The Netherlands & Belgium April 2024 - Brought the Rain Pants, Needed the Rain Pants!

LEIDEN
Hotel Steenhof, 4 nites, €225 a nite for suites, adults only, incl. breakfast & cancelation policy, AC, no lift, updated, canal view, would return!

We stayed in Leiden completely based on the love shown on this Forum, & we 100% agree. The town has a warmth & charm, with the energy of the university students very present. As we checked into our hotel, the student staffer, at least 6'8", welcomed us enthusiastically, effortlessly carried our bags up the narrow winding staircase, & gave us local recommendations.

As the days are long, sunset about 8:45pm, on our first night, jet lagged, we casually sipped wine & dined outside along the canals, with the sunset reflecting on the water. We had a glorious first evening, & as the April weather can change dramatically within hours, soon learned not to waste good weather.

On our first full day, overcast & windy, we followed the RS Leiden walking tour, stopping at the original Molen Windmill. The docent was excited that my engineer husband actually cared about the mechanics. We climbed ladder-like staircases to the top floor, (so glad for the cortisone shot in the knee the week before) &were almost blown off the view deck, as the wind was quite strong. I didn't realize that the windmills were also used to cut lumber, which contributed to the Dutch shipbuilding & powerful trading companies. The gift shop carried many Dutch-made items.

The day continued overcast & blustery. I had booked a canal cruise with Bootjes en Broodjes. (Not sure booking in advance was necessary, but perhaps on a sunny day.) Our skipper was a college student woman, who gave an interesting & energetic tour, a great orientation to the town, and country overall. Our canal boat was small and covered. As the Leiden bridges are very low, our skipper had to repeatedly lower the clear plastic roof of the boat as we went under, & often we had to bend low as well. Pass under the bridge, & the motorized roof was moved back up. It was quite entertaining & I would recommend this tour. The skipper asked what language to use, & the passengers replied English. She, as many folks we met, had a command of several languages.

Our hotel was on a canal, a block from a grocery, atm, & bus stop. The walk to the train station was 20+ minutes, so we were glad to use the bus, tap on-tap off. We thought we were acclimating well, & went to find the atm. The machine we chose would not give us money. A friendly passerby figured out our problem, explaining we were using the machine to pay for parking. The atm was around the corner.

KEUKENHOF I bought combination tickets in advance, which included timed bus transportation from the Leiden train station & entry to the gardens. The website was easy to navigate, & the tickets could be transferred to another day, if available. On the day of, a monitor was zapping tickets before boarding the bus, but they didn't seem to care about the posted time. The bus ride was about 30 minutes, & we had a glorious day, blue skies and sun!

The gardens are expansive and beautiful, 7 million flower bulbs planted. There were crowds hovering around the entrance, (no lines), around the gift shops and pavilions, but otherwise it was easy to walk to the further acres & enjoy the beauty, flower beds reflected in the lakes. We arrived around 10:00am, not the recommended best times, but I never felt crowded. I have dozens of beautiful pix without anyone spoiling the frame. This was 10 days before the Flower Parade. Keukenhof has a Facebook page one can join, with real-time info on conditions inside the gardens.

BIKES I had reserved bikes to ride along the private tulip production fields, in the bike lanes. It was an adventure, as the bikes were poorly maintained, slipping gears, & difficult to steer, while trying to avoid oncoming bikes &falling into the canal. Still, I'd recommend it, as it was exciting! ( Skip the boat tour)

DELFT - Day Trip from Leiden - 20 minute train ride, easy walk to the Delft market square.

Today was Thursday Market day in the square, and it added a nice buzz to a grey & misty forecast. We had pre-booked a canal tour with Blue Lines, & as part of the tour, the small covered canal boat dropped us off at the Royal Delft Pottery Factory ,which was a ten minute walk. After the pottery tour, we were given return tickets for the local HOPO golf cart transportation system, which dropped us back at the town square. Our canal boat skipper was once again a woman college student, who conducted the tour in English & Dutch, giving a nice introduction to the history & culture of the town. My favorite story was the leaning church steeple, which leans more than the Tower of Pisa, due to the soft damp ground. The Dutch builders altered one side of the clock face, to give the allusion of being level.

The Royal Delft Factory has a long tradition, & since I love the traditional blue and white pottery, I enjoyed the tour, along with my husband (surprise!) I didn't realize that in his early days, Picasso designed pottery, some of which was on display. The friendly gift shop sold hand-painted pieces, pricey, but also stenciled pieces (including Xmas ornaments) that were reasonable, & made their way into my suitcase.

The RS Guidebook recommended some small pottery shops along the square, with beautiful pieces made by the personable owners, signed, with reasonably prices. The De Candelaer Delft shop had framed the RS recommendation, & a few of these pieces successfully made it home intact. We didn't have time for the shop next store ,Blue Tulip.

