Hello
I am going to The Netherlands July 31 arriving the 1st of August for 9 days with my mother and 14yo son. We have relatives in Drachten we would like to see for maybe 2 nights and then would like to travel. We do not wish to visit Amsterdam until after the 6th due to a big event that will be going on in the city the 1-6th.

While in Drachten area we have to go to the Excaliber climbing wall in Gronigan but after that I have no plans and hope my family has some ideas there.

We are not opposed to going to Belgium or even Paris or maybe Germany but I fear that may be pushing it time wise with having to go into the north of Netherlands. I also don't know how good the high speed train service is in the north. It looks rather robust south of Amsterdam.

I also am wondering if we should rent a car to go to Drachten or go by train from Schipol?

I was thinking of spending the last 2-3 days in Amsterdam

Any ideas to fill in my gaps would be very helpful.

Friday 1st arrive in morning go to Drachten(night with family)
Saturday North area(night with family)
Sunday
monday
tuesday
wednesday
Thursday Amsterdam??
Friday Amsterdam

Saturday Amsteram
Sunday go home

Thanks in advance for all your advice!

Julie

The Dutch High Speed trains travel to other countries.
http://www.nshispeed.nl/
There is not train station in Drachten. The nearest being Heerenveen. However hire a car is a matter of personal choice and weather your relatives are willing to drive you around, in fact are you willing to be driven around or want some independence?
With only 4 nights I would stay around the North of the Netherlands, with a car and visit some great off the beaten track locations. What you want to visit will be down to your likes and dislikes. But you have not given them.

I think you need a car. getting to Drachten by train/bus would be a pain. A car also gives you the freedom to explore without relying on your relatives.
There is easily enough to see and do in the north for the time you have between Drachten and Amsterdam, if you choose to stay up there and explore some more.
You could do a day trip to one of the islands, or try Waddenlopen maybe. Lots of nice small towns and villages to visit. Consider renting a fluisterboot and exploring the Weerriben (see my trip report from my day out doing just that; http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ben-photos.cfm

I would certainly spend Thursday in Amsterdam as well as Friday and Saturday. You can return the car to Schiphol and get the train into the city.

What is going on in Amsterdam at the beginning of August? Gay Pride?

Yep I second a car to Drachten.

Wadlopen is nice, or use your car to visit Ameland, one of the Dutch islands, where there are huge festivities in the first week in august. From Drachten this can easily be a daytrip. Also consider hiring a launch for the day to explore the beautiful peat river area just above Drachten. Summer is sailing holiday time in Friesland and you're right in the middle of it. For this type of boat no certificate or licence is necessary and it is the way to explore the province of Friesland for sure.

The city of Groningen is also a nice daytrip, but you found that out already

When you go north by car, make sure to travel by way of the Afsluitdijk, the dam that encloses the former Zuiderzee and connects Holland to Friesland.

hetismij's weerribben tip is an excellent one.

I agree about staying in the north but you could look at a day trip to Hanover or Hamburg

If you are a fan of windmills, the small village of Kinderdijk is must. It has 19 windmill and nice polders and even has a working windmill which you can enter(for a price of course). You could also hed down to the town of Brugges in Belgium which would keep you occupied for 2 days at most. Delft is the Netherlands is smaller version of Amsterdam whics has Delft China anda very quaint town.

All those are a long drive and a bit unpractical from the North. Oldenburg and Hamburg in Germany could indeed be daytrips.