staying in Amsterdam

I am going to Amsterdam for 6 nights next April and have booked a hotel in Haarlem. I have been told by a co-worker who is from Amsterdam that Haarlem is quieter and a quick train ride from Amsterdam. I believe the hotels can be a little less pricey as well. We do plan to see Keukenhoff Gardens and the major attractions in Amsterdam but will also plan day trips to Delft and other towns. Our plans are not set in stone yet.

Rotterdam, Delft , Haarlem or Enkhuizen can all be easily done from one base.

I've never stayed in Amsterdam despite the many visits, it is Haarlem, Utrecht, Rotterdam or Leiden for me. YMMV.

Don't try to use a car in Amsterdam. Unless your tolerance for checking cars, separate bike routes and broms and plenty of beautiful scenery all at the same time all the time is very high, don't try to use a car outside of Amsterdam either.

Remember that these are the guys who invented the automatic roadside speeding and red light cameras.

Trains, trams and buses will get you just about everywhere. Enkhuizen you can even throw a boat into the mix, as you can at Kinderdijk. Can't easily do that with a car.

Cheryl, we recently spent 10 nights in Haarlem. It is a 15 minute train ride to Amsterdam Central and so easy to get to Rotterdam, Delft, Enkhuizen and more. Hotel Lion D’or is just one of several hotels near Haarlem train station. We enjoyed our accommodations. PM me if you would like more details. Val

The trains in The Netherlands as well as buses and trams/trolleys are an excellent way to travel around the country. Get an OVclipkaart , a redillable teansit card that works for payment on buses and teams and trolleys all over the country. One trip we spent a week in Amsterdam and traveled to Haarlwm, Delft, Leiden and some towns to the north. This year we stayed in Leiden and traveled
To Rotterdam and Kinderdijk, Delft, The Hague. Do not miss The Hague!

I decided not to stay in Amsterdam but opted for Delft due to wanting a quieter place as well.

Use this 9292 public transport planner. It includes all modes of public transport, gives the price and is real-time.

I like cities and Amsterdam is one of my favorite cities in Europe, so I'd stay there and take day trips to all of these other places. Don't rent a car. Public transportation is fantastic in the Netherlands, so if you are staying in Haarlem or Delft instead, you'll still be able to get around quickly and efficiently. While Suki suggests you buy an OV Chipkaart--which is a Dutch transit pass--a cheaper and more efficient option is to get a Tripkey card instead. The OV Chipkaart works best if you have a Dutch bank account. For foreigners, the Tripkey card works the same way, but is linked to your credit card account, so you never have to worry about keeping your card topped up. Both cards are good on all public trains, buses, and trams in the country. I've used both cards in the past, and I've found that Tripkey works best.