We did have lunch on the plaza, thankfully protected from the drizzle, at Michael de Ruyter cafe ,which served the largest club sandwich I have ever attempted to eat. The bread was so good, as has been the Dutch pattern. The owner circulated among the patrons, continuing to extend the Dutch kindness & friendliness we experience throughout.

I enjoyed Delft, but didn't feel a kindred spirit to the town, so for us, staying in Leiden was the right fit. We had grey & chilly weather, so perhaps that accounted for my feelings. I had wanted to climb the church tower to appreciate the views, but the weather wasn't cooperative.

Returning to Leiden was an easy 20 minute train ride, with city bus to the hotel.

One evening we did a wine and cheese pairing /tasting at Fromagerie Bon in Leiden, which was a small cheese shop, with reservations required. It was around €35 each for a three course tasting, but because of the generous cheese offerings, was way too much. Two courses would have been sufficient, & I should have specified we like very dry wines, not a fan of the sweet desert wines at the conclusion. But the hosts were very good & I would return.

Wednesday Market Day -Leiden, 8:00-17:50, added a fun vibe to that day, and the evening weather was pleasant.

KINDERDIJK
The challenge of traveling from Leiden > Rotterdam > Kinderdijk > Bruges

We'd been on the road for several days now, we were world travelers, using public transportation was going exceedingly well, so it was time to start screwing up....

We loved having so much independence, just hopping on/off trains at will, somehow in my extensive planning I missed a very obvious fact: getting to Bruges from the NL involves crossing a border, & using another train company, often involving the Eurostar system. As we looked at train schedules the night before (oops!) we kept seeing "Sold Out", & it was for a Friday afternoon, which I was later told, was the end of the Easter travel season (2 weeks post.) Yikes! The more stressed we became, the less well we functioned. Finally we found a decent mid-afternoon route to Bruges, using the NS International app, as opposed to the regular NS app. And - we immediately booked our return trip for the next week.

I will lay part of the blame on RS directly, as he neglects Kinderdijk entirely in the guidebooks. To research the logistics involved accessing a number of non-coordinated sites. In addition, the summer water bus schedule didn't come out until March 31, a week before we left, & I was in full-on departure mode.

Once in Rotterdam, the logistics fell into place nicely. The complicating factor was the schedule, as the water buses were only once an hour. Therefore, one had to plan travel before/after visiting Kinderdijk around the water bus schedule, and to miss one meant another hour wait.

From the Rotterdam train station -
-If needed, store luggage in the lockers, beneath track 16, paying with credit card. (This was a huge step for my husband.)
-Purchase the Tourist Day Card from the Tourist Information desk, very visible by the exit of the train station. Our attempts to buy online failed. This covers all transportation to/ back from Kinderdijk, about €15 each RT.
-Tram #7 right outside, takes you to the water front, about 10 minutes, exit when you see the Erasmus Bridge.
- The water bus dock is easy to find.
- Board water bus #21 ( not #20. They aren't well marked, but did run on time.) Many bikes boarded.
- The water bus trip to Kinderdijk is about 40 minutes. It's a very interesting journey along the working harbor & ultra modern architecture. Many of the buildings look like legos construction. Look for the Arc. (No toilets on the water bus.)
- Once you arrive, skip the first building that everyone enters, being somewhat lost. A lone employee explains the area, sells tickets to the small canal boats & windmill museums, & it takes forever. (Note, there are free small toilets downstairs.)
- Walk past the first building, down the hill, to a more modern glass building, which is better staffed, has some food, & the toilets require your ticket. If you want to buy a ticket, do so in the modern building.
- Regarding tickets we were very confused. You do not need tickets to walk along the canal paths & view the nineteen original working windmills- or bike. We had a beautiful day, the scenery was spectacular, very peaceful, & no crowds. It's a perfect spot to bring a picnic lunch & not be rushed. I would suggest three hours at least to relax & enjoy your walk.
- The tickets give you entrance to the two windmill museums, which the staff said took 50 minutes each, & rides on the canal boats to the two museums, which are very short rides. The canal boats involve dealing with another schedule, with which we didn't have time to deal. Overall, our time at Kinderdijk was too short. We purchased tickets and really didn't use them for the museums.
- For the reverse journey, check the hourly schedule, & catch water bus #21 back to Rotterdam. From the
waterfront, many trams go back to the train station.

Kinderdijk was absolutely worth the logistics challenge. It made for a long day, with continuing onto Bruges, but a highlight of our trip.

BRUGES - must I leave?
B&B Canal Deluxe,4 nites,breakfast, stairs, AC, flexible cancelation,canal view, total €782, cash, incl city tax.

