West German cities to go to on a weekend trip with a group of friends

Hello!

Apologies in advance if I'm the 100th person asking this, but I couldn't find any other related posts.

I'm planning a weekend trip in januari with some friends of mine. Since we're living in and around Amsterdam, we're looking for a city somewhat close by. History, nature, culture are on top of our list, and first and foremost some nice places to drink some beers. We've also been to Hamburg recently and really loved the sometimes rough feel of the city, as well as the vibrant nightlife and späti shops.

So I'm wondering, what cities would you recommend going to by car or train? Cities that come to mind, but really ar3 just general guesses are: Düsseldorf, Bremen, Köln.

Would love to hear some input, thanks!