25 Best Day Trips From Amsterdam
Are you looking for some great day trips from Amsterdam?
The Netherlands is a tiny country that attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists every year! Nearly all of them come to visit the beautiful city of Amsterdam. While I can totally see why because it is a fantastic city. There is so much more to this wonderful little country.
As you may know, Guido is Dutch and we lived together in Purmerend, close to Amsterdam for 3 years. This means we have tried and tested every single one of the suggestions on this list of day trips from Amsterdam.
We created this list of all of our favourite, towns, cities, national parks, beaches and more, so you can make the most of your visit to the Netherlands. Trust me you won’t regret venturing outside of the city for any of these day trips.
25 Best Day Trips From Amsterdam
So now you’re ready to start planning your day trips, let’s dive right in;
1 – Zaanse Schans
The Zaanse Schans is a super touristy attraction, but let’s face it you’re going to be a tourist, so why not!
It’s a series of windmills that are set up as mini museums. You can go inside each one and learn some Dutch history. It’s a very picturesque place and I enjoyed my visit there very much. I mean, when in the Netherlands you can’t pass up the chance to get up close and personal with a windmill now can you?
2 – Het Twiske
Het Twiske is a large park with a lake, just outside of Amsterdam. It is lovely to cycle around and stop for a picnic by the lake. In the summer there will be people swimming in the lake too, so bring your swimming gear!
The park itself is huge so there is a lot to explore. If you are lucky you might even get to spot the local herd of highland cows.
3 – Monnickendam
Monnickendam is a small, very typically Dutch town. Just north of Amsterdam, on the edge of the water (the huge fake sea they created with a massive dyke). This is one of our favourite places to go on an evening or at the weekend.
It’s such a lovely town to walk around, with very traditional Dutch-style houses. We lived not too far from here and I loved to visit Hemmeland Park and have a swim in the water.
4 – Zaandam
Right next to Amsterdam and just a couple of stops away on the train is Zaandam. My go-to, for a day of shopping. It has a very long Highstreet and in true Dutch style, there is a Canal right down the middle of it.
There are plenty of small cafes, with seating on the canal to stop for a drink.
When you get off the train you will be greeted by THE most Dutch-looking hotel you could possibly imagine. Trust me.
5 – Muiderslot Castle
This very impressive castle is a definite must-see if you are into history. The castle was first built in 1280. It has since been destroyed and rebuilt. It is still a great sight to see. With its towers, moat, drawbridge and courtyard you can relive all your princess fantasies!
Access to the castle costs 15 euros for an adult. With this, you can explore the grounds and also take the 2 audio tours inside the castle itself.
It is worth mentioning that the town Muiden is a very pretty little town. With cafes and restaurants along the water’s edge, there’s even more to explore once you get there.
6 – Haarlem
Haarlem is another popular city located next door to Amsterdam by the sea. People love Haarlem because of its smaller and more local feel. You can wander the streets and enjoy a drink on one of the terraces. Pay a visit to the Cathedral in the city centre and browse the local markets that are always filling the streets.
Give Jopenkerk a visit too while you are in Haarlem. This is a very popular brewery within an old church that still has stained glass windows. You can see the brewing tanks as you enjoy a cold beer.
7 – Leiden
Leiden is another beautiful city south of Amsterdam. It is much smaller and is lovely to explore. We recommend visiting the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden, filled with really cool antiques.
Another nice spot to visit in Leiden is Hortus Botanicus, the botanical gardens.
8 – Zuid-Kennemerland National Park
If you are a nature lover like us then this national park is definitely worth a visit. Located between Haarlem and the sea you can hike through the forest all the way over the sand dunes to the sea and back.
This park is home to a herd of ‘wild’ horses and some highland cows, so keep your eyes open for them as you go. There a multiple marked routes within the park that you can follow depending on how far you would like to walk.
9 – Zandvoort Beach
Zaandvort Beach is a great day trip from Amsterdam, especially on a hot summer’s day. This beach is incredibly popular with both locals and tourists alike. Lined with bars and restaurants and lovely golden sand for as far as the eye can see, what is not to love?
10 – Alkmaar
Alkmaar is one of the few cities north of Amsterdam and is another great city to explore. Alkmaar is great for shopping and has lots of really nice restaurants along the edge of the water.
You can even hire boats to explore the canals within Alkmaar. That’s right everywhere has got canals, not just Amsterdam.
11 – De Hoge Veluwe National Park
De Hoge Veluwe is my absolute favourite national park in the Netherlands and it is the biggest too. It is a perfect day trip from Amsterdam for anyone who loves to be outdoors.
Once you arrive at the national park you can choose to explore on foot or on one of the hundreds of free bikes they have waiting at the entrances. The park is HUGE so I would advise you to grab a bike and see how far you can get. The paths are all concrete and easy to navigate.
The park is even home to some wild deer that you can often see from the dedicated lookouts they have built.
12 – Utrecht
Utrecht is not too far from Amsterdam and is a very popular day out for locals. We love Utrecht because it is just simply beautiful. This city is a photographer’s dream.
This city is full of museums, galleries, churches and every kind of shop. There is no shortage of things to keep you entertained in Utrecht.
13 – Keukenhof
You can’t make a list of the best day trips from Amsterdam and not add Keukenhof to the list. If you haven’t heard of this place before then you are in for a treat.
The Keukenhof is a stunning garden with intricate flower displays. It’s simply one of the best places for tourists to easily experience the famous tulips of the Netherlands.
