I'm planning the Netherlands part of a trip to Europe for June 2025. We will have 11 or 12 nights in the Netherlands. I will be with my husband and adult daughter. We are interested in most things, including history, architecture, art, nature, and my husband loves trains.
A rough itinerary is:
3-4 nights Delft (to see Delft, Kinderdijk & Rotterdam, and perhaps a half day to The Hague or Leiden)
3-4 nights for Utrecht or split between Utrecht and Otterlo or Arnhem
5 nights Amsterdam
My question is about the best way to see: 1) Utrecht itself plus a day trip to 's-Hertogenbosch, 2) the Open Air and Airborne Museums in Arnhem, and 3) the Kroller-Muller Museum and Hoge Veluwe National Park. Two options follow, but I'm open to other options. I originally planned for Option A, which is easier in some ways, but the travel time from Utrecht to Otterlo is longer than the hour each way that I'd prefer for day trips, and it might be nice to spend some nights in a quieter setting near the national park.
Option A: Spend four nights in Utrecht
Day/Night 1: Arrive in Utrecht by about 10 am, drop off luggage, and do RS walking tour and visit the train museum
Day/Night 2: Day trip to Arnhem and visit the Open Air Museum until about 2:00 and then either just my husband or all three of us head to the Airborne Museum Hartenstein
Day/Night 3: Day trip to Otterlo and visit the Kroller-Muller Museum and Hoge Veluwe National Park
Day/Night 4: Day trip to 's-Hertogenbosch
Option B: Split the stay into 2 nights in Otterlo and 2 nights in Utrecht
Day 1: Train and bus from Delft to Arnhem, leave luggage at train station, visit the Open Air Museum and Airborne Museum, and then bus to Otterlo. Spend the night in Otterlo.
Day 2: Full day to explore the Kroller-Muller Museum and Hoge Veluwe National Park. This seems like it would be a relaxing day.
Day 3: Transfer to Utrecht, drop off luggage, and do RS walking tour and visit the train museum. Spend the night in Utrecht.
Day/Night 4: Day trip to 's-Hertogenbosch. Spend the night in Utrecht.
If you have visited all of these sights, please comment on which option makes the most sense, or suggest a variation. I would also like to know if it's safe to leave our luggage, including a cpap machine, in a locker in Arnhem if we do something like Option B.
Thank you for your advice.