This lodging was the definition of storybook charm: wood burning fireplace, which we used, downstairs living room, upstairs bedroom, modern small bathroom, & plush bedding and robes. The windows were large, on one side we had the canal, & the other side was a lovely garden. We did have a 1 minute walk to the breakfast room, which required going outside. There was a shared courtyard on the canal, 6 units total, I believe. The hosts were gracious & left sweet treats every afternoon. We were 2-3 blocks from the main market. I already want to return. (Carrie, totally agree with you about Bruges.)

From the train station to town center is about 20 minute walk, however a free Centrum shuttle runs 7 am to 7 pm, a mini bus, every 20 minutes, on time. Exiting the Bruges train station, walk straight out to the green and white sign with the shuttle picture. The route (online) loops thru the old town, & our stop was a block from our lodging.

Our visit included a weekend, with spectacular weather.
We did a morning Legends free (tips) walking tour, 2+ hours, which was well-done and gave a great orientation to the area. There is also a free Legends Haunted tour in the evening, which ends in a brewery, but we canceled due to incoming bad weather. I think one walking tour met our needs.

Bruges was definitely crowded between 12-4pm, & again it was a sunny weekend. Around 3:30pm, we could observe waves of day trippers leaving, as if being sucked out of town by a giant vacuum. The afternoon may have been a great time for a bike ride.

We knew the eateries around the market square are touristy, but on a pleasant evening, there's a nice energy on the square, & we did enjoy outside dining and people watching.

Breweries
De Halve Maan Tour , €16 each, book in advance, climb up to the rooftop for a city view, get a beer. (Multi-tier tasting tours available.) The tour was conducted by a live guide, and the most interesting info was that the brewery runs a beer pipeline under the city to a processing plant in the suburbs, to reduce the number of trucks in the old town. Our visit was unusually warm with no AC anywhere. The front courtyard has a (crowded) outdoor seating area, & an indoor restaurant, which was also hot. Altho located on a canal, no outdoor canal seating.
2 Be Brewery - Bohemia decorations with 300+ beers. We didn't tour, only visited. The menus are suspended from the ceiling, on elastic bands. The lucite sinks in the bathrooms are surrounded by goldfish aquariums. Large gift shop, & outdoor seating on the canal.
Bourgogne des Flanders - outdoor seating on the canal, recommended for the beer, not the tour.

CHOCOLATE
On our last BRUGES Monday, cold & rainy, wearing my rain pants, my plan was to visit the chocolate chops in earnest. I had a list of shops compiled from the RS Guide, & from you all. Using my Apple Maps, it was like a scavenger hunt throughout the old town. I wanted chocolate made in the area, family shops, & not exported to the US. My suitcase was so full of chocolate that I had to jam my remaining clothes in my backpack. (Now at home, I'm enjoying it all- not sure Belgium chocolate really has that many calories, right?!)
Favorites :
Damon - RS recommended, I just wanted to savor the creamy milk chocolate. Watch out for the milk chocolate bars with Hazelnut, a local tree. Not bad, but the bars look just like the milk chocolate bars.
De Clerke , RS recommend value chocolate in an old-school shop, with a delightful owner and great licorice.
Chocoholic - friendly owner who gave samples, with a large variety.
The shops said chocolate should stay fresh 3-6 months, depending if it was packaged or hand-packed. Really- whose Belgium chocolate lasts that long?

GHENT - day trip from Bruges - 30 minute train to Ghent-Sint- Pieter stop.
.It's a long walk to the old town, so take the bus/tram. Due to the construction take the P4 bus to the Koornmarkt. Note where you get off and on the bus. We missed our stop, and didn't pay attention to where our return bus stop was, which cost us a lot of time at the end of the day, when we were tired.
Sundays was Market Day, but we didn't find them.

On our last Sunday in Bruges, we were weary from day tripping. But the weather was perfect, and we had reservations in Ghent. (Rain was coming the following Monday, our planned rest day.) However, our tours were so interesting that this day was a highlight.

St. Bavo Church, Virtual Reality Mystic Lamb Tour, reserved in advance, €16 each, opens at 1:00pm on Sundays.
The thought of a VR tour in a church basement caused cognizant dissonance. However, it got my husband thru the door based on the technology, and he throughly enjoyed the hour tour. The VR was interesting, instructional, and well done. At the end of the tour you view the altarpiece panels, appreciating them even more because of their history. These were some of the art works rescued by the soldiers featured in "The Monuments Men" movie. The restoration has made the panels brilliant and absolutely beautiful.

After grabbing a quick lunch, we had a decadent time on the Charlie Chocolate Tour of Ghent.
Nick, our guide, is a Ghent native and loves his city. Between chocolate shop visits he conducted a comprehensive tour, including history, culture, and lifestyle: free healthcare, low-cost higher education, but high taxation.