14 – Kasteel de Haar
This magnificent castle is located just outside of Haarlem but we have listed it as its own day trip due to the fact that you really can spend an entire day here.
When we visited Castel de Haar we walked around the grounds and explored the whole of the inside of the castle. It is a really big castle. You can even have a guided tour of the inside if you would like to learn more about the history.
There is so much to see here with all o the rooms still being exactly as they were hundreds of years ago, it’s pretty cool.
Unfortunately, it was raining when we visited otherwise this would be the perfect place to bring a picnic and enjoy the huge grounds around the castle too.
15 – Hoorn
Hoorn is a town to the north of Amsterdam, located on the edge of the Markermeer Lake/sea. This traditional town is wonderful for anyone wanting to get some fresh sea air without going to the beach.
You can browse through all the local shops and enjoy lunch on the water’s edge while you watch all the sailing boats go past. Just watch out for the Herons. The Netherlands is home to millions of them and they are not shy.
16 – Egmond aan Zee Beach
A Quieter alternarative to Zaandvort beach is Egmond aan zee. This small town has a few shops and restaurants but the beach is far more natural and less visited by tourists.
Walk along the sand dunes until you find your perfect spot and enjoy a relaxed day in your own little piece of paradise. This is one of our favourite spots to go and watch an epic sunset.
17 – The Hague
The Hague is famous for being the home of the international criminal court and the Dutch government buildings but there is much more to it than that.
For example, the Mauritshuis Museum is known as the most beautiful museum in the Netherlands and is located in the Hague. Here you can see the famous girl with the pearl earring painting.
18 – Rotterdam
Rotterdam is a much more modern city than Amsterdam. It has a more typical skyscraper city skyline which can be viewed from the Euromast Tower. There is a restaurant at the top of the tower where you can enjoy a meal with a view.
Just outside of Rotterdam is Kinderdijk’s Windmills. This is another fun location where you can view some of the traditional windmills that once covered the whole country.
19 – Schoorlse Duinen National Park
This is another great National Park to explore and a little unique in that it is not completely flat like most of the country. The start of the hikes here requires climbing a large set of stairs up the side of a hill to the top of the forest where there are some incredible views out over the countryside.
20 – Edam & Volendam
I have put these two towns together as a single-day trip from Amsterdam because they are right next to each other. It is hard to pick a favourite because they are both really nice towns to visit so I highly recommend visiting both if you can.
Of course, Edam is home to the famous Edam cheese and you can visit the old cheese market square in the town. Volendam has a really fun outdoor swimming pool with slides that are perfect for cooling off on a hot day.
21 – Utrechtse Heuvelrug National Park
If by this point you are making it your new mission to visit all the best national parks in the Netherlands, then time to add one more to the list. Utrechtse Heuvelrug is close to Utrecht and is one of the very few areas in the country that has actual real hills. Not just sand dunes.
The park is also home to wild deer and many birds so is a great place for nature lovers to explore.
22 – The Pier at Scheveningen
If you want to visit the Hague without the hustle of the city then I recommend heading straight to the pier on the beach at Scheveningen. This is a popular beach with lots of fun activities to do such as bowling, minigolf and theme park rides all around the Pier.
A really fun day trip from Amsterdam that is great for families.
23 – The Efteling
Most people have been to a theme park before including me, but the Dutch have their own unique way of doing theme parks and it is fantastic. The rides, the music, the food, the atmosphere it is all next level and you need to experience it if you can.
The park has water rides, a fairytale forest (not just for kids) and of course some bigger more serious rides. It is great fun and a great way to experience some Dutch culture.
24 – Antwerp (Belgium)
This is the furthest I’ll suggest going on this list but Antwerp, just over the border in Belgium is a really popular place to visit. Locals will pop to Antwerp all the time for shopping or a night out or just a change of scenery. Guido took me here and we had a great time.
If you take a train and leave early it only takes a couple of hours each way so can easily be done as a day trip from Amsterdam.
25 – Purmerend
We had to end the list with Purmerend. This is the town where Guido grew up and we spent 3 years living before we left for our travels. Purmerend doesn’t usually make it onto many travellers’ itineraries which is just a shame.
It is a short bus ride away and a really lovely city to explore. It is slightly different to many other Dutch cities because it doesn’t have as many canals through the centre of the town. Perhaps one of the best places to go is the Koemarkt in the centre of town.
This square, which used to be for selling livestock (hence the name – cow-market), is now lined with bars and restaurants and is often home to festivals and other fun events. It is just a really great place to enjoy the sun and drink a beer.
Day Trips From Amsterdam – Good To Know Before You Go
First things first, you should download App 9292. This app is a lifesaver. It will show you every possible route to get anywhere by public transport.
To use public transport, nowadays, you can simply use your bank cards. While writing this the only card NOT supported is American Express. Simply tap your card when getting on (Google and Apple Pay work as well!), and when getting off the bus, tram, train, or metro.
Remember to use the same card for checking in and out. If you use Apple Pay to check in, DO NOT use the PHYSICAL version of the card to check out. Use Apple Pay. Otherwise, you pay for 2 check-ins!
Using the 9292 app you can check the journeys you want to do and it will show you the cost of the journey so you know how much to put on the card. Be careful not to put more than you will use. Once it’s on there you can’t have it taken off again.
Day Trips From Amsterdam – Final Thoughts
So now you have everything you need to know to enjoy the 25 best-day trips from Amsterdam. These are all places we have been and loved and I’m 100% sure you will have a great time too!
Also, check out the best vegan restaurants in Amsterdam.
