Scheveningen beach

Scheveningen is a fishing village, commercial harbour and seaside resort district in The Hague, the "international city on the sea". It has never been independent from The Hague, but the neighbourhoods of the fishing community still keep their special way of life. Nevertheless, the harbour has been enlarged to offer commercial services and north of the harbor a seaside resort has developed. In 2015, it had a population of about 56,000 people.

Understand

The area is divided into three parts: Haven (port), the seaport where fishers' boats still come in, nowadays accompanied by freighters; not particularly picturesque like some French or Spanish fishing harbors, but some good fish shops and restaurants are available. Dorp (village) is the former fishermen's village. The last part, Bad (bath) is the beach resort that most visitors head for. The resort has a history of long royal and well-to-do visitors with the Kurhaus as its main attraction. But its 19th-century grandeur largely disappeared after the Palace Hotel was burned down and demolished in 1979, and because of unfortunate property development in the 1970s and early 80s. Unimpressive buildings now dominate the promenade. The area gets very crowded in summer. For large-scale nightlife, most city dwellers prefer Scheveningen to the center of town.

Scheveningen is divided into two districts: Noorderstrand (Northern Beach) and Zuiderstrand (Southern Beach). The northern beach area is the most famous and is most touristic. The southern beach is more urban and there is usually less to do, but it may be less crowded on sunny days.

• 1 VVV AKO Scheveningen (tourist information office), Gevers Deynootweg 990-58 (at the AKO News & Media shop in the Palace Promenade shopping centre). Su-F 09:00-19:00, Sa 09:00-20:00. (updated Jun 2016)

Get in

By car

From Amsterdam and Schiphol, follow the A4 heading for Leiden, and change onto the A44 at Knooppunt Burgerveen, which follows shortly after exit 4 (Nieuw-Vennep). The A44 will become the N44 not long after, and once you reach the edge of The Hague, take a right turn onto the N14. This road will then become the S200. After about 3.6 km (2.2 mi), turn right onto the Scheveningseweg, which turns directly to Scheveningen Badplaats and Oud Scheveningen.

From Rotterdam, take the A4 or A13 heading for The Hague, and shortly after these meet, turn onto the A12 heading for Den Haag and Voorburg. Follow the A12 until it ends and meets the S101 and N44. Here, turn right onto the N44, followed shortly after by a left turn onto the Van Alkemadelaan. Following this road brings you directly to De Pier. Turning left when the road you're on goes no further gets you to Schevingen Badplaats and Oud Scheveningen in that order.

By public transit

Tram  1  and Tram  9  run between the city centre of The Hague and Scheveningen Noorderstrand (last stop:Zwarte Pad). Bus 22 runs from The Hague's central train station to the northern beach. Tram  11  runs between The Hague's second largest train station (Hollands Spoor) and the Zuiderstrand.

See

The Scheveningen Kurhaus

• 1 Kurhaus, Gevers Deynootplein 30. This former bathhouse and concert venue dates from 1886 and is the only remaining luxury resort hotel dating from the 19th century. It is now a luxury hotel and still serves as the icon and centerpiece of Scheveningen. (updated Aug 2018)
• 2 Pier. Opposite the Kurhaus lies the Pier, which was rebuilt in the 1960s after the 19th-century original was destroyed in World War II. It affords nice views of the coast line with the Kurhaus. At the end is a restaurant which offers outstanding views of Scheveningen's coastline. (updated Aug 2018)
• 3 Lighthouse. Put in operation in 1875. (updated Jun 2016)
• 4 Lourdes kerk (Lourdes Chapel), Berkenbosch Blokstraat 9a. Daily 09:00-18:00. Contains so-called the Lourdes Grotto, a replica (1:13 scale) of the original Lourdes Grotto in Massabielle (France). (updated Jun 2016)
• 5 Parochie H. Antonius Abt. A Catholic church with some mosaics. 