We started with baseline chocolate shops, moved onto hard and soft candies, and finished with high-end exotic chocolates. The tour was 35 euros each but completely worth it- we had a lot of rich chocolates. I bought a selected box of chocolates with the craziest flavors ever concocted, and brought it home to my happy hours group. (The shop included a cheat-sheet for the flavors: eg Bloody Mary, chilis, beetroot, Bailey's, cinnamon, mocha, etc.) We sliced the pieces into small bites and had a great chocolate tasting experience.

Favorite stores visited
Vandenbouhede - exotics
Van Hoorebeke- high quality, OP Carrie's favorite
Deduytschaever - high quality

I booked this tour directly, after so many searched tours were Viator, a third party vendor. Viator names the tour company involved , so I went directly to the vendors' own websites. This guide said the third party vendors get 30% of the cost, but these small businesses need the network provided to survive.

Ghent the town didn't speak to me, but we didn't explore all it had to offer, and I was already so in love with Bruges.

I was not ready to leave Bruges, but we had Amsterdam to explore.

Note- The train from Bruges to Haarlem is 3-4 hours, depending on connections. If you have a Eurostar train on your route, give yourself plenty of time for connections. We found the Belgium trains tended to run 5-10 minutes late, and if you have a 6 minute connection to the Eurostar train, jump on an earlier Belgium train. Eurostar trains have reserved seating and often sell out, so if you miss it, you have problems.

AMSTERDAM from HAARLEM
Haarlem Hotel Boutique Staats, €250 nite, 5 nites, with breakfast & flexible cancelation, no elevator, modern bathrooms, every room is unique, refreshments & snacks complimentary all day, can apply British Airways Avios.Would definitely return!

This hotel is 2 minute walk from the Haarlem train station, located on a very quiet, small residential street. When coming out of the train station, turn left. If you come out and turn right, locations have traffic and train noise. On most days, the train to Amsterdam Central was already in the station, so it was 4 minutes from the time we pulled our hotel room door shut to when we sat our butts on the train. The journey takes about 20 minutes, and trains run frequently.

Into our second travel week, and the forecast wasn't good, which proved accurate; we were wearing the rain pants.

Our first day exploring Amsterdam was dismal. The King of Spain was in town, Dam Square was barricaded, & some streets were closed. The rain &wind were persistent, and after attempting the RS walking tour, the pages of our guide book were getting mushy. Just wandering & soaking up the atmosphere wasn't going well.

We had prebooked the Damn Boat Guys canal cruise , (€32 each) as their boats are smaller, (dozen people,) their tours fill up quickly. An email informed us they cruise in most weather. The staff are all fun, & they have an office around the corner from their dock, with bathrooms, snacks, & a warm place to wait. They are near the Tulip Museum, away from the craziness in front of the central train station, where the BIG canal cruise boats line up. The Dam Boat Guys supplied blankets & actually gave us hot water bottles. This boat was covered due to the drizzle.

We had a great cruise, the skipper was full of local information, history, love of his city, along with a few adult jokes. Due to the weather most likely, we had a subdued group, no smoking or heavy drinking. And - the rain held off and we were able to enjoy the scenery.

Our skipper had a theory for the height of the Dutch people : tall Dutch women want to wear heals and date even taller Dutch men. He said that height is a frequent requirement of on the Dutch dating sites. So tall Dutch folks produce even taller Dutch offspring.

We attempted to get to the Dutch Resistance Museum afterwards, but we just got lost. The tram drivers didnt recognize our terminology for the museum. In hindsight, we should have gotten ourselves back to Dam Square where so many bus lines can be accessed. We failed in using the 9292app for directions. Rain came down buckets. We saw a bus for the central train station, gave up, & returned to Haarlem. This was not our finest day for brainstorming & being world travelers. In hindsight, we needed to use the correct Verzetsmuseum term for the Dutch Resistance Museum when asking/googling directions.

Back in Haarlem, we explored between downpours, regrouped, & found a welcoming Cafe de Paris a few blocks from the hotel. The wine was fantastic, & my husband enjoyed European Guinness (much better than what's available at home, he says) as he talked whiskeys with the owner. The onion soup was a masterpiece, served with a pastry dome. We returned another evening.

The following day, refreshed, we were prepared with directions & found tram #14 to the Dutch Resistance Museum. Coming out of the Amsterdam Central train station, there are two section for trams. Trams #12 & #2 are on the left, (Van Gogh & Rijksmuseum) easy to find, and #14 is on the further right side. (Exit tram #14 at Artis stop.)
The Dutch Resistance Museum doesn't require advance reservations, & presents a sober and well organized history lesson.
We missed the Anne Frank House as getting tickets online, 6 weeks in advance, Tuesdays at 10:00am Dutch time just wasn't workable for us. Note: buy tickets direct. Vendors selling Anne Frank tours don't include the House.

