I understand that parking is difficult and expensive in Amsterdam. How about while day tripping outside of the city?

Are you going to drive to Amsterdam or begin your trip there? we've driven in Amsterdam and found the traffic as in any large city, fairly heavy and the streets confusing at times. We rented a car when we left Amsterdam and returned it there. Wouldn't use a car in the city.

aeiger,
who did you rent from? I want a one day car rental. Do you have any suggestions?

Hertz, Avis, Budget etc. all have offices in and around Amsterdam

Have you checked to see if trains service the areas outside amsterdam that you want to see? The rail system there is very good. You might not need a car.

You certainly don't want one in Amsterdam.

Amsterdam parking is reasonably easy to find: you just need to keep your eyes open, as you would anywhere. Unlike any other large city I've ever encountered, you can actually prebook (phone 0900 – 202 2002)

In the centre, it's only €3 an hour for visitors - though that does apply up to 2300. Outside Amsterdam is also much the same as anywhere else: you need to keep your eyes open and pay in Rotterdam or The Hague: it's free on the streets in the suburbs of places like Maastricht.

Holland doesn't have one standard parking policy that covers the whole nation: does your country?

The last time I was in Amsterdam for any length of time, I had a leased car which needed its 1000km service (which dates the event). I dropped off the car at the dealership and told them I would pick it up in 5 days (in those days they did not charge for extra days of parking). We then used Amsterdam as our base and took the train to the fishing villages on the Zuider Zee, to The Hague, to Haarlem. Those train rides are about the same as a long subway ride in NYC.