Museums

The Herring Eater in front of Beelden aan Zee

• 6 Museum Beelden aan Zee, Harteveltstraat 1 (a few hundred meters due south along the coast from the Kurhaus). Tu-Su 11:00-17:00. This museum has a large collection of contemporary sculpture and rotating exhibitions. It is built in the dunes underneath a 19th century classicist beach pavilion. It has glass walls and roofs that allows views of the surrounding dunes, pavilion and sea. €15. (updated Jun 2016)
• 7 Muzee Scheveningen, Neptunusstraat 92, ☏ +31 70 350 0830. (updated Jun 2019)
• 8 Atlantic Wall Museum, Scheveningen Coast. The museum which will be of interest to everyone with an interest in World War II history. (updated Jun 2019)
• 9 SeaLife Museum, Strandweg 13. (updated Jun 2019)

Parks

• 10 Scheveningse Bosjes. A park near Scheveningen centred around a small lake, the Waterpartij. Home to the Indiëmonument, which commemorates Dutch victims of the Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies. (updated Jun 2016)

Do

New Year Dive in Scheveningen

• Join the crowd on the sunny days
• Take a dive in the north sea
• Windsurfing
• Come to nearby beaches
• Have a drink in one of the many beach clubs
• Take an one of 11 the Haring-Route — self-guided walking tours through Scheveningen.

Attractions

Holland Casino by night

• Holland Casino Scheveningen, Kurhausweg 1, ☏ +31 70 306 77 77. Daily 10:00-23:00. The Holland Casino offers a complete night out on the town. The Casino offers a full schedule of live entertainment, a top restaurant and a chic gaming hall and boasts of being the biggest casino on the west coast of Europe. 
• Powerboat Scheveningen, Dr. Lelykade 26, ☏ +31 6 26 4000 40. Powerboat Scheveningen offers you a fantastic rib powerboat ride out on the open sea. You can choose to enjoy either a calm and relaxing trip to enjoy the view or a wild ride with speeds up to 100 km/h. 30 min €37.50, 60 min €75. (updated May 2020)
• The Hague Beach Stadion (Hommerson Beach Stadion), Noordhavenhoofd, Strandweg. 
• Bungy Jump Center Scheveningen, Strandweg - The Pier, ☏ +31 70 350 68 63. 
• Rederij Groen, Dr. Lelykade 1d, ☏ +31 70 355 35 88. 
• Rederij Vrolijk, Dr. Lelykade 22a, ☏ +31 70 351 40 21. 
• Party Ship Minerva, 2e Binnenhaven, ☏ +31 70 358 84 28. 
• Hart Beach Surfschool, Strandweg 3, ☏ +31 70 350 2591. 
• M-Sports Surfschool, Strandweg 2, ☏ +31 6-24889037. Surflessons, board hire, workshops, SUP rental etc... 
• Waterkant, Westbroekpark Scheveningen (across from the Havenkade), ☏ +31 70 350 28 63. Daily 10:00-21:00. Do enjoy an picnic while floating through Westbroek Park's ponds and canals in your private rowboat. €6/hour and €8 on weekends. 
• Get married in Scheveningen. Bath place. 

Events

• Nieuwjaarsduik. January 1 The first and largest location for the annual New Years Dive; every year, 10,000 people plunge into the freezing waters of the North Sea at noon on New Years Day. 
• Scheveningen International Sand Sculpture Festival. May. 
• Scheveningen International Fireworks Festival. August. 
• North Sea Regatta. End of May—beginning of June. International sailing contest, held off the coast of Scheveningen. 
• Arrival of Sinterklaas. Second or third week of November. Sinterklaas (Saint Nicholas) arrives in The Hague by steamboat at Scheveningen Harbour. Events for children throughout the day include face painting, singing and games, and a parade through the streets of Scheveningen with Sinterklaas on horseback. 

Eat

A restaurant at the promenade

Lunchrooms, coffeehouses and snackbars

• 1 ZO - zoet and zout, Duinstraat 1, ☏ +31 70 355 80 40. 

