Do you like endless beaches, lively promenades, cozy vacation homes and romantic harbors? Then a vacation in Holland on the North Sea coast is just the thing for you and your family.
"Wow, you look refreshed!" my colleagues marvel when I return to the office, fresh and alert from my vacation. No wonder, we were on vacation in Holland! I have to say: spending a relaxing vacation with my husband, two children (8 and 11) and the dog on the Dutch North Sea coast was a great idea.
Into the car and off to Scheveningen
No stress at the airport, no annoying luggage restrictions, no stressful transfers: that's how relaxed a vacation in Holland begins. Just get in the car and drive off - to our vacation cottage in the family seaside resort of Scheveningen (on the outskirts of The Hague). The beach is clean, wide and endless kilometers long, and because the North Sea slopes gently here, it is very popular with families. The children quickly find like-minded people to dig and build sandcastles with. At lunchtime, we enjoy thick, golden fried chips and fish on the lively beach promenade and drink coffee in one of the countless beach bars. Speaking of fish - there's also a Sealife maritime museum here if the sun doesn't shine all day. In the evening, the kids are so exhausted from running around that there's even time for some romantic togetherness. We sit on the veranda for a long time with a glass of wine, snuggled up under a blanket. Beautiful!
The Hague - sights at every turn
From Scheveningen, we take the streetcar to the capital of the province of South Holland: The Hague claims to have the most sights per square meter in the whole of the Netherlands. Let's put that to the test on our vacation in Holland. We visit the seat of government, where King Willem-Alexander works. "The Girl with the Pearl Earring" hangs in the Mauritshuis Museum. The famous picture was painted by Jan Vermeer and measures just 40 x 50 cm. In the Escher Museum, we marvel at the works of art by the illusionist M. C. Escher (do you know the drawings with the never-ending staircases?). Afterwards we sit down in the Hoftramm restaurant: an old, beautifully renovated streetcar in Rond de Grote Kerk with fine modern cuisine - wat lekker!
Holland vacation with history, action, hiking
Holland vacation tips for kids: The interactive open-air museum is located in Scheveningen (family ticket 46.50 euros, info www.madurodam.com). Here, amateur actors show how the Dutch lived a hundred years ago - participation is encouraged. There's plenty of action at the "Duinrell" vacation park (www.duinrell.de), especially the large adventure pool. By the way: if you want to stay in a bungalow on the grounds during your vacation in Holland, admission is included.
We also have a lot of fun hiking in North Holland, the second stage of our vacation. In the Zuid-Kennemerland National Park, we walk through dune landscapes and shady woods. Even bison, ancient European cattle, are said to live here. Cool: admission to the 3,800-hectare park is free(www.np-zuidkennemerland.nl).
In the seaside resort of Egmond aan Zee, we once again enjoy the waves of the North Sea. The water is less salty and a pleasant 28 degrees in the region's largest water park, Hoornse Vaart, with a water playground for the kids and a wellness area for us adults. The grounds include an outdoor climbing park - my son now wants to become a climber...
Holland vacation with a visit to Amsterdam
On the way back, we make a detour to Amsterdam, as the Van Gogh year - 2015 is the 125th anniversary of his death - is a good opportunity to admire the master's colorful works. Well rested, we return home after 10 days. And we have Gouda in our luggage for dinner at home.