The Hague, perfect base for excursions

Some of the highlights for the Hague include many of the Netherlands most famous sites: Utrecht, Leiden, Keukenhof garden, the Mauritshuis museum, and even Amsterdam.

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Best Way To Get Around:

The relatively short distances of the Netherlands being what they are, the rail system of the Netherlands (NS: Nederlandse Spoorwegen) is essentially a network of commuter trains (i.e., don't expect parlor and dining cars). But the system runs like clockwork, and has trains about every 15 to 30 minutes on most routes. If you will be needing to plan a trip which will require making more than one connection, then I strongly suggest buying a copy of the Spoorboekje (the national rail timetable). It's about US.00, and includes every the schedule of every train in the country.

My preference for youth hostels us usually for the small ones in the middle of nowhere. On the other hand, this purpose-built facility couldn't be nicer. Convenient to the both of the rail stations, with many small rooms, overlooking a typical canal, offering a convivial bar and dining room, and very affordable (in an otherwise pricey city) who could ask for more?

If you're planning a trip, be sure to use the Dutch youth hostel's website http://www.njhc.org/english/default.cfm) to make an advance booking. That way you can request one of the many small 1, 2, or 4-bedded rooms. The rooms remind me of a roomette on a train: very compact, but very comfortable.

This is one of the best city hostels I've ever been in (and I've run one hostel, and stayed at quite a few more).

The world's largest flower garden with acres and acres of blooming flower bulbs, from March to May Keukenhof is the Netherlands most colorful place. Cleverly designed so that each vista is unique, even at the height of it's popularity it never seems crowded. View after view gets more and more beautiful. If you enjoy public gardens, put Keukenhof on your spring agenda.

Keukenhof is easy to get to: it's just outside of Lisse. The roads are will marked if you're driving. There's no need to drive, however, as there's frequent bus service from the Leiden rail station. In fact, you can purchase a 'Rail Idee' (all inclusive ticket), from any Netherlands rail station, which includes your admission fee and the shuttle bus fare to and from Keukenhof.

My visit to Leiden was promulgated, in part, upon purchasing a typical Dutch bicycle. I knew that I wanted a Dutch commuting bike to take back to the States (full fenders, dynamo-powered lights front and rear, a chain guard that completely encloses the chain, and a typical Dutch bike lock are some of the advantages to the superb city bikes still sold in the Netherlands). Leiden being a university town meant I'd have lots of bike shops from which to choose, and I wasn't mistaken. I had my eye on a Gazelle (one of the better Dutch brands) and located this dealer with a huge selection.

If you're in the market for a new bike while in the Netherlands, I heartily recommend this shop. Any urban biker, while in the Netherlands, owes it to himself to visit a bike shop. The array of utility and city-biking accessories is incredible: shoe covers, rack-mounted briefcases, head- and tail-lights, and other accessories. Having bought my new Gazelle, what a treat it was to ride my new bike through the streets of Leiden, back to the rail station for my train ride back to the Hague.

Hendrik Mesdag was a banker turned populist painter. The panorama of the beach at Scheveningen is his masterpiece. Completed in 1881, the painting was recently restored and rehung. It's a kitschy delight. Standing in the center of the painting, with appropriate recorded bird calls and surf sounds playing, you'll get the feeling that you're standing on the beach.

Scheveningen, the Netherland's most popular beach, has the air of a gently faded resort. Unless you're desperate for a day at the beach, I'd say you can safely pass it by.

The Mauritshuis is a magnificent collection of 15th to 18th century Dutch painting, beautifully displayed in a lovely Hague mansion. Allow an afternoon to fully enjoy the collection, and to make your visit even more enjoyable I strongly suggest hiring one of the recorded audio tours. It will make the paintings, and the stories behind them, come alive.