Petten aan Zee is a typical North Holland coastal town. It consists of the village of Petten, where you can park for free everywhere, and a wide beach, where there is plenty of space even on the best summer day. The beach that is there now has only been there since 2016. That is when huge amounts of sand were dredged up to protect Petten and the hinterland from flooding. This created a new dune area between the sea and the village; the Hondsbossche Dunes. Climbing the 26-metre-high panoramic dune is also worthwhile: from the top, you have a wonderful panoramic view.
Petten's Palendorp is an artwork and a monument, making it a very fine location to take beautiful photos. There is a swing between two poles, where you can swing with a view (of the sea).
Petten is a fine and quiet beach, where you do benefit from the facilities of the beach pavilion Zee & Zo. It is a great place for families and anyone who loves nature and tranquillity. Moreover, water sports enthusiasts can sup, kite and surf here. At ramp 16 (the Corfwater beach), dogs are allowed to run free on a 2 km section all year round. Between 1 October and 1 April, dogs are also allowed to run free on the adjacent beaches after 19:00.
Also in Camperduin, on the edge of the Schoorl Dunes, the coastal defences were completely redesigned from 2014. Millions of cubic metres of sand have been deposited, creating a lagoon, the only lagoon in the Netherlands that lies on a beach. The lagoon is a great place for swimming, paddling, climbing on the wooden play boat, as well as a unique place to learn about activities such as supping, wind and wave surfing. De Jongens uit Schoorl are the perfect place for that. There, you can rent sup boards and e-choppers as well as take surfing lessons.
There is also a wide stretch of North Sea beach here, right on the divide between the Hondsbossche Zeewering and the dunes.
There are two beach pavilions in Camperduin, Beach restaurant Prince George on the beach and Strandpaviljoen Struin at the entrance to Camperduin. There are paid parking spaces, but Camperduin is best reached by bike. Then you can cycle all the way to Petten or Hargen aan Zee via the dune cycle path.
Dogs are allowed to run free on the beach from November to March, in the summer months from 7pm to 10am. Dogs are allowed on a leash during the day, with the exception of the sunbathing beaches.
Hargen aan Zee is not a real village, it is a young coastal village consisting of a huge car park in the dunes, where you can park for free from November to March, and a hip beach pavilion called Strandpaviljoen Hargen. The place to be if you want to go to the beach by car. The wide sandy beach is great for the whole family and the beach pavilion offers breakfast, lunch, drinks and dinner.
Because of the ample parking facilities, large events are regularly held on the beach during the summer months, such as Hargen aan Sail.
From 1 May to 1 October, dogs are allowed to run free from 19.00 to 10.00; on a leash, dogs are welcome all day on the beach at Hargen aan Zee, except on the sun beaches. From October to April, dogs are allowed to run free on the beach all day.
According to many, Schoorl aan Zee beach is the most beautiful beach in the Schoorl area. The beach is in a unique and wonderfully quiet location along the Schoorl Dunes and can only be reached by bicycle or on foot.
Like Hargen aan Zee, Schoorl aan Zee is not a village, it is just the name of the stretch of beach around post 29 where some beach houses and a beach pavilion called Paal 29 can be found. If you come walking, the blue walking route from the Schoorl Dunes Visitor Centre is highly recommended. This is a beautiful 10-kilometre circular walk that takes you past the most beautiful parts of the Schoorl Dunes.
The route is most beautiful from early August to early September, when the heather is in full bloom. Cycling to it from the centre of Schoorl via the Schoorlse Zeeweg, a 5.6-kilometre route. With a bit of luck, you may even spot seals here, as they swim by almost daily.
From 1 May to 1 October, dogs are allowed to run free, from 7pm to 10am, and on a leash, dogs are welcome all day on the beach at Schoorl aan Zee, except on the sun beaches. Outside the summer season, dogs are allowed to run free at all times. Dogs must be on a leash in the Schoorl Dunes from 1 March to 1 September because of the breeding season. Please note that different rules apply in the grazing areas; these are clearly marked on the signs in the area.
Bergen aan Zee beach is right next to the village of the same name. As a result, you can also walk into the village between swimming and sunbathing for a good lunch or shopping. There is also a wide choice of trendy beach pavilions on the beach, where you will feel a bit like being in Ibiza on a hot day.
Parking is available everywhere in Bergen, but it can get very busy on a beautiful summer day, so it is advisable to come to Bergen by bike on summer days. From 1 May to 1 October, your dog may run free on Bergen aan Zee beach only between 19.00 and 10.00 hrs.
Egmond aan Zee beach is 15 kilometres from the centre of Schoorl and can be reached by bike through the dunes and by car. Like Bergen aan Zee, Egmond aan Zee is a coastal town with a wide range of restaurants and shops.
Egmond aan Zee is especially recommended from June to August, when the cosy summer fair takes place every Wednesday. The wide beach offers numerous opportunities for relaxation: there are plenty of beach chairs, loungers and windbreaks for rent at the beach pavilions. Amongst these, we especially recommend Nautilus aan Zee.
There are also various walking, swimming, sailing and surfing opportunities. Egmond aan Zee is ideally suited if you like extensive facilities and cosiness. From 1 May to 1 October, dogs are allowed to run free between 19.00 and 10.00 and on a leash are welcome all day on Egmond aan Zee beach, except on the sunbathing beaches. Outside the summer season, dogs are allowed to run free at all times.
