Countryside

A visit to surrounding countryside close to Amsterdam will be a good treat for you who want to escape from busy city. Take either bus or train , all of them are easy to access in only less than an hour to visit either one of them, so you still can stay in your hostel/pension at night in Amsterdam.
Take a look Alkmaar, the remaining 'cheese city' , or Harlem which is only 20' away by train from Amsterdam, where you can find the three centuries old brick houses, where you'll feel you're not in this 21st century. Grote Mark and Grote Kerk are good places to explore , also the Frans Hals museum.
Leiden, is famous of its Holland oldest and most prestigious university. The Ryksmuseum voor Volkenkunde contains of world famous collection from East Indie, primarily from Indonesia. While
the Ryksmuseum van Oudheden has a complete collection from Egypt's temple of Taffeh, which was taken and rescued from sinking caused by the Aswan Dam in 1979.
The Hague or known as Den Haag is the seat of the Government of Holland, prices are higher here, buildings are more modern, streets are broader, and the city's feel is less Dutch.
Scheveningen, a famous beach and nightlife will give you relief from the noisy city.
Delft is well known of its blue&white porcelain, while Utrech, when the weather is allright in summer evening a lot of musicians perform together with vendors sell various food along the streets until late night.
Don't miss the Keukenhof, the Holland's flowers region where tremendous international flower auction is hold here year around, but in April-May would bw the best time to be here.
Have a good time folks !