AMSTERDAM from HAARLEM
The Van Gogh Museum €25 each, was easy to explore. The lower two floors are early life & influences, the third floor the major works. Starry Night is not there, (but in NYC,) but several self-portraits, the Irises, and Sunflowers are. The museum was busy but not uncomfortably crowded at 10:00am. We were able to linger and appreciate the paintings, an enjoyable experience. We arrived before our 10:15 am time & were allowed entry. The timed-entry tickets were selling out about 3 weeks in advance.

The Rijksmuseum €22each,was so crowded at 2:00pm that I found it difficult to appreciate the art. Tickets were still available during our visit, so it was not at capacity. The famous pieces are in the Gallery of Honor, which draws the most intense crowds. I found it very difficult to appreciate the art with the crowds &the selfies. (I wish taking photographs were banned.) So many folks were sitting around on their phones; I can only hope they were using the audio guides. Otherwise, they appeared to just be checking this off their "must do" list. Roaming around the other rooms, I still found crowds, less intense, but I didn't enjoy the experience. I also had a difficult time getting orientated, and when exiting, got lost.

The are several Free Walking Tours in Amsterdam. We had one reserved with Sandemans but canceled because of the weather. This is one city in which I think a walking tour AND a canal tour would be beneficial, to get orientated to the various neighborhoods. With heavy rains, foggy glasses, and very strong winds, we really didn't have ideal conditions for wandering through neighborhoods & experiencing the progressive lifestyle. I need an Amsterdam re-do.

Enjoying HAARLEM
We loved staying in Haarlem, loved getting to know this town. It was comfortable, friendly, easy to navigate.
The market square was filled with an amusement park carnival-type rides, apparently a spring event that lasts until King's Day. Seeing a Ferris wheel next to the tower of St Bavo's steeple was a head-turner. The Saturday markets added a nice energy - wish I could have brought cheese back home.

Haarlem's Canal Tours is a small company with small boats, pre-booked, €19 each. The small canal cruises are high quality & worth the cost, much better than those sardine-type boats with dozens. Jeroen, our skipper, was multi-lingual & conducted one of the best tours we had on this trip. He's lived in the city for decades, & covered history, culture, economics, life style issues. He mentioned that Dutch water management experts are in demand all over the world, (example, being called in for Hurricane Katrina.)

St. Bavo Church & Organ , in the market, self-guided tour, features the incredible organ with 5,000 pipes, which dwarfs all else in the structure. I regret that we never heard the organ, as most of the free concerts are summer events.

Corrie ten Boom House Free tickets were gone months in advance; don't follow RS Guide advice. Reserve your tickets when you book your airfare, if interested.

FLOWER PARADE April 20, Saturday night arrived in the city around 11:00pm, about an hour late. It was so cold (46 degrees) I was glad I'd brought my wool socks to use for gloves. The floats were illuminated & musical, but hard to appreciate in the dark. They were on display in Haarlem all the next day, Sunday, but we sadly were departing.

The #300 bus , in front of the Haarlem train station, provides direct transportation to Schiphol Airport , takes 40 minutes, & runs every 10 minutes, tap pay. (If you use the train, you must change trains.) The airport has an app on which you can reserve an appt for the security line, 3 days in advance. We made a reservation, but didn't need it, as check-in & security was about 15 minutes for us. The location of the new One World Lounge is not marked well, follow the signs to #40.
....Conclusion coming, at last....

I am looking forward to the final chapter of this trip report, but wanted to thank you so much for the information, especially on Kinderdijk . We were in Amsterdam briefly in 2022 and are returning later this year; going to Kinderdijk is toward the top of the list for this trip. I was wondering what the bike rental situation is at Kinderdijk? If you did not bike ride at there, I completely understand this is not something you would have noticed.

Thank you again for posting the trip report; it sounds like you had a wonderful time, and rolled with the weather punches quite well. When we were there in early June it did not rain, but it was quite chilly (even the locals commented they were tired of the chill).

CONCLUSION & REFLECTIONS...finally
I apologize for the length. I am a visual learner &have no sense of direction, so I write for those like-minded souls.

The rainy & windy weather caused several revisions. Obviously, the Dutch don't stop living in bad weather, but we weren't so hardy. Our biggest regrets were not being able to bike more, especially from Haarlem to the Zandvoort, &from Bruges to Damme. I had hoped to visit Hoorn or Utrecht. And- we really didn't get to experience Amsterdam wandering as much.

The rain pants were essential. So many Forum conversations regarding "if I bring something, I won't need it." The rain pants also offered warmth, which was especially great on those canal cruises, in 50-60 degree weather.

We were weary when we arrived in Bruges, so didn't day trip to Brussels.

