There’s an Indian Summer coming up and this is, of course, the perfect moment to hit the beach for the last time (yes, 20 degrees is enough for us here). But after that? Well, turns out that our favorite beach town in the Netherlands also has plenty of good stuff going on during the fall. So stop watching Netflix and ditch that laptop and go outside after reading these 5 things to enjoy a perfect autumn day in the lovely Scheveningen!
Wondering where we get all this Scheveningen info from? Buitengewoon Scheveningen is the site to visit for that. They’ve got tons of suggestions, event listings and all kinds of other stuff on Scheveningen going on – and also really creatively written articles (perfect opportunity to learn some Dutch?).
#1 Enjoy an epic walk
With the falling leafs and the temperature still kind and cozy the beach of Scheveningen, the forest surrounding it and of course it’s big next door neighbor of The Hague make it the perfect spot to go for some serious (and relaxing) walking!
And as it happens this very Sunday sees the first edition of the ‘Blotevoetenwandeling’, perfect timing since the temperatures are expected to be warm and perfect for a no-shoeswalk!
We’ve already written a bit about the gorgeous scenery which makes it so suitable for walks. 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.
To make walking even simpler, but also a lot more fun – the good people of This is The Hague have launched a few digital walking routes of the Hague and Scheveningen. Works like a charm and all in English as well! You can find all that right here.
#2 Music for the soul
The ‘Zuiderstrandtheater’ is located right along the walking routes of Scheveningen, this building houses one of the better orchestras of the Netherlands; the ‘Residentie-Orkest’ (which translates into the ‘orchestra of the residency’).
The residency orchestra is one of those institutions that you really don’t want to miss out on if you’re into music at all. They’re also about much more than just classical music. We can specifically recommend their (free!) lunchconcerts and their Sunday morning specials. Check out their website, it’s nicely done in English (and you don’t need Dutch skills to enjoy the music of course.
#3 Comfort food
Obviously when the sun is gone and bikini season over there’s only one upside to all of it: we can stuff ourselves with delicious food! First, we need to talk about our national pride: cheese!
There’s this epic cheesestore in the Keizerstraat that makes me eat and buy way more than I have any business to do so. The best thing about the shop is all the little samples of cheese you can taste (there’s never one that I don’t like of course). They can also vacuum package your cheese so you can bring it along back home or give away to a foreign friend.
And then every Thursday there’s the classic Dutch street market at the Stevinstraat, always a good vibe and spot to get your veggies, fishies and even more cheese. There are plenty of other nice gourmet shops in Scheveningen, here are a few of them (practice that Dutch! 😉
Still not satisfied? Head down to Scheveningen harbor and eat some delicious fish, if there’s one place for a fish-lover to go to it’s there. Read all about it right here in our article on the Scheveningen harbor.
#4 Happy dogs at 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!
There’s even an event for dogs at the beach at the 22rd of October – aptly titled: ‘Dogs at sea’. It features a fashion show, a dog whisperer and a dog diving contest. Their website has all the information you need, and I also found this epic clip which I totally need to share with you:
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’).
So we had food, walking, dogs and music. What’s left?
#5 Relax: Spa and Yoga in Scheveningen
Of course, the best way to totally get out of the winter-is-coming blues is taking a spa. And what better spot than the iconic Kurhaus?
The Amrath Kurhaus hotel was originally started as a bathhouse (Kurhaus – kuurhuis) so they know what they’re doing there. The Kurhaus spa had some extensive renovations carried out last year, so it feels brand new (but you still get that great nostalgic vibe from it). It’s of course even better when you can enjoy the wellness and look at the sea at the same time.
* Pro-tip! The whole month of October you can mention that you’re there through the ‘Buitengewoon Scheveningen‘ promotion – after they have stopped laughing at your foreign pronunciation of Scheveningen they will give you a discount of 2,50!
And last but not least! How about grabbing a yoga session at the Pier in Scheveningen. It’s a weekly thing and when the sun is shining they’ll even do it outside! It’s at ‘personal training’ and once again, if you’ll say the codeword of ‘Buitengewoon Scheveningen’ the first session is actually free! More information can be found here.
That’s it! Any more tips (or pics of lovely Scheveningen) we’ll gladly see it shared in the comments!