Where to explore in the Netherlands next?

We were up in the Netherlands this past June. Den Haag was undergoing much construction which made walking difficult. Many streets were torn up. I don’t know how quickly they work over there so you might want to check if it’s still ongoing. (Here in Brooklyn it seems to take years).

We didn’t visit Leiden but got to Utrecht. It was nice, smaller than we thought it would be. Lovely canal lined streets, more like Amsterdam. We stayed in Rotterdam which was nicer than we thought it would be. The city was very walkable and modern and has a very young vibe. I can recommend either place.

As a rail hub Utrecht also has the plus of easy train connections to many destinations for day trips. We made quick, easy train trips to Dordrecht, Den Bosch and Deventer. We recently stayed at the Hampton by Hilton Utrecht Cebtraal Station. It’s in a big mall and minutes from the station so Dad can save the walking for more scenic areas if needed. The room was comfortable, the breakfast was very nice and the staff were helpful. Not cozy-charmy but super convenient. We also stayed in The Hague but mainly to visit the Mauritshuis and our stay was shorter than in Utrecht but pleasant. We bought our museum ticket online in advance. I can recommend Staybridge Suites for its excellent location and comfort, breakfast and truly friendly and helpful staff. Leiden may be the prettiest of the three, but our last visit was a few years ago so a bit vague. It has a big following among posters here. We’ve made many trips to the Netherlands…always had a wonderful time everywhere. Safe travels

Thank you Denny and Barbara, I appreciate you taking the time. I was leaning towards Utrecht and you have both pushed me that way with your messages! I'm thinking we could easily do a day trip to den Haag if we are up to it. Merry Christmas from a hot and sunny Sydney!

I’m going to add a contrary opinion here. Given your interest in art and history museums I would recommend you to stay in Leiden not Utrecht. Leiden has several excellent museums, including the Worldmuseum, the museum of antiquities, Naturalis museum of natural history and de Lakenhal which has paintings by Rembrandt and contemporaries. Rembrandt was born in Leiden after all! In addition to that, Leiden is also a beautiful city with canals, beautiful squares and courtyards and a windmill right in the city center.

As much as I like Utrecht, other than being a great historical city to walk around in it doesn’t have much in the way of art/history museums.

Leiden is only a direct 16 minute train ride away from Schiphol Airport and only an 11 minute train ride from Den Haag.

We stayed in Utrecht and loved it, but there are unquestionably more cultural opportunities in Leiden. But all the major Dutch cities are easily accessible to one another except Maastricht and Eindhoven, which require more time and planning to reach.

Things like restaurants and shopping are more broadly available in Utrecht and Den Haag than in Leiden, which is a big reason I'd recommend staying there and visiting the other cities by quick rail trips. But I don't think you can go wrong with any of these cities.

April is a bit early to prioritize the massive Hooge Veelue park, Kroller-Muller Museum, and white bicycles, and the Het Loo royal palace in Apeldoorn. I loved both Utrecht and Leiden, as daytrips from Amsterdam. But they are both worth sleeping in. For special interests, I'd mention the musical automaton museum in Utrecht, which books up in advance, seen by tour only.

The massive city art museum in den Haag is almost as good as the Mauritshuis. For some, The Girl With A Pearl Earring is a must-see. Did you notice that Delft and den Haag are adjacent and connected by a city tram or bus? The beach is nearby, but not for April.

I also try to make hotel stays at least 3 days, but is your "3 day" figure based on the travel route (or AMS) in general? I don't see a reason for a detour for just 3 days.

I vote for Leiden, which ended up being the surprise hit of my trip to The Netherlands. Such a fun city to wander around, and the American Pilgrim Museum was great to visit. I wish I could remember the docent's name but she did a great job bringing it to life and was very knowledgeable about the Pilgrims time in Leiden.

Thanks so much for all your responses, they've certainly given me food for thought. I'm going to share them with my parents. This will be my 6th trip to the Netherlands, I'm lucky I can fit in frequent visits but this year I am limited to only 3 days sadly. It really is a wonderful country.

We spent a wonderful week in Leiden and highly recommend this city.

I absolutely love Leiden and can't wait to go back. It was such a beautiful and charming town where you could walk along the canals, get the university vibe, but also visit all the wonderful historical places and museums. There is plenty to explore, like hidden courtyards and fun cafes and water-side restaurants. It was truly a delight and I rank it in one of my most favorite towns I've traveled to (and I've traveled to many). :-)

I second what Mardee, Suki, and Kblur9 says!
I liked the town so much it's on my list of possible dog names for my next canine generation. ( I'm also considering putting Haarlem on that list. Are they male or female names. I do digress......)
Enjoy!