The West Netherlands Road Trip: The Best of the Randstad

Difficulty

152 miles/245 km

Distance

6 - 10

Recom. Days

Culture

Trip type

Hannah is a frequent traveller and road trip enthusiast from the UK that works as a freelance journalist at Indie Campers.
Hannah Hilton

Freelance travel writer and road trip enthusiast based in York, UK. When Hannah isn’t climbing mountains or hopping overseas on an adventure, you can find her at home with her crazy puppy Red.

West Netherlands Road Trip Itinerary: Amsterdam Round-Trip

The West Netherlands Road Trip map itinerary

Google Maps

Renowned for its flat landscape, beautiful winding canals, and abundance of bikes, the Netherlands is the ideal country for a campervan adventure (one that includes a folding bike!). In this West Netherlands road trip itinerary your trip begins and ends in the capital city of Amsterdam before winding its way west to The Hague, south to Rotterdam, and back north to the state-of-the-art city of Utrecht.

Get ready to cycle along canals past windmills and tulip fields, explore museums of both explicit and non-explicit natures, and dine on Dutch cuisine in delightful towns along the way.

Mills located in Kinderdijk, one of the West Netherlands Road Trip destination
Pick-up in
Amsterdam Pick-up center
1

Pedal Around the Capital Amsterdam

Your West Netherlands road trip begins in the capital city itself. Home to a treasure trove of museums, numerous antique stores, and over 800,000 bicycles, Amsterdam has a little something for everybody!

Get ready to pedal away on an outdoor adventure, brush up on the local culture, or shop till you drop down the city’s winding streets.

Canals and bicycles in Amsterdam

To soak up Amsterdam’s vibrant art scene, make a beeline for the neighbourhood of Jordaan where you’ll find streets lined with galleries showcasing local artwork. If you're more interested in food and drink, head to the Oude Pijp district and take the Heineken Brewery Tour, or if it’s museums you’re after check out the Museumplein complex.

Wherever you decide to go, a two-wheeler is the means to get there. Cycling is also the most fun way to sightsee — but do stick to the cycling lanes, lest you get scoffed at!

When leaving Amsterdam and continuing your Netherlands road trip, make sure you visit the town of Lisse for its iconic tulip fields and Marken for picturesque wooden houses .

Visiting

Amsterdam

2 -3

Recom. Days

Main route

17 miles

from our Amsterdam pick-up center

30 min

drive

You can find Indie Campers RV rentals in more than 40 different cities and destinations across Europe.

Visit

Anne Frank House

Reconstructed rooms, poignant museum brings home the terror of WWII

Van Gogh Museum

Largest collection of the master, cutting-edge, culture museum

Signal

Eat at

The Chicken Bar

$$$

American grill, casual dining, rotisserie chicken

De Waaghals

$$$

Vegetarian and seasonal, loved among locals

RV icon

Parking

Amsterdam City Camp

$$

Motorhomes only, service station, 24/7 security

Signal

Stay at

Amsterdam City Camp

$$

Views of the river IJ, central, free ferry into town

2

Visit a Model Town in The Hague

Your West Netherlands road trip continues south-west to the coastal town of The Hague. Here you’ll be greeted by gothic architecture, 16th-century palaces, and a number of grand government buildings as this little city is the seat of the government.

Politics and protocol aside, The Hague is also home to chic shopping streets, a number of art galleries and museums, and an incredible replica model town. Being a coastal city, The Hague’s edges  give way to some stunning dunes to explore, too. 

The Hofvijfer of The Hague, one of your West Netherlands Road Trip destination

The first stop on any road trip to The Hague has to be the Madurodam. This small amusement park is home to miniature model replicas of iconic Dutch landmarks, get ready to unleash your inner child!

When you’re prepared to ‘adult’ again, pay a visit to the Grote of Sint-Jacobskerk, the tallest building in the city and the Binnenhof, a 13th-century gothic castle set aside a lake. Finally, stretch your legs in Meijdendel Park, a lush stretch of dunes interwoven with walking and cycling paths.

Visiting

The Hague

1 - 2

Recom. Days

Main route

40 miles

from Amsterdam

1h

drive

You can find Indie Campers RV rentals in more than 40 different cities and destinations across Europe.

Visit

Madurodam

Park, small figurines, model town

Signal

Eat at

Van Kinsbergen

$$$

Dutch cuisine, modern décor, gastropub

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Parking

Zwarte Pad

$$$

Parking lot at Beach of Scheveningen, tram to centre

Signal

Stay at

Camping Duinhorst

$$

4-star, close to town, tranquil and green

3

Navigate the Canals in Delft

Once the home of Dutch leader William of Orange, the small but charming city of Delft dates right back to the 11th century and is renowned for its ceramic pottery industry, refreshing craft beers, and numerous picturesque canals.

