The Perfect 10-Day Netherlands Road Trip Itinerary
After a long, gray German winter, my fiancé and I hit the road for a spring escape on our list for the last year: a 10-day Netherlands road trip during peak tulip season. From bustling cities to blooming fields, this trip had it all—plus plenty of cycling, coffee, and charming detours.
If you're looking for the ultimate spring travel in the Netherlands, this road trip takes you beyond Amsterdam into the heart of the Dutch countryside, coastal towns, and tulip fields. Here’s our full itinerary with stops, stays, and favorite eats.
Stop 1: Trier
Driving from Bavaria to the Netherlands is a bit of a haul (around eight hours), so we broke up the journey with an overnight stay in Trier—Germany’s oldest city, rich with Roman history and riverside charm.
We checked into the Vienna House Easy Trier, a convenient base to explore the city. Highlights included:
Porta Nigra – an impressively preserved Roman gate
Hauptmarkt – Trier’s lively old town square
Electoral Palace – picture-perfect architecture and gardens
Weinstube Kesselstatt – an amazing wine bar right in the middle of the city
We didn’t have time for the popular Wine Walk Trier (a walking tour + wine tasting combo), but it’s already on our list for our next stopover.
Stop 2: Utrecht
Next up: a four-hour drive to Utrecht, one of the Netherlands' most underrated and bike-friendly cities. But first—an unexpected detour.
Passing through Belgium, we stumbled upon a Porsche rally at Spa-Francorchamps. Picture this: thousands of sleek cars filled the racetrack and pit area, and though we’re not luxury car people (we drive a camper van!), it was one of the coolest surprises of the trip.
Once in Utrecht, we dropped our bags at the stylish Moxy Hotel Utrecht and hopped on our bikes to explore. This city lives and breathes cycling, with over 12,500 bike parking places at the train station. As someone living in Germany, where there is already pretty solid bike infrastructure, I was still blown away by how embedded cycling is in daily life here. It’s definitely much easier to get around by bike than by car!
Utrecht should be on any Netherlands road trip itinerary—it's one of the best cities to explore by bike, with beautiful canals and a laid-back vibe.
Favorite spots in Utrecht:
The Streetfood Club – global tapas and an epic cocktail menu
Flora’s Hof – a secret garden tucked behind the Dom Tower
Farina Italian Comfort Food – amazing sandwiches, pizza, and gnocchi
Stadsboerderij de Griftsteede – a mini urban farm where you can pet goats, sheep, and even cows (random, but OK?)
Culture Boat – a cozy cannabis coffee shop on the canal (coffee-only welcome too!)
Stop 3: Noordwijk & the Tulip Fields (3 Nights)
After a lively weekend in Utrecht, we headed west to Noordwijk aan Zee, a beach town and ideal base for exploring the Dutch tulip fields by bike.
My highlight is hands down riding along the Dutch Tulip Route—a 35 km cycling path winding through fields bursting with color, cute cafes, and tulip stands where you can even buy bulbs to take home. If you’re traveling in mid-April, this is an absolute must.
Noordwijk is one of the best coastal towns in the Netherlands, offering easy access to the famous Keukenhof gardens and scenic bike routes through tulip fields.
When we weren’t biking through the blooms, we enjoyed:
Beach walks and sunsets along Noordwijk’s calm coastline and dunes
Trendy beachfront clubs, perfect for afternoon cocktails. The Branding Club was our favorite!
A day trip to Leiden, a nearby university city with a rich history and the oldest botanical garden in the Netherlands. Plus, did you know? Leiden was home to the Pilgrims for 12 years before they set sail for America in 1620.
We were also really happy with our accommodation, The Birdhouse—a bird-themed tiny house turned AirBnB which had everything we needed for a few days exploring this coastal region. Besides the decorations, this place also had a scrapbook with the host’s recommendations for what to do, see, and eat in the area. It shows that no matter how much research you do about a place, the locals always have the best tips! Thanks, Femke, for the great stay!
Stop 4: The Hague & Rotterdam (2 Nights)
After a few peaceful days by the coast, we made our way to The Hague, the political capital of the Netherlands and home to the royal family, embassies, and international courts. We stayed at The Townhouse, a boutique hotel, and enjoyed a delicious multi-course dinner at Restaurant 6&24, one of the city’s culinary highlights.
That said, The Hague didn’t quite capture our hearts. While it has some notable museums and government buildings, it lacked the character and energy we found in other cities. Totally could have been the gray, chilly weather though!
If you're deciding between staying in The Hague or Rotterdam, I would honestly advise you to choose Rotterdam. Just 30 minutes away by train, Rotterdam is vibrant, modern, and bursting with creativity. It’s a fantastic day trip from The Hague or a destination worth its own overnight stay.
Best Things to Do in Rotterdam
Rotterdam is unlike any other Dutch city. After being largely destroyed in WWII, it rebuilt itself into a hub of modern architecture, urban art, and international cuisine. It has a youthful, energetic vibe that’s both surprising and refreshing.
Here are some of our favorite places to explore:
A massive indoor food market housed in a horseshoe-shaped building covered in colorful murals. You can sample dishes from all over the world—perfect for lunch or a rainy day.
These iconic tilted yellow cube houses are one of the city’s most famous attractions. Walking inside feels like stepping into a kaleidoscope. For a small fee, you can tour a fully furnished show cube.
The Port of Rotterdam is the largest in Europe. Hop on a harbor cruise for a unique perspective of the city’s maritime history, industrial scale, and skyline views.
A futuristic mirrored art depot and museum where you can take a selfie against the reflective façade. Even if you skip the exhibits inside, the surrounding park is worth a visit.
A rare pocket of old-world charm in an otherwise modern city, Delfshaven is where the Pilgrims departed for America in 1620. Stop by De Pelgrim Brewery for a locally brewed beer in a historic setting. Delfshaven seems to be a very local spot, hardly saw any tourists.
Stop 5: Tholen (2 nights)
After the hustle and bustle of Rotterdam and the Hague, we were happy to slow things down a bit. Starting with Kinderdijk, a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its 19 historic windmills, which were built around 1740 as part of a water management system. It was a pretty cool experience to bike through the old windmills but if you go, get there early and beat the tourists. Especially in high season. We almost didn’t go because it was so hard to find parking!
Next up - Zeeland, a breathtaking archipelago of peninsulas connected by scenic bridges, underwater tunnels, and countless cycling routes. While Zeeland boasts six beautiful islands, we chose to stay on Tholen, drawn by its remote, peaceful character. We sought a place to unwind, reflect on our trip, and savor the quiet rhythm of the Dutch countryside.
Tholen is a hidden gem for anyone wanting a slower-paced Dutch countryside road trip, with quiet lanes perfect for biking and exploring.
Besides our five-star stay at Logement Cornelia, Tholen was the perfect place to end such an epic road trip.
Here are some things you can do in Tholen:
Cycle to Brasserie de Zeester for a mid-day coffee and cake stop
Explore the historic town of Bergen op Zoom (11 km from Tholen)
Wow, what a trip! Ten days, five stops, countless bike rides, and more tulips than we could count—this trip showed us just how much variety the Netherlands has to offer. From spontaneous detours to tiny towns that stole our hearts, it was one of those journeys that has you thinking about your next trip before you even unpack. If you’ve road-tripped through the Netherlands (or want to), I’d love to hear what spots you love most and what we should add next time.