Brussels for a full day

That seems like a long way for a day trip, at least a couple hours by train or car, then once there, the sights are spread out, you would really need a local guide, or at least a car to hit the couple museums, the woods, and a few markers scattered around. Basically that is a full day, let alone seeing Brussels.

Go stay and Bastogne and hire a tour guide to lead you around the immediate area. I have explored the Bastogne perimeter multiple times as well as battlefields as far as St Vith. Always stay in and around Bastogne. The Ardennes battle was over a large area and not really a drive by kind of destination if you’re interested in military history.

As another poster said you’ll spend lots of time getting to Bastogne. That’s definitely a true statement !

Hi, jumping in on this question as well. We will be doing something similar but coming from Normandy. Would it make more sense to go straight from Normandy to Bastogne then back to Brussels? We were trying to break up the trip with a few days spent in Ghent area but need to be back in Brussels for flight out. Also how much time do you need in Bastogne for Museums and fox holes?

I think the typical person can do an overnight in Bastogne, two nights if you are getting there late in the day, and manage to hit most things in the area. Yes, a true WW2 buff probably wants a week, but frankly a couple days would be more than enough.

The couple museums in Bastogne, and the woods with the foxholes take less than a full day. A guided tour would be a nice option, figure half a day for that, or more, with some overlap in sights, so some planning needed.

I just want to confirm what others have said. Do not try to do Battle of the Bulge sites as a day trip from Brussels. Plan to rent a car and stay overnight in Bastogne--two nights would be even better. The museum is first-rate; I could have spent half a day there. I also agree that hiring a guide is worth the price. The battle was over a large area and they can fine tune your visit so you see exactly what you want. In Bastogne I stayed at the Hotel Wagon Leo. It was centrally located and had a fabulous restaurant. My dad was in the Battle of the Bulge, so I have a personal connection to this place. If you are fascinated by WWII history, you won't be disappointed.