We would stay at all of our hotels again, & felt the prices were reasonable for suites, discounts for stays 4+ days. We booked directly. Overall, I felt prices for food &lodging were cheaper than CA. I loved Haarlem &Leiden equally, it would be hard to choose between them for subsequent trips. Cameron Hewitt's recent blog reported even higher prices for staying in Amsterdam inner rings, because of the city's limitations on hotel & home rentals. He reported an average of $400 nite for a comfortable room in a central location with AC.

Belgium & the Netherlands were clean, safe, with minimum graffiti and litter.

We didn't find the Fries exceptional, & not a fan of the mayo. The stoop waffles were very sweet. The chocolate divine. The bread & yogurt incredible. Hot chocolate & hot tea were served in tall tumblers without handles, which I found awkward.

The Amsterdam Museumkaart requires a local NL bank for payment now, & is mailed to a local address.

I can't imagine not having cell service on this international trip in 2024. We used the AT&T plan, & decided it was a necessary travel tool/expense, especially here, where so many places would not accept cash payments. Toilets accepted €.60 credit payments, &many convenience stores were self-check out.

We were completely dependent on the maps Apps on our phones, & the apps are so improved that they can guide one through small alleys & canal streets.

There are St Bavo Churches in several locations. Initially, I thought I'd screwed up my notes, then I realized this was an important saint, to whom many churches were dedicated.

The Dutch people are as kind as they are tall. Several times I was off-balance with my carry-on suitcase on train station stairs, &suddenly my suitcase became lighter, as the person behind me, male/female, were lifting my bag. The folks in Belgium were equally helpful. This has never happened to me.

The people in both Belgium and the Netherlands were warm, friendly, multi-lingual, with a non-accented command of English. Even an 8 year old girl, helping her mom in a shop, spoke to me in unaccented, conversational English.

When planning locations, look for markets days. These add a nice energy with local vendors.

Research national holidays. In NL, King's Day is a big celebration, April 27, with much beer. Many closures reported & much peeing in the canals, so no canal swimming.

Note the late sunsets & long hours of daylight.

RESOURCES
The Forum -specific countries.
Join Facebook Groups for each specific location. Similar to here, but on steroids. Helpful especially for these countries that have less traffic on the Forum.
U-Tube videos.
Google Translation app.
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/where-are-cameron-hewitt-s-facebook-posts-on-the-forum
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/solo-in-the-netherlands-and-belgium-my-trip-report
Who's TR did I forget?
NL, NL international, & SNCB (Belgium) train apps.

This is the best I can do. I hope it's helpful.

We have incredible memories, learned so much, & will return!

You write great reports Pat! Loved reading this. We have only spent a few days in Amsterdam and would love to get back to see more!

Thanks, Tammy.
sealbeachbum, I didn't see bike rentals at Kinderdijk, but many folks brought bikes on the water bus.

Not too wordy at all. Love reading trip reports, if We’ve been there it brings back memories and if we haven’t, gives us incentives to visit.

We’re off to Rotterdam May 22. Staying 2 nights, then a 2 week cruise up the coast of Norway, then back in Rotterdam for 4 nights. This visit we are day tripping to The Hauge, Gouda, and Utrecht. We’ll also be going to Kinderdijk but from Rotterdam so I’m Happy to read this section.

So glad you enjoyed your trip, Pat! Brings back memories for me. You definitely did better chocolate shopping than me.

Thank you, Pat. What kind of rain pants did you take? (Apologies if it's in your report and I missed it.)

This report is fantastic, and contains so much useful information. Thank you so much!!! - Definitely bookmarked...

Thanks for such a detailed report! I’ve already copied your great “how to get to Kinderdijk” instructions into my trip planning notes.

Barbara and Maggie,
Regarding the Kinderdijk water bus schedule, the Rotterdam Tourist Information Center was great in responding to emails. Enjoy this beautiful and peaceful area!

Barbara N, my rain paints are golf wear and getting old. I'm also looking for a new pair. I'll look first at Sierra Trading Post.

Thanks for a great trip report Pat!! It was well worth the wait. :) Sorry about all the rain. It does have me rethinking when I might return. Maybe May would be better for me.

You had a great trip. Where are you off to next?

For those reading this great informative report who are worried about the weather. Please know that we have a saying in the Netherlands about the weather in April; April doet wat hij wil. This literally translates as April does what it wants.

The weather in April in the Netherlands is difficult to predict and highly volatile. You can and should expect everything from hail, snow and rain to sunny, dry and warm. Sometimes all in one day!
Our national holiday Kingsday is at the end of April. I can remember Kingsdays where there was a heat wave with temperatures of plus 25 degrees Celsius. I can also remember a Kingsday during which a well known Dutch soup and smoked sausage brand handed out their signature woolen winter hats because it was freezing cold.
Bottomline; their is no typical April weather. This year it was very wet and colder than usual. Next year could be the complete opposite. Or not…

Dutch Traveler,
Seeing those tulips were worth it. Thanks for all your contributions.

