day trip from Amsterdam
 

we will be there for 7 days at beginning of November. We would like to take one-day trip. I have been told Ghent is beautiful. is it a good day trip? Any other suggestions.

Gent is very interesting town, although not as beautiful as Brugge. Although Delft is a tourist destination, we found it beautiful and tranquil. Highly recommended. We also went to Rotterdam, a most interesting contrast in modern architecture and a few wide boulevards. If you like modern architecture also highly recommended.

I quite liked Rotterdam. It has a wonderful mixture of styles.
Can Ghent be made in a day (with a return)?
Maybe if you are around between the 8th and 15th November then Glow would be of interest for you.
http://www.gloweindhoven.nl/website/glow/glow.php

Rotterdam is interesting for it's architecture and museum.

What other day trips are you taking from ADam?

If you leave early enough Rotterdam and Delft are on the same train line as is The Hague.

we are not taking any other day trips. We want to just do one.

p.s. we are tourists. If tourists visit Delft, it must be because it is worthwhile.

Fave towns: Utrecht (when people go there, they say it was what they were expecting Amsterdam to be like, except Amsterdam is cheek-by-jowl tourism and Utrecht is Dutch people enjoying cafe-life and boutique-hopping along this most incredible grand canal) - - it's so close you can do it in an afternoon, and save the day-away for Rotterdam & Delft.

Leiden is nice too.

For a day trip unless you really want to go to Gent, I would select a place where you can spend more time rather than more time traveling to and from.

for example: Gent by train is about 2 hours and 25 minutes if you take the fast train and transfer in Antwerp. intercity train is 3 hours and more transfers

Delft by train is about an hour, and trains leave from Amsterdam every 30 minutes during the day and are direct. yes its worthwhile


Haarlem is about 15 minutes by train or a 90 minute bike ride. Frans Hals Museum is in Haarlem

The Hague is also about an hour by train

Are you considering the Hague and all the other usual little cities (as mentioned above) part of the ADam experience?

IMO, staying closer to A'dam also had the advantage that you would not have to commit yourself on a specific date as for Gent - as in the latter case you probably would want to buy your train tickets in advance to get the discounted fares to Belgium. Nice sunny days are not exactly the norm in November, so that could you lock in to a day with extra miserable weather.

Within the Netherlands such pre-planning or commitment is not needed. When the day looks fine enough for a trip, just go to the station and hop on the next train to Delft or Rotterdam or Haarlem or Utrecht (after you bought your tickets, obviously).