Zandvoort
Zandvoort a beach town on the north coast of Holland may not be on your day trip/weekend away radar. It is not the prettiest town with its mish mash of hostels, holiday rentals, a giant casino , 1970's high rise flat complexes and take out shops', however there are many advantages to heading to Zandvoort for your weekend and today as I sit looking out over the perfect golden beach with the calm waters lapping the shore from a very cheap holiday rental overlooking the coast I am going to tell you why you must have a day trip to Zandvort.
1. Beach town dedicated to tourism. Everything you need for your holiday by the sea can be found in Zandvoort. Cheap accommodation nearly every house in the suburbs is a holiday rental or has a room to rent, hundreds of places to eat. Plenty of beach cafes and wine bars which offer a cuppa coffee by the sea in the morning and tapas and wine by night! What better way to start the day then a walk by the beach (off season it is pretty quiet on the beach too) or end the day with the sound of the waves lapping on the shore watching the sunset.
2. Location Location Location. Zandvoort has a train station so you can arrive and depart really easily to either Haarlem or Amsterdam. When you arrive at the station it is a mere 5 minute walk to the beach promenade . The station has bikes you can rent ( if you have a NS card with bike rental) in a self service container right outside the station entrance.
3. If you get tired of the beach life you are in the perfect location to venture further a field. A short cycle or walk (there are also buses) will take you to the Amsterdamse waterlidjn. I have just spent the morning there and rediscovered the sound of silence. It costs 1.50 to enter but when I went I didn't see that until I was leaving! So it is on a honour system i guess. You pay at the machine by the gate when entering
4. The Zuid-Kennemerland National Park is so close by. It is the perfect location to start your cycle through the dunes.
5. Haalem is only an 11 minute train journey away.
So I recommend Zandvoort for a cheap get away where you are at the doorstep of some of the great sites in Holland.
1. Beach town dedicated to tourism. Everything you need for your holiday by the sea can be found in Zandvoort. Cheap accommodation nearly every house in the suburbs is a holiday rental or has a room to rent, hundreds of places to eat. Plenty of beach cafes and wine bars which offer a cuppa coffee by the sea in the morning and tapas and wine by night! What better way to start the day then a walk by the beach (off season it is pretty quiet on the beach too) or end the day with the sound of the waves lapping on the shore watching the sunset.
2. Location Location Location. Zandvoort has a train station so you can arrive and depart really easily to either Haarlem or Amsterdam. When you arrive at the station it is a mere 5 minute walk to the beach promenade . The station has bikes you can rent ( if you have a NS card with bike rental) in a self service container right outside the station entrance.
3. If you get tired of the beach life you are in the perfect location to venture further a field. A short cycle or walk (there are also buses) will take you to the Amsterdamse waterlidjn. I have just spent the morning there and rediscovered the sound of silence. It costs 1.50 to enter but when I went I didn't see that until I was leaving! So it is on a honour system i guess. You pay at the machine by the gate when entering
4. The Zuid-Kennemerland National Park is so close by. It is the perfect location to start your cycle through the dunes.
5. Haalem is only an 11 minute train journey away.
So I recommend Zandvoort for a cheap get away where you are at the doorstep of some of the great sites in Holland.