ZANDVOORT Beach

very convenient to both Haarlem and Amsterdam. The train goes right up to the beach, just a couple of minutes, or maybe one, from the sand.

Plenty of good sand, plenty of people on a good day, not exactly scintillating food, and I don't drink. For 10 minutes from Haarlem what could be bad?

Consider Bloemendaal aan Zee as well. It is bordering Zandvoort to the north. You can reach it by bus or cycle from Haarlem through the dunes. It is a 3.5km walk from the Zandvoort train station.

cycle from Haarlem through the dunes

Definitely a great suggestion. Haarlem is itself a neat place, and the ride from Haarlem to the beach and back is lovely and can be done as a loop rather than simply out-and-back. We did Haarlem to Bloemendaal aan Zee, down the coast to Zaandvort, and back to Haarlem for about 14.5mi/23km of riding filled with a wide variety of scenery. Definitely a nice way to spend an afternoon.

Thanks for the help

Hi John,

Zandvoort is fine for a quick beach day from Amsterdam (30 min by train), but honestly it's not the prettiest beach town in the Netherlands. If you want a more charming coastal experience, I'd recommend:

Bergen aan Zee — quieter, nestled in the dunes, with the artists' village of Bergen right behind it. Much more character than Zandvoort.

Noordwijk — wider beaches, less crowded, and a really nice boulevard with good restaurants. Great for a relaxed day.

Bloemendaal aan Zee — right next to Zandvoort but with better beach clubs and a more laid-back vibe.

That said — if you're into racing or cars at all, Zandvoort has something unique: you can actually drive Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Porsches on the F1 circuit of the Dutch Grand Prix.

Otherwise for a beach day, skip Zandvoort and head to Bergen or Noordwijk instead.

Excellent info Steven TY