Carrie, next year is Lake Como and Venice, again, as last year's trip was so rainy- see the pattern here in our travels?
And we will be venturing into Tuscany, where we have never been, hoping to explore without a car, but that's for a new thread. Safe travels to you!

Pat, very nice report! It brings back memories of my trip to the Netherlands and Belgium back in 2018. It sounds like you had a wonderful time! And I'm so glad you enjoyed Leiden—it still remains one of my favorite places.

Mardee, pls feel free to attach your Trip Report here. It's amazing how hard it is to find old Trip Reports on this Forum, especially ones I have read and Bookmarked. Thanks for your comments ! Yes, Leiden, I'm sure you helped influence our going there.

It's amazing how hard it is to find old Trip Reports on this Forum, especially ones I have read and Bookmarked.

An idea is to paste the links in a separate word document that you save on your computer.

Thank you, Pat, for the great report. We are joining a Rick Steves tour of Belgum and Holland in September, and will incorporate your suggestions for our generous free time in different cities. You have a knack for writing! So fun to read. I can't emphasize enough the need for rain pants, as we have used them recently in Iceland, and are helpful on boats. I bought "i Creek" on line. It cut the wind, kept me warmer. Being fellow San Diegans, we are not acclimated to colder climes. Our travel buddies from Pennsylvania chuckle at our distress in the cold.

Kathy N, you are so right, and we've had such a cold long winter her in San Diego! Thx for your kind words.

Kathy N, I found those rain pants on Amazon and I'm impressed. They have great reviews and a choice of colors, even, and the price is reasonable. Is Amazon the best vendor? Thanks so much for the hot tip!

Pat, I forgot to ask, What's the verdict--Swiss chocolate or Belgium chocolate? :)

Hey Pat, wow fabulous TR, I really appreciated all the work that went into planning & executing your trip. I have wavered about Bruges, but I think you've convinced us. Someone came to a RS meet up with a great Shutterfly photo album of a trip including Leiden, really looked like a lovely town. And I had to laugh about the rain pants, they're just not that much extra weight to skip carrying, being dry and comfortable is so important. I buy the kind you pull on over your clothes, it's just another layer against the wind & rain. Thanks again!

Oh, Carrie, that's like deciding which of my three dogs is my favorite.
I did pick up some Lindt chocolate balls on the flights, so I had both at the same time. I think I need to go back for further research......What about you?

Sandancisco, thanks for your comments, and do go to Bruges!
We would have been pretty miserable without the rain pants.
I can't decide now if I like Rothenburg or Bruges better?
Safe travels!

HUH, OK, have added Rothenburg to our plans to visit Strasbourg. Weirdly, I studied for 1.5 years in Tubingen but never made it south to the Black Forest or Strasbourg, I always headed into the Alps, poor me!

Sandancisco, the Alps......time for us to return.....

Great trip report, Pat! We did a similar trip last year and enjoyed it so much!

I also recommend Haarlem Canal Tours! Our B&B host was telling us that Jeroen is a "real Haarlemmer" and has been taking visitors out on his boat for years.

Christine, if you wrote a Trip Report, pls feel free to attach it here. Then next time a first-time OP asks "What are the best things do in Belgium and the NL?" We can just respond by pasting in all this.
Yes, Our skippers were all good , but Jereon was outstanding. Thanks.

https://www.cntraveler.com/gallery/places-to-visit-in-the-netherlands-that-arent-amsterdam?utm_source=nl&utm_brand=cnt&utm_mailing=CNT_Daily_PM_050924&utm_campaign=aud-dev&utm_medium=email&bxid=5bd680d524c17c104803cdf9&cndid=51172841&hasha=4d08279cca16ddfdcb8034e80930eb96&hashb=c3dee86d7b2bdc795905a4768346b09fda973d85&hashc=46dad7fc24affb19274408f700d377bd2eb06a092deb25078d42dcd6e549e64f&esrc=AUTO_PRINT&utm_term=CNT_Daily

I just saw this. Yes, lots of ads. However, under Kinderdijk, it says there is a land bus from Rotterdam. However, I truly enjoyed the water bus journey.

What a wonderful trip report, Pat ! And sounds like a wonderful trip, too. I know what you mean about the driving wind and rain in Amsterdam — I foolishly went in January last year and that was miserable ! I had a good rain coat but no rain pants. Ugh !!

Amazing how you figured out how to do Kinderdijk as a stop on the way to Bruges. Brava.

All of my European trips include Belgium because I have friends there. Regardless of the season, I have learned to always take rain pants. Even on dry days the wind coming off the North Sea can be brutal, and the rain pants over regular pants are warmer. Mine are from REI.
Nice trip report, Pat!

Mardee, pls feel free to attach your Trip Report here. It's amazing how hard it is to find old Trip Reports on this Forum, especially ones I have read and Bookmarked.