You’ll also find yourself surrounded by a number of quirky cafes and designer shops making it the perfect destination for a relaxed day of exploring.

Buildings in Delft with snow, a must-see on a West Netherlands Road Trip

Culture vultures and historians alike should make a bee-line for the Prisenhof, a historical museum covering the Dutch Golden age and the history of Delft pottery. 

After, head to Nieuwe Church to view the royal tombs before pottering (excuse the pun) over to the Royal Delft to check out the city’s famous blue and white pottery.

Other worthy attractions include the university-owned Botanical Gardens, the family-friendly Science Centre, and the Race Planet Delft for a spot of go-karting!

Visiting

Delft

1

Recom. Days

Main route

7.5 miles

from The Hague

30 min

drive

You can find Indie Campers RV rentals in more than 40 different cities and destinations across Europe.

Visit

Royal Delft

Delft pottery and workshop

Bierfabriek

Craft Brewery, cafe & restaurant!

Henry Willig

Award-winning cheese shop, crazy flavours

Signal

Eat at

Ladera

$$

Dutch dishes, cheap and hearty

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Parking

Gasthuisplaats

$$$

Central parking lot, 160 spaces

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Stay at

Camping Abtswoudsehoeve

$$$

15-min drive from centre, grass pitches

4

Discover the quirky architecture of Rotterdam

Continue your West Netherlands road trip further south to the port city of Rotterdam. Used as a popular trading city throughout the centuries, and largely destroyed during WWII bombings, this charming city with urban flair is fast becoming as popular as Amsterdam.

When you’re not admiring the quirky post-war architecture, you’ll likely be exploring the hip urban scene flourishing in the once dreary harbour city.

Another West Netherlands Road Trip architecture attraction, the Erasmus Bridge in Rotterdam

Our top activities in Rotterdam include a boat tour around the harbour, a visit to The Clubhouse to marvel at peculiar cuboid houses, and a climb up the Euromast Tower to enjoy panoramic views over the city. The Maritime Museum, Rotterdam Zoo, and Market Hall Food Market are also popular attractions dotted across the city.

When continuing your road trip from Rotterdam, make sure to visit the UNESCO-listed town of Kinderdijk (home to windmills, waterways, and walking trails).

Visiting

Rotterdam

1 - 2

Recom. Days

Main route

10 miles

from Delft

30 min

drive

You can find Indie Campers RV rentals in more than 40 different cities and destinations across Europe.

Visit

Markthal Rotterdam

Market and shops in artistic hall, architectural must-see

Aloha Rotterdam

Water park turned bar, restaurant and green hub

Fenix Food Factory

Tasting experience, open markets, workshops

Signal

Eat at

Gastrobar Hartig

$$$

Quirky, international fusion food

Ter Marsch & Co

$$$

Voted best burger of the Netherlands, both meat and vegan

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Parking

Parking Doeleplein

$$

Train into town, overnights allowed

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Stay at

Stadscamping Rotterdam

$$$

Central, grass pitches and basic amenities

5

Travel back to the Middle Ages in Utrecht

The charming city of Utrecht is not only rich in history (the area dates back to 50CE) it’s also pretty flipping beautiful. Between the ancient churches and quaint houses that date back to the middle ages, the towns winding waterways offer an excellent way to stretch the legs and take in the sights.

Come evening, restaurants open their doors and set up their outdoor dining areas on the canal wharf so you can enjoy al-fresco dining with a view. 

People having dinner at the canal of Utrecht, a West Netherlands Road Trip destination

Two days in Utrecht will fly by as you marvel at monkeys at the city zoo, meander down the canal past colourful traditional houses, and soak up the local industrial history and art scene at the Railway Museum and the Centraal Museum.

Finish off your West Netherlands road trip with a visit to St Martin’s Cathedral, one of the largest churches in the Netherlands and a 12th-century iconic landmark.

Visiting

Utrecht

1

Recom. Days

Main route

39 miles

from Rotterdam

1h

drive

You can find Indie Campers RV rentals in more than 40 different cities and destinations across Europe.

Visit

The Dom Tower of Utrecht

Iconic landmark, 12th-century tower, 465 steps

Castle De Haar

Medieval palace, gardens, 19th-century

Signal

Eat at

Restaurant Mejuffrouw Janssen

$$$

French-Dutch cuisine along the canals

RV icon

Parking

P+R Papendorp

$

Parking lot with dedicated public transport

Signal

Stay at

Camping between heaven and earth

$

The name says it all

Drop-off in
Amsterdam Pick-up center

35 miles

from Utrecht

50 min

drive