Amsterdam day trips: Bloemendaal aan Zee beach at the North Sea

Staying in Amsterdam has a lot of perks. One of the biggest perks is the easy access to the train system that can take you nearly anywhere. In a short hour, one of the trains can even take you to the beach at Bloemendaal aan Zee.

Bloemendaal aan Zee is a seaside resort neighborhood in North Holland. The train comes close to the beach directly from Amsterdam’s central train station in under an hour. For a full-day trip, I would recommend a short stopover in Haarlem for some sightseeing, lunch, and shopping. From here you can take a short bus ride to Bloemendaal aan Zee. Though if the weather is good you can easily spend a day in each location.

Amsterdam day trips: Bloemendaal aan Zee beach at the North Sea: houses over the hill as seen from the beach

Amsterdam day trips: Bloemendaal aan Zee beach at the North Sea: foamy sea water

During our visit in November, the beach was mostly occupied by the locals. The bars and pavilions are sparsely filled and the mood is generally very laid back. In the summer, according to the Holland tourism team, Bloemendaal becomes a major party destination. Some even say that “Bloemendaal aan Zee is the Dutch answer to Ibiza”.

Just off to the side of the boardwalk is a large beach pavilion called Sab Blas. It is a large casual cafe and bar, decorated with reclaimed furnishings with a stunning view of the beach and birds chirping under the roof.

Out near the water, the growth of sea foam looks like clouds resting on the sand, at a distance you can see people surfing while families dressed in semi-matching raincoats are building sandcastles in the cold sand and flying kites. After a long walk, we set down at Strandpaviljoen Thalassa for a snack and Dutch beers while watching the sunset from the patio. All in all a wonderful way to spend the day.

Tip: This is still Holland and the rain loves Holland so a proper raincoat will forever be your favourite accessory during the visit.