5 Reasons why Scheveningen in the Winter is a perfect Getaway

Scheveningen in the winter?

You all probably know of this beach town next to The Hague because of its near impossible to pronounce name for non-native Dutch speakers, or because you’ve been recently soaking up that hot Scheveningen summer sun at its beaches and beach clubs. Indeed, the boulevard and the LA-styled ‘Pier’ makes for an obvious choice on those warmer days. But Scheveningen during the colder months is also a great idea. Who would have thought right? Here are just four reasons why it should be on your list of places to visit this winter.

Hot cocoa, long walks and great nature

If sunbathing and sipping cocktails is the thing to do in Scheveningen during the summer, then going for long walks and sipping warm, delicious coffee afterwards is the perfect thing to do in Scheveningen in the winter.

Obviously the normally busy beach makes for the perfect spot to take a relaxing walk during the colder months of the year. The beach bars seamlessly transform from hip summer spots to ‘gezellige’ winter retreats (here’s a list of beachbars suited for a wintervisit). But there’s more to Schevingen than the beach. Beyond the dunes  and past the landmark boulevard lies some gorgeous nature scenery.

duinenscheveningen-meijendel

Check out the ‘Meijendel’ area for instance (also unpronounceable for non-Dutch speakers ). This sprawling nature reserve connects Scheveningen, The Hague and Wassenaar, and features dunes, scenic lakes, forests and miles of sandy beach, all right here in the Randstad.

Oh, and not to worry. Right in the middle of Meijendel is a playground for the little ones and a place to warm yourself up and indulge in a hot beverage.

giphy-sheldon

Pro-tip: Far away from any possible crowds or noise is beachhouse ‘t Puntje’. Once you’ve been there you’ll never be able to resist this mesmerizing place again.

The picture says it all, perfect if you just want to get away from it all…
The picture says it all. Perfect if you just want to get away from it all…

Vissch!

This particular event is not only mouth watering, but also one of my favourites.. in a get the hell out of my way all cause it’s happening quickly type of way! I’m talking about Vissch! The food festival that’s all about celebrating the history of local fishermen (and fisherwomen) in Scheveningen.

vissch

For a few hundred years Scheveningen has been at the centre of Dutch seafishing culture, and everybody plus their dog knows about the presentation of the first keg of Herring on ‘vlaggetjesdag’ in Scheveningen. Just when you thought the summer season was over, Vissch festival then ushers in all kinds of delicious seafood that you’d expect from a traditional fishing village. I’m talking lobster burgers, oysters, exotic fishy delicacies and of course, good old ‘Kibbeling’ (that one needs an article on itself).

By Mark Rooker
By Mark Rooker

Besides downing fish (and wine), you’ll get the opportunity to experience all of this at the ‘Scheveningse Visafslag’ (or fish auction). There’s also the possibility to enjoy being tugged along on a traditional Dutch fisherboat, just in case you want to make sure that the fish food is fresh.

Like I said, it’s coming up quickly and will be held from Friday the 7th till Sunday the 9th of October. The entrance fee is unbeatable.. free of charge! Here’s their FB-page for more info.

Dogs on the beach

At least one group is always happy when the summer season comes to an end. Man’s oldest companion: the dog! Because at the start of October it’s once again allowed to unleash your dog and have him or her run freely at the Scheveningen beach!

That's right boy! The beach! (Pro-tip: make yourself happy and search for happy dog .gif pics, trust me on this one)
That’s right boy! The beach! (Pro-tip: make yourself happy and search for happy dog gifs, trust me on this one)

There’s even an event for dogs at the beach at the 23rd of October  – cleverly named: ‘Honden aan Zee’. It features a fashion show, a dog whisperer and a dog diving contest. So this promises to be a great event for all dog loving people (or people who make a living in the ‘funny dog movie industry’).

honden-aan-zee-medium

Another highlight of Scheveningen is just grand all year round: ‘De Pier’, the quintessential building that makes Scheveningen, Scheveningen.

De Pier

After a not-so-great period in time for De Pier, it was reopened with a vengeance in 2015 and quickly became Scheveningen’s most appreciated building once again. Besides the wide array of restaurant, shops, bars and events such as Le Marie Marché, De Pier also currently features an amazing ferris wheel.

ferris-wheel-scheveningen

This ferris wheel is over 40 metres high and has 36 closed gondolas with air conditioning, including one luxury VIP gondola with a glass bottom. From the ferris wheel visitors have a panoramic view of the sea, the beach and The Hague’s striking skyline.

The Pier in which the ferris wheel in Scheveningen sits on was also built around 1900 as a wooden promenade above the sea. It burned down in 1943 and was consequently rebuilt.

scheveningen-in-the-winter

Wellness at Scheveningen in the winter

Want to take a dip in the North Sea but think it may be a bit too cold for comfort this time of year? Luckily for you Scheveningen hosts a fantastic variety of wellness-options.

Right at the end of De Pier lies the Floatcenter. Whilst we understand that nobody wants to be trapped in a coffin, that isn’t the case here. It’s really more like a one-person pool pod where you can simply open the doors and turn the lights on or off yourself. And trust me, after a while you’ll feel as if you’re on another planet. In a way one could make the argument that walking in nature, admiring far-away beachside huts and floating carelessly in a private pool pod make Scheveningen in the winter more or less, the opposite of Scheveningen in the summer.

Are you someone that would prefer a traditional wellness-experience? The Amrâth Kurhaus (we all just say Kurhaus) is the other magnificent building that defines Scheveningen, whose wellness-facilities will be opening at the end of the year.

Built between 1884 and 1885 by two German architects, the Kurhaus is now perhaps the most wellknown Hotel in the Netherlands and certainly an icon of Scheveningen
Built between 1884 and 1885 by two German architects, the Kurhaus is now perhaps the most well known hotel in the Netherlands and certainly an icon within Scheveningen

Not exactly wellness but also extremely relaxing is yoga at the beach, or for the more adrenaline loving types; fitness at the beach (you know, to get ready for that summer again!)

buitenyoga-medium
Scheveningen in the winter

fitness-at-the-beach-medium

Not enough options? For more chilling and wellness in Scheveningen in the winter there’s this page (in Dutch, you should learn a bit 😉 )

As you’ve read here, there are more than enough reasons to pay a visit to Scheveningen during the winter and autumn. Did we miss out on any other things to do in Scheveningen during the winter? We want to know! Go ahead and share it in the comments 🙂

Abuzer van Leeuwen 🇳🇱
Abuzer van Leeuwen 🇳🇱http://www.abuzervanleeuwen.nl
Abuzer founded DutchReview a decade ago because he thought expats needed it and wanted to make amends for the Dutch cuisine. He has a Masters in Political Science and IT but somewhere always wanted to study history or good old football. He also a mortgage in the Netherlands and will happily tell you too how to get one. Born and raised in Rotterdam, Abuzer now lives in Leiden but is always longing back to his own international year in Italy.

10 COMMENTS

  1. Another fun fact about Scheveningen: its not next to The Hague, its IN the Hague. Its not a town, has never been a town even if it may feel like one. Its just another neighbourhood of the Hague and has always been that. Never really got why everyone seems to think its a seperate town, its pretty clear when you go there by tram that you never leave the city.

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