Thirteen Nights in June

Hi, Captain Ed, your itinerary looks good. I have not been to Amersfoort, but it does look interesting, and I don't think you need to worry about skipping Haarlem. I enjoyed Leiden more, and would encourage you to visit there if you get a chance. I liked Den Haag, but if I had to choose between the two, I would go with Leiden, and I definitely think your teenagers would enjoy it. It's a very cool university town with lovely canals and scenery, and a wonderful vibe about it.

Honestly, I probably would not rent a car, as Dutch public transportation is very good and you can get just about anywhere quickly by train or other form of transit. It sounds wonderful and I know you will love the Netherlands!

I was in the Netherlands last May/June, and it is such a lovely time of year! It ranks as one of my all-time favorite trips.

We spent two nights in Leiden and enjoyed it. The evening strolls were particularly nice. Be sure to visit Molenmuseum de Valk and climb inside the windmill. We did Delft as a day trip, and it seems like a good base. We took a day trip to Gouda and really enjoyed the town. The Kamphuisen Syrup Waffle Factory tour was a fun treat. I liked Woerden, which is not far from Gouda. We were there on a Saturday, and there was a small cheese market. It felt very local. Gouda cheese is actually made in Woerden. The name comes from the fact that the cheese was traded in Gouda.

Another base town for us was Utrecht, which is easy to reach from Delft or Hoorn. It was the largest place we stayed in, but it never felt crowded. It has an interesting old town. In the Oudegracht area, the canals are two levels, so you can have a drink or meal right next to the water.

I've never been to Den Haag or Rotterdam. My husband visited both cities 12+ years ago, and he has no desire to see them again. He much prefers the Dutch small towns. However, visiting Amsterdam is a must if you have never been before.

Your itinerary looks good. The only change I would make is spending one less night in Amersfoort and adding another night in Delft because you have more day trip options from Delft.

My husband considered renting a car for our trip, but he was strongly advised against it by locals on TripAdvisor. The public transportation system is very well connected and easy to use, so having a car is more of a hassle than a benefit. We got everywhere by train or bus. There is even a train station located at the airport. I downloaded the NS app and used it frequently. If you don't want to tap in and out using a credit card at the train station, you can purchase tickets through the app.

Thank you Mardee and LaurieC for your thoughtful replies. Leiden seems like a city we would enjoy. We will definitely visit.

We penciled in overnight stays in Hoorn due to its harbor, attractive downtown, and location between Edam and Enkhuizen. Does anyone recommend staying in Edam (or anywhere else in the area) instead?

I vote for staying in Hoorn. The train station is a good hub for the area, and Edam has no train station at all.

We started our trip with 2 days in Hoorn. We loved the town so much that we extended our trip by 3 days and revisited it again. Hoorn is a charming place with a great central square (Roode Steen). The harbor is also nice. Both areas offer several restaurants. There is a pleasant park along the water, and we strolled there most days/evenings. On one of our longer walking jaunts, we ended up at a beach.

Enkhuizen is equally as lovely, but it doesn't offer as many train connections as Hoorn.

Between Hoorn and Medemblik runs a steam train or tram. The latter is also charming and has a medieval castle that is open to public, from there you can take the old ferry to Enkhuizen. Back to Hoorn is an easy train ride. You can do the trip in opposite direction if you like. Enkhuizen has an interesting open air museum.

https://www.stoomtram.nl/en/boat-and-steamtram/
https://kasteelradboud.nl/en/

You can rent bikes in for exploring the area just north of Amsterdam, or take a bike on the train to Breukelen (or rent them there or take an OV-fiets at the train station) for instance to enjoy the old mansions along the Vecht river. There are conditions for taking bikes on the train.

https://www.ns.nl/en/travel-information/bikes-on-the-train.html

Amersfoort is for most off the beaten path but certainly worth a visit.

You should also try to see
Utrecht, traveled 3 times to it, stunning, while there maybe spend a night or two at Hampton By Hilton, located at the train station , in a mall.
While in make the time, and plan, tour route to Kastel De Haar, largest castle in Holland, get tickets online
You will not regret this,,, to get there You have to train from Utrecht, to Vleuten, takes 10 min. then bus it to the castle.
https://workonmondaytravels.com/kasteel-de-haar/
A NOTE; Do not miss out on Hoorn, try to be there on Market day, Hoorn is small, 1 day is enough
In Amsterdam see the Rijksmuseum, takes 3 hrs, must by tickets online

I'm traveling with my wife and two children (17, 19). We enjoy outdoor activities (hiking, cycling, boating) and prefer smaller cities and towns.

June should be good to great weather, so I need to get on my soapbox again and suggest integrating cycling into most of your plans while in the Netherlands. For example - Delft as a base is a very pleasant ride (often through farmland and other semi-rural areas) to places like Rotterdam (10 miles) and the Hague (6 miles) and even Gouda (20 miles). A few miles more when you are in the Hague is the beachside area of Scheveningen, and there is plenty of beachside cycle options.

We really like walking around Delft and riding out and about from our hotel there. Definitely a well located base.

Likewise, we really loved Leiden as a base - also walking and cycling from there (including more beaches). It's well situated for that sort of travel.

Amsterdam is a BLAST on a bike allowing you to easily get to and from all the different sites - museums, parks, restaurants. One of our hotels had bikes that you could use (a great perk) and the other was a block from a local bike rental chain (A-bikes). Definitely a few minutes to adjust to a cycling city, but well worth it. If you have two rambunctious teen BOYS, you might need to rein them in a bit (for everyone's safety) but it's also a good way to get some pent up energy out every day.

Amsterdam is a pleasant ride to/from Haarlem, Zaanse Schans, Edam/Marken/Volendam (and from Hoorn), and, since you are fans of boating, the water option of a canoe trip at Wetlands Safari is a great ride from Amsterdam.

I could go on and on about the fun of cycling there, so please think about using cycling as a primary transportation option in the places you stay. You see more, you experience more, and you can really immerse yourself more.

There are also easy options to plan and execute any longer rides you might want to try (like Delft to the beach), and I can pass along my tips if interested.