Where to stay in the Netherlands to visit Amsterdam for the day?

Hi there, I’m planning a family trip to the Netherlands and I’m looking for a good base to visit Amsterdam for the day. The idea is to avoid staying in Amsterdam (to keep costs down) and to be able to get there by train/tram/bus "quickly" (less than an hour). Any neighborhoods or towns you’d recommend? Otherwise, I’ve spotted a youth hostel in the Amsterdam Oost district. Any thoughts on that area?

We’ll be traveling by train from France. I’m also considering renting a car to make it easier to visit places with the kids and to have the flexibility to go to spots without worrying about transport. Where would you suggest staying to easily explore the area? If I rent an electric car, are charging stations easy to find?

Here’s our itinerary: 3 nights in Rotterdam – 5 nights to be decided – 2 nights in Amsterdam (or another nearby spot)

Thanks to anyone who replies! 🙂

hi there, I wouldn’t recommend renting a car. The time I went to the Dutch capital by Eurolines bus, it took a good 2 hours just to reach the city center. So the traffic congestion is insane there. The public transport system works really well. For accommodation, choose somewhere further south in the city.

I just got back from a little trip to the Netherlands to see the tulip flower exhibition at Keukenhof and visit Amsterdam. We drove, but we chose to stay in Haarlem, a really pretty town that has trains every 10 minutes to Amsterdam—just 12 or 15 minutes away. Plus, Haarlem is known for its shops and restaurants that even attract Amsterdam locals. The beach is nearby too (also accessible by train), though it wasn’t the season for us. You’ll have no trouble finding an Airbnb in Haarlem. There are also bikes for rent.

The cities are open and spacious, with flowers (and bikes!) everywhere on the sidewalks.

happy travels

hi there, yeah, staying in Haarlem is a great solution

Hi there, Thanks for your replies. In the end, we decided to go for a youth hostel in Amsterdam! About the car rental, I didn’t explain myself well : I wanted to rent a car in the middle of our trip (between Rotterdam and Amsterdam) to visit other regions of the Netherlands, not to explore Amsterdam! Now I just need to choose where we’ll stay for 5 days!