7 best day trips from The Hague

Day trips compared

The day trips

10 km · About 10 minutes by train, 25 by tram

1.Delft

Vermeer's hometown has canals, the Markt between the Nieuwe Kerk and the town hall, the Oude Kerk with its leaning tower and the Royal Delft pottery factory.

Getting there

Train from Den Haag Centraal or HS, or tram 1

Best for

First-timers, Culture, Couples

15 km · About 10–15 minutes by train

2.Leiden

The oldest Dutch university town has canals, almshouse courtyards, the Hortus Botanicus, the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden and Museum De Lakenhal in Rembrandt's birthplace.

Getting there

Train from Den Haag Centraal

Best for

Culture, Couples, Quiet stays

25 km · About 25 minutes by train

3.Rotterdam

Rotterdam's modern skyline, the Markthal, the Cube Houses, the Erasmus Bridge and Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen make a strong contrast to The Hague.

Getting there

Train from Den Haag Centraal or HS, or metro line E

Best for

Culture, Food lovers, Nightlife

30 km · About 45–60 minutes by train and bus

4.Keukenhof

Keukenhof's spring gardens near Lisse show millions of tulips, daffodils and hyacinths, usually from late March to mid-May, with the bulb fields flowering around it.

Getting there

Train to Leiden, then seasonal express bus

Best for

Couples, Families, First-timers

30 km · About 20 minutes by train

5.Gouda

Gouda's Gothic town hall, the Sint-Janskerk's stained glass and the summer Thursday cheese market make an easy half-day.

Getting there

Train from Den Haag Centraal

Best for

Food lovers, Families, Culture

60 km · About 50 minutes by train

6.Amsterdam

The Dutch capital has its canal ring, the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum and the Anne Frank House, which needs tickets booked well ahead.

Getting there

Train from Den Haag Centraal

Best for

First-timers, Culture, Nightlife

40 km · About 1–1.5 hours by train and waterbus

7.Kinderdijk

The UNESCO-listed group of 19 windmills along polder canals, two of which are open as museums, is the best place to see traditional Dutch water management.

Getting there

Train to Rotterdam, then waterbus

Best for

First-timers, Families, Couples

Day-trip tips

• Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
• Den Haag Centraal and Den Haag HS stations have frequent trains to Delft, Leiden, Rotterdam, Schiphol and Amsterdam.
• City and regional buses fill gaps to Kijkduin, Wassenaar and outer districts.
• For trips over about 150 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.

Questions travellers ask