. The other gal and I took the red bus and got off to see a beautiful Cathedral - and boy did we get lost after that! Good thing we are in shape and liked to walk.