A weekend travel guide to the Hook of Holland

We had the opportunity about a month ago to finally explore a new part of the Netherlands – the Hook of Holland. When you think of beaches in Europe, your mind probably jumps to places like Mykonos & the French Riviera. It may come as a surprise, but the Netherlands actually has a few decent beaches too! Some have long stretches of pretty sand, and even a few trendy beach clubs. Read on for my weekend travel guide to the Hook of Holland, which is conveniently located just an hour from Amsterdam.

xx
Mercedes

How to get there

The Hook of Holland (Hoek van Holland in Dutch) is on the west coast, located about 30 minutes south of the Hague and 30 minutes west of Rotterdam by car. We drove in from Amsterdam, which takes between an hour and an hour and a half. While it’s possible to take a combination of public transportation & Uber, I definitely recommend a car. Especially if you’re visiting in the spring or fall, as you’ll want a way to get into town for groceries.

When to visit

We visited during late March. We had sun a couple of the days, but it was pretty windy and cold. Ideally I would recommend May through September to take full advantage of the beach. But even if you get some rain & wind, I still think the trip is worth it in early spring for the change of scenery and the views.

Where to stay

We went with my friend Kelsey for her birthday, and she found the Large Beach Villas. With two bedrooms and one bathroom, they were perfect for a group of four for the weekend. We had house #75 which was a bit far from parking, but quieter and close to the jetty. One of the bedrooms does have two separate beds, so it would also be good for a small family with young kids. I would definitely stay here again, and I recommend it for a few reasons:

Location: The location right on the sand is perfect. It’s a gorgeous view to wake up to!
Quality: Compared to other Dutch resorts we’ve stayed at, the quality was pretty high – it was clean, the layout was practical, the beds were comfortable, and the finishes were nice.
Free parking: Since we drove a car, free parking was important.
Kitchen: It also has a kitchen with an oven & stovetop, which really came in handy.
Pet-friendly: The beach is pet-friendly during the off-season (November through March).

What to do

Even during a colder fall or spring weekend, there’s plenty to do! We really enjoyed relaxing and just being in a new environment, enjoying the time with friends. Some of the activities I recommend for a weekend trip would be:

Read a good book

A beach house is the perfect place to lose yourself in a story, whether you’re laying in the sun or getting cozy in the living room. Two of the best books I’ve read this year are The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue and The Midnight Library.

Play games

If you have four people or more in your group, Cards Against Humanity is one of my favorites (although it can get really inappropriate, so make sure everyone in your group has a sense of humor!). One of my favorite games for two people is backgammon (called “tavli” in Greek), which we recently learned to play in the fall. Heads Up is a great app-based game that you can play with any number of people, and Jenga is also always a crowd pleaser.

Walk the beach

Our friends actually specifically chose this beach because it’s pet-friendly in the off-season, so I definitely recommend bringing your dog if you have one. There’s also a long jetty/pier – it can get quite windy, but it’s an enjoyable walk.

Enjoy a good bottle of wine

Learning more about wine has become a hobby of mine over the last year. Spending the weekend at a beach house with friends is the perfect opportunity to pick a grape and do a mini wine tasting. We brought some of our favorite wines with us, but there is a Gall & Gall as well as a couple of speciality wine stores right in town.

Hang out at a beach club

Although the clubs were closed in March, they had some really fun spaces on the sand and stages set up for live music. If you visit in the summer, I would highly recommend spending the day at one of the beach clubs.

Where to eat

Since we visited in the off-season, most restaurants were closed. UberEats and a couple other delivery services are available, but I don’t recommend them. We did order dinner our first night, and it was pretty awful. But this is a great opportunity to try some new recipes and cook with friends! There are grocery stores nearby, so if you brought a car it will be easy to pick up food (definitely why I recommend a place with a kitchen).

There are also plenty of beach clubs that are walking distance from the Largo Beach Villas, but check beforehand if they will be open. We’re hoping to visit the area again over the summer, in which case we’ll be able to try some of them out to update this guide. The one I really want to visit is Uluwatu, which looks really chic & has a trendy menu. There was also a good fish & chips place that was fresh and easy, which I would go back to if we visited again in the summer.

What to wear

IN SUMMER

Check out my summer bikini guide for inspiration! Summer essentials include:

Striped bikinis (think USA east coast / nautical themed)
A sun hat
A straw bag
High-waist denim shorts
Loose poplin or cotton sundresses
A lightweight, portable towel (Largo doesn’t have beach towels)

IN SPRING / Fall

It can be cold in Holland in the spring, so I recommend some of the items from my spring trends guide. Spring essentials include:

A baseball cap (to keep your hair in check + protect you from the sun)
Some light colored sweaters & striped tops
Loose mom-fit or wide-leg jeans
White sneakers or Converse
Cozy satin PJs & loungewear

Outfit details

A weekend travel guide to the Hook of Holland

How to get there

When to visit

Where to stay