We are arriving in Amsterdam the morning of Sat. October 16th. Probably need a day to rest and plan on starting whatever on Sunday, October 17th. We probably need to be back in Amsterdam by Thursday night. So, we have 5 full days to explore the Netherlands. We have visited Amsterdam before but many, many years ago. We love the outdoors, walking, hiking, meeting locals,seeing towns, driving, would see any historical sight if really worth seeing....so here are my questions:
1. Where do you recommend we stay in Amsterdam? We will need a room with a shower, clean but doesn't have to be outrageous! We will need the room on Oct. 16, 21 and 22.
2. If we hire a car beginning Oct. 17th, what should we do? What would you do for 5 full days in the Netherlands? Is their a car rental location conveniently located that we can pick up a car on a Sunday?
3. While driving around do you feel we need to make all reservations in advance or can we just wing it (our style..)? If so, or not, any recommendations for lodging on your suggested routes?
4. Since we have Sat. Oct 16 and Friday Oct. 22 in Amsterdam...besides the Van Gogh museum...what would you do with such a short amount of time? Is the Flower Market a great visit in October? Is it worth jumping on a train to see Brussels/ Brugge (seems like a hassle to me..but I don't know everything.. and everyone keeps telling us we are sooo close..but I really want to see the Netherlands and enjoy it!)
5. We love great local restaurants. Any recommendations on eating in Amsterdam or any other towns we visit would be well received!

Appreciate any help and suggestions as soon as possible!

Hire the car at Schiphol - you get the train back out there and then you are straight on the motorway network to get you away from there fast.

Those 5 days are the autumn school holiday for a large part of the Netherlands. However that shouldn't put you off - people don't tend to go to hotels or B&Bs then, rather to self catering, or abroad if they do anything.

So you could head up north, over the Aflsuitdijk to Friesland. Explore the Wadden coast, maybe stay a night on an island - the ferry runs from Harlingen to Terschelling or Vlieland (Vlieland is car free and delightful - hire bikes on arrival).

Or explore the Frisian lakes, then go to the Weerribben National Park, Blokzijl, Vollenhove, Steenwijk, Staphorst Urk (not on Sunday for those last two) also Schokland (a Unesco site - like the Waddenzee), head off to Twente for a different landscape then back through the Veluwe and Utrechtse Heuvelrug (my bit of the world) to Amsterdam.

Or head south towards Maastricht and explore Limburg and it's hills, Noord Brabant is interesting too.

If you let me know which way you want to go I'll give you some more info if I can and links. Google is of course your friend too.

Oh in Amsterdam - have you been to the Hermitage?
Or better yet maybe, the Mauritshuis in Den Haag? Combine that with Panorama Mesdag and maybe the sea at Scheveningen?

Hetismij, can you take a car out to Terschelling?

Yes you can - but it is expensive. Have a look at http://www.rederij-doeksen.nl/ for the ferry details and prices.

It might be better to leave the car in Harlingen and either rent bikes or use public transport on Terschelling. Our son was married in the lighthouse, (Brandaris) on Terschelling.

We've just come back from a weekend in Friesland. We stayed here: http://www.dewitteklok.nl/indexeng.html

We wanted to stay here http://tinyurl.com/35rf2zg, in Harlingen, but it was full.

We enjoyed the Witte Klok though, It was lovely and the meal at the Zwarte Haan was good too.

We stayed in Amsterdam for three nights prior to our cruise. I thought the Hotel Pulitzer was a nice combination of location, price, and room quality. It's located just a block or so from the Anne Frank House. By prepaying our room we were able to get a deal of get three nights for the price of two.

Best way to see Amsterdam is by renting a bike.

Riksmuseum is a short walk from the Van Gogh Museum, you could easily see both in one morning or afternoon.

We arranged transport ahead of time on-line from Schipol Travel taxi.

Please be aware that if you go Terschelling or any wadden island during autumn break, a place to stay may be hard to come by. Usually self catering accommodation will have been booked solid, with only a few last minute options available and there aren't that many hotels on the island, but hotels will be your best bet. Reservations are easy through booking.com though.
you can still live in your own little farm: http://www.zeeenwind.nl/last-minute?...FcosDgod71mSHQ