Netherlands Road Trip itinerary

Driving through the Netherlands was one of our favorite road trips in Europe. Known for it’s canals, tulips fields, and windmills, it’s one of the most beautiful countries in Europe.

If you’re planning a visit to the Netherlands, I highly recommend you rent a car and take a road trip. The drive through the Netherlands is just so beautiful, with miles and miles of green valleys and farmlands.

 On the blog I share our Netherlands road trip itinerary and highlight some of our favorite places. There is so much to see and do here and hope it inspires you to plan a trip to the Netherlands.

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One thing you will notice about visiting the Netherlands is that everyone is riding a bicycle. Cycling is an integral part of life here, so much so that it is the only country we’ve seen where dedicated bike lanes are part of major roadways in most cities.

It was amazing seeing so many parking garages specifically made for bikes and always filled to the brim. The one thing people have to worry about most in the cities is being hit by one.

Netherlands Road Trip Itinerary

Gouda Netherlands

One of the few places we visited on our Netherlands road trip is a town called Gouda. Located in South Holland, it is known for its namesake cheese, and its seasonal cheese market held in the medieval town square.

Unfortunately, we didn’t catch the seasonal market, but there was a farmers market going on selling different types of Gouda cheese and got to sample quite a few.

Gouda is a quaint little town and an easy day trip from Amsterdam. We visited the 15th-century city hall in the Market square, which is one of the oldest gothic city halls in the Netherlands. 

If you want to know more about Gouda cheese, visit the Gouda Museum. We were here in early spring and it was still very cold, so we didn’t get to explore the town as much as we wanted to. But we did leave with a big hunk of Gouda cheese, and came away with some newfound knowledge of it. 

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Rotterdam Netherlands

Our next stop on our Netherlands road trip itinerary is to Rotterdam. Known as a port city in the Netherlands, Rotterdam was mostly destroyed during World War II, and is now known for its bold and modern architecture.

One of the first places we visited on our day trip to Rotterdam is the Markthal, or Market Hall.

The Market Hall is a football sized indoor market that sells fresh produce, organic meats and cheese, and many different eateries and shops, a food lovers dream place! The market alone is worth the trip to Rotterdam.

*For more on our visit to Rotterdam, Read about our day trip to Rotterdam here.

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Netherlands road trip itinerary: Utrecht

Our road trip through the Netherlands takes us to the beautiful city of Utrecht. Located centrally in the Netherlands, it is easy to get here from just about anywhere in the country.

Utrecht is known as a University city, and the city’s main attractions are its medieval old town and canals.

Utrecht is such a beautiful and charming city, we actually enjoyed our time here more than Amsterdam. We stayed here for 3 days, but you can easily explore the city on a day trip.

*Read more about our weekend visit to Utrecht here and the top things to do in this amazing city in the Netherlands.

Keukenhof Gardens

One place to add to your Netherlands road trip itinerary is a stop to the beautiful Keukenhof Gardens. Located in the town of Lisse, Keukenhof is known as the Gardens of Europe.

Every year in the spring from about Mid March to early May, this tulip gardens are in full bloom with over 79 acres of beautiful and colorful tulips. It was like a rainbow exploded and produced this spectacular garden.

*Read our blog on our day trip to the Keukenhof Gardens for some tips, and how to make the most of your visit.

Netherlands road trip itinerary: Amsterdam

Our next stop on our Netherlands road trip itinerary is it’s capital city of Amsterdam. The city is known for its elaborate canal system, narrow houses and cafe lifestyle.

Amsterdam is also home to famous artists like Rembrandt, Van Gogh and Vermeer, and is the best place to take in a visit to one of the museums in the city.

We happened to visit the Van Gogh museum, and it was quite impressive. You can also visit the Rijksmuseum, dedicated to Dutch art and history, it’s one of the most beautiful buildings in the city.

 We spent most of our time here exploring the streets in the city, visiting the many antique shops, and just admiring the beautiful canals and architecture.

You can also visit the Anne Frank House museum, unfortunately we didn’t get to visit because tickets were already sold out! The best way to see the museum is to purchase tickets online ahead of time, as they are on specific times of the day.

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Amsterdam is a huge city and can get overwhelming at times. A day trip isn’t enough time to see all that the city has to offer, I suggest staying for at least a few days.

 It’s easy to get here by train direct from the airport, or from anywhere in Europe, and the station is located right in the city center.

Wear comfortable walking shoes as there will be lots of walking. You can pretty much get to most of the main sights on foot here.

*If coming in by train use the Amsterdam Central station, it’s located in the city center.

Scheveningen Beach: The Hague

Our last stop on our Netherlands road trip itinerary is to Scheveningen Beach. Beaches don’t come to mind when visiting the Netherlands, but I highly recommend a visit to Scheveningen Beach.

This is a family friendly beach with its boardwalk lined with cafes, restaurants and playgrounds as far as the eye can see.

A perfect vacation destination for families in the Netherlands. The pier alone has a pretty impressive Ferris wheel where you get the best coastal views of the city.

If your into bungee jumping the pier has one too! It is also home to a hotel, so if you wanted 360 degree views of the ocean, then this is a perfect stay.

Scheveningen Beach was an easY day trip, just a short drive from Rotterdam and close to Amsterdam as well.

You can get here by train, simply stop at the City of Hague and use the many available public transportations into the beach town.

*If coming by train, stop at the Den Haag Central train station and use the many public transportations to the beach. Click here for info on public transportation to the beach.

I hope this Netherlands road trip itinerary has inspired you to visit the country. We had a great time exploring the Netherlands, if we had more time we would’ve gone up North to explore more.

The ease of travel, getting to and from different cities, make it an easy country to explore, and a perfect family destination! Plan your next trip to the Netherlands and explore more of the country on a road trip!

*Read more about our Road trips through Europe here. We visit some amazing cities and castle towns in Europe.

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