Just starting to plan next summer's trip to these 3 cities and was thinking of using each one as a base to visit other places of interest within an hour or so proximity.

Does it makes sense to spend 5 days in each city, with day trips planned for nearby points? It's been 20 years since I've been in Amsterdam and never saw anything outside the city; was in Paris for a week in'99 and know there's lots still to see and revisit; it will be first time for Belguim.

Love gardens, art, architecture,strolling, trying local food and drink, interested in history, culture, people...

Amsterdam: also visit de Hague, Delft, what else?
Bruges: also Ghent, Antwerp???

Appreciate any tips, suggestions.Thanks for your assistance fellow travelers!

ttt
Thanks for any help on this.

Personally I would base myself in a bigger city. In this instance, since you have never been to Belgium, Brussels would be the choice, then Ghent or Antwerp and finally Bruges. Bruges is just too oriented toward tourism for my taste.

After our vacation in Austria, Germany and Italy later this month, I'm going to spend two weeks at our corporate apartment in Brussels, using it as a base for trips the Hague, Haarlem, Bruges, Tournai, etc. It works for me.
BUT in your case, I would make Amsterdam the base for two thirds of the trip and then head down to Paris for the remainder. Or spend 7 nights in Amsterdam, 3 nights Bruges (with day trips to Brussels and Ieper) and 5 mights Paris.
IF you opt to make Brussels your base (although I don't recommend it for this trip), consider getting an apartment. Brussels has a wealth of inexpensive serviced apartments, most are in residential areas so you get a far better feel for the nicer parts of the city, rather than the greyness of the central core (aside from the Grand'Place and the Sablon, which are both fabulous).
If you stay in Bruges for three nights, try for a room at the Number 11 B&B. One of the nicest places to stay in Bruges.

Try finding one of my posts from past couple years on "Zuiderzee" outdoor museum - very easy daytrip on the train from Amsterdam... located at Enkhuizen (sp?)...

Appreciate the suggestions. I've heard and read that Bruges is very touristy, so it makes sense to spend less time there.

I'd choose to make it 1 week in both Paris and Amsterdam and just a day or two to see Bruges (which honestly I have never been to, but am suggesting this because having been to Paris & A'dam, & especially if you want to include day trips a week a good amount of time for these major cities IMO).

I agree with the advice to use Amsterdam and Paris as base cities. If you are using rail, there are few places in The Netherlands you cannot reach from Amsterdam within an hour or two max.

We did trips to Utrecht, Delft, Haarlem, and The Hague (all from A-dam) the last time we were there.

Art????? Two great cities to be in with some of the greatest museums to choose from..what a problem to have!

If you like art, don't forget to visit Rotterdam as well. It's about a 1-hr train ride from Amsterdam. The Boijmans van Beuningen museum is not to be missed.

As you've mentioned, Delft & Den Haag is not to be missed. If you like Mondrian's work, you HAVE to visit the Gemeentemuseum in Den Haag.

There are plenty of art museums in Amsterdam to keep you busy for at least 4-5 days.

One place I didn't get to go is the Kröller-Müller Museum.