There are quite a few places around Meppel that are worth visiting. However, Meppel is on the brink of two provinces, so you would not be able to detect that if you look at my Travel Page.
You could easily cycle between these places. It's a lovely rural area.
Like: Meppel-Staphorst-Giethoorn-Meppel
Or: Meppel-Ruinerwold-Frederiksoord-Vledder-Meppel
Or: Meppel-Steenwijk-Giethoorn-Kolderveen-Meppel
Or: Meppel-Ruinerwold-Kallenkote-Schiphorst-Meppel
Or: Meppel-Staphorst-Zwolle-Meppel
So here goes:
Kolderveen (very rural, dairy farm icecream)
Steenwijk (small town, Unesco heritage site)
Giethoorn (Venice of the north)
Staphorst (beautiful old farms)
Ruinerwold(stone's throw from Meppel)
Kallenkote (Indonesian bird park)
Frederiksoord(colony of welfare)
Vledder(small village, museum of fake art)
Zwolle (largest town in the area)
Meppel (lively nightlife, shopping, printing museum)
Schiphorst (stately home as exclusive hotel/restaurant, stork farm)