Brussels

Restaurants: Brussels is an under-rated food mecca in the US, but more recognized in Europe. Throw a rock and it will probably land near a good restaurant.

Day trips: Just about all of Belgium (and parts of France, Germany, the Netherlands and Luxembourg) lie within daytrip distance of Brussels. Depending on your interests, here's a few suggestions that lie relatively close to Brussels.

Waterloo battlefield.

Leuven- If you are within a decade or so of college-age, you may enjoy an evening here checking out the cafe scene on the Oude Markt, probably the best in Europe in my humble opinion. If the university is not in session, however, it may resemble a ghost town.

Bokrijk- an open-air museum dedicated to traditional Flemish culture. There's no convenient rail station nearby, so you'd need to rent a car, or figure out the bus schedule to visit.
http://www1.limburg.be/bokrijk/index.html

Antwerp- there isn't too much to separate this city from Brussels, but if you have any interest in the art of Reubens, you can consider a visit. Also, the city's soaring Gothic cathedral is one of the most under-rated in all of Europe. Others may disagree, but I find Antwerp's Grote Markt more impressive than Brussels'. Finally... how to put this politely? Antwerp also offers one of the two services that Amsterdam is infamous for, conveniently segregated into one small "entrepreneurial zone"... not that I would recommend it, of course...

BOB...we are just back from a 3 day weekend to Belgium..because i wanted (1) to eat mussels in Bruges (which i didn't because i could cook them for less at home), (2) buy chocolates...yes , less expensive than in france..though staff got grouchy if we wanted to select rather than take the pre-packed box...and (3) visit the Fondation Folon in the Ferme du Chateau de LaHulpe...20 minutes outside of Bruxelles. You'll need a car to get there...
Jean-Michel Folon is not the name of an artist that you might recognize, but quite likely you've seen his works..he died in 2005. He did covers for TIME and the NewYorker, plus posters...sculptures, wtaercolors, etc..perhaps best known for the "man with the hat"...i can't explain..he helped set up the museum before he died...it's in a farm in a forest/park...I'm quoting from the brochure."through his art, Folon invites you to explore the fifth season. The season of imagination and poetry".
Websites are www.fondationfolon.be
www.ateliersfondationfolon.be
The sculptures in the forest are special...and the café/restaurant wit the view of the fields, apple orchard and beyond is pretty good too...better quality for price than our last lunch in Bruges....So even if you don' t know Folon...it's a lovely place to go.........

PS...don't quite know why...but BOB is the name given to the designated driver...the one who goes to the party and doesn't drink...saw the billboards on the autoroutes...but i can't translate "BOB"...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brussels

... The above link has helpful information, Bob...
... bon voyage! P