Casual dining

• 2 Dap & co, Schokkerweg 39, Scheveningen, ☏ +31 70 3223969. Two-storey glass restaurant with magnificent views overlooking the harbor. Serving meat and fish grilled on the green egg as well as a selection of delicious home-made hamburgers. Open 7 days/week for lunch and dinner. 
• 3 Simonis, Vissersafslagweg 20, ☏ +31 70 350 00 02. 
• 4 Wed. J. van der Toorn, Vissershavenweg 55a, ☏ +31 70 354 57 83. 
• 5 Henk Kraan, Visafslagweg 60, ☏ +31 70 354 34 15. 

Exclusive

• 6 Mero, Vissershavenweg 61E, ☏ +31 70 352 3600. 
• 7 Lemongrass. 

Drink

Kurhaus in the night

Nightclubs

• Crazy Piano's, Strandweg 21-29 (see website), ☏ +31 70 3227525. M-Th 11:00-03:00, F-Su 11:00-04:00. A great place for live music with various artists from all over the world. A small entrance fee is required to get in, but it is well worth it. The name really says it all: pianos, but a blues, jazz or sometimes lounge atmosphere is what describes the style of the piano players best. 

Beach clubs

Scheveningen is crowded with beach clubs. Most are open until 02:00 or 04:00 on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

• Club Live, Badhuisweg 3. 
• Danielz, Strandweg 43, ☏ +31-70-350-20-68. Outside daily 10:00-01:00; club Th F 23:00-05:00, Sa 22:00-05:00. 
• Oase Beachclub, Noorderstrand 59, ☏ +31-6-53-19-46-04. 

Coffeeshops

• Blue White Studio, Bosschestraat 63. 

Sleep

Budget

• Jorplace Beach Hostel Scheveningnen, Keizerstraat 296, ☏ +31 70 338 3270. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 11:00. A favourite amongst the young international sun, surf, sail and soccer crowd. Extreme sport enthusiasts and backpackers alike will appreciate this new hostel's location in the historic heart of Scheveningen and its proximity to the beach. From €16.50 per person per night. 

Mid-range

• Hotel Albion, Gevers Deynootweg 118-120, ☏ +31 70 355 79 87. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 11:00. This friendly three-star family operated hotel, flee to the beach, offers 15 moderately priced rooms. Tram 1 to Delft, stops nearly in front of the hotel's sunny terrace. From €50 p.p. inc. breakfast. 
• 1 Ambassade Arena Art'otel - The Hague, Berkenbosch Blokstraat 3 & 9 (From The Hague Centraal Station (CS) or Holland Spoor (HS): Tram 9 or 1. Stop: Circus Theater), ☏ +31 70 306 0123, info@aaahotel.nl. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. Dutch and American owners offer lodging in two restored landmark buildings less than 150 m from the beach. Beautiful rooms and apartments with free internet access make it an ideal choice for extended stays. Tram 9 stops nearly in front of the door. (Circus Theater) Single €79, double €110. (updated Sep 2015)
• Skotel, Zwolsestraat 189 (the long building north-east of the Kurhotel, it has a very discrete sign), ☏ +31 703552800, fax: +31 703588487, skotel@hdh.nl. Skotel is a hotel run by the Hague hotel school to train the students. €78. 
• Scheveningen Seafront Apartment. Luxury 2-bedroom and 2-bathroom apartment rental with stunning sea views next to the 5-star Kurhaus hotel. 

Splurge

• Kurhaus, Gevers Deynootplein 30. This former bath house and concert venue dates back to 1886. It was almost demolished in the 1970s, but was saved and is now listed as a historical building. The Kurhaus is in use as a luxury hotel and casino and serves as the iconic centerpiece of Scheveningen. 

Go next

The Hague is so close, it can be reached by tram or even on foot. Kijkduin is a quieter, more family-oriented beach resort in that city. Another beach resort in the region is Hook of Holland.