Pat, unfortunately, I never wrote a trip report or even journaled on that trip. It was in 2018 and I was still working when I went. And then when I got back, I had a big trial that I had to immediately start preparing for. So I just never had the time to write about it. :-(

Thank you for this report. I suggested to my SIL that we visit the Keukenhof gardens after our RS tour in Greece. She wants more time in the Netherlands and your info on hotels in Leiden and Haarlem are great. Can’t wait to go.

We were probably in your shadow for much of this trip. We were also on a two-week plus a day trip that started with a flight into Copenhagen - 3 nights, then Amsterdam - 5 nights, Bruges - 3 nights, Ieper- 2 nights and Delft- 2 nights. Most of this was a repeat for me, but new destinations for my husband.

We also brought and used rain pants, rain jackets, mittens and hats, long underwear and copious amounts of hot chocolate to get through the trip. It rained on our Keukenhof day then turned windy, but we pedaled those bikes into the gale. The flowers were lovely and fortunately they sold great hot chocolate. There were also more indoor pavilions full of flowers than I expected so we were able to hunker down inside when necessary and still see flowers.

I luckily found the Corrie Ten Boom website in my early planning last year and we had tickets for the tour on a Friday and we thought it was well worth the effort. My husband had not visited the Anne Frank museum so I was up at 4am one morning to get tickets. We both read (re-read) both Anne's diary and Corrie Ten Boom's The Hiding Place before the trip and that added a lot.

Our last full day in Amsterdam was on King's Day and that was some kind of experience. It was easy to walk to the Anne Frank House for a 9am reservation, but much more challenging getting to and from the Rijksmuseum later that day. The trams don't run much if at all during the day, so it's all walking but the streets are so crowded that it's single file weaving. Many museums, restaurants and shops were closed that day, so anyone in Amsterdam that day should plan well unless they are there specifically for the celebration. For the record, we would likely not plan a trip to Amsterdam that includes King's Day in the future.

Tiger fan,
you had mittens, you are very smart travelers. Sorry Keukenhof was not ideal, but you still rode bikes!
Overall, I was very pleased with how the trip went, and I enjoyed learning so much about the two countries.
Where to next ?

Patty, I think you all will really enjoy this adventure! Safe travels!

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/netherlands/museumkaart-f925f871-64ba-4429-bb67-8b1f7e35981e#bottom

Just combining info all in one place.

Pat......wonderful trip report. Enjoyed reading!

Two wandering nurses, and fellow residents of San Diego, thank you for taking the time!

Loved your trip report! Thank you for refreshing my memories of Haarlem, Leiden, Delft, Bruges, and Amsterdam.
I also have great memories of renting a bike at the Haarlem station and riding west to and through the sand dunes of National Park Zuid-Kennemerland to the North Sea beaches. Gorgeous.

Wishin, thanks so much for your comments. I hope to return and be able to bike more- the weather put the kibosh on most of our biking plans.

Hi Pat,

I just found your trip report now while looking at some options in Belgium. Thank you so much for the details! This will be very helpful, considering some options for the ending of a trip next year.

Jean, thanks, and have a wonderful trip! Safe travels!

This is a wonderful overview!!!!!
We are traveling to Brussels, Bruges, Antwerp....Viking river cruise, & then Amsterdam in May 2025.
Very useful information.

thanks !!!!

Borregoletty,
Thanks for your comments. I really want to return. What beautiful and comfortable countries to visit, with warm people with interesting histories. Safe travels!

Pat, add Dordrecht to your list for a return trip. After watching these two videos, it’s top of my list for whenever I get back.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDW291payAs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7Fbx4YfFag

Carrie, those canals and swans are calling you....along with the chocolate!

Pat, just discovered this report. It's terrific. We were about 2 weeks behind you. So true about Kinderdijk. We managed to get there on our own as a free half day out of Delft, (where it was warm) while on a Rick Steves tour. Rotterdam was the coldest windiest part of our visit, and fortunately the tram from the train station dropped us off near the water taxi and although it was absolutely freezing cold; our water taxi departed within 5 minutes of our arrival. This timing was all luck. We were so confused by the "options" to buy tickets at Kinderdijk as well. We stopped at the first building, not the modern place; so great info for future visitors. And like you didn't use what we purchased. But again, we weren't sure what we purchased! (:

Otherwise we had fabulous weather. So lucky. Ghent, Bruges, Amsterdam and Kuekenhof Gardens were very warm spring days; and Haarlem was a favorite. We managed to get tickets to Corrie Ten Boom about 9 months out.

You've got a lot of great info for travelers!

KD, thank for your kind comments. Kinderdijk really is worth a visit, and the RS Guide doesn't mention the area at all.Glad you had wonderful weather.
Future safe travels!