The Hague combines coastline, nature and a rich cultural heritage. The city has 11 kilometres of coastline, where you can enjoy long beach walks, swimming and strolls along the promenade all year round. Gardens and museums offer a variety of experiences, too.
Coast and nature as distinct travel highlights
You can surf in Scheveningen, while the wide beaches of Kijkduin are ideal for flying kites. Westduinpark, one of The Hague’s largest nature reserves, connects Kijkduin with Scheveningen. Curated cycling routes wind through the dunes, along the beach and into Scheveningen. They bring together nature, culture, history and food. This gives you different ways to spend time on the coast: take a beach walk, enjoy an activity on the water or go on a cycling tour that brings together several themes.
The gardens also each have their own focus. The Japanese Garden is located in the middle of Landgoed Clingendael and is home to rare trees and plants. Heimanshof comprises a systematic botanical garden and a landscape garden that showcases typical Dutch landscapes. Excursions and guided tours are available on request at Heempark De Heimanshof. More than 300 different varieties of roses bloom in Westbroekpark, which is also home to around 20,000 rose bushes. A deed has preserved Haagse Bos as a green space for centuries. These places offer different ways to explore gardens, plants and landscapes, rather than focusing on just one type of garden.
Art, history and distinctive museum experiences
The Mauritshuis is located in the centre of The Hague. The Prince William V Gallery offers a distinctive art-historical perspective: it was the first public art collection in the Netherlands. Escher in Het Paleis displays more than 120 prints from the work of Maurits C. Escher (1898–1972). These three places offer different perspectives on art: a collection in the city centre, a historic role as a public collection and the work of a single artist represented by numerous prints.
Other museums tell different stories. The Visitors Centre at the Peace Palace offers an audio tour about the history of the Peace Palace and the institutions based there. Museum Gevangenpoort tells the story of crime and punishment from the 15th to the 19th century. Museum Panorama Mesdag features Mesdag’s 360-degree panorama. During your museum visit, Café 1881 serves coffee, light meals and lunch. You can reach Madurodam from The Hague Central Station by tram or bus in about ten minutes; journey times may vary.
Choose your priorities when planning
If you’re planning to spend time at the beach, you can compare the address with the coastal spots you want to visit. For a more culture-focused stay, museums and historic sites may be the deciding factor. Cycling routes offer another way to combine nature, culture, history and food in one tour.
Also note an important condition for visiting: the Binnenhof is currently closed to the public during renovation work. If you want to include it in your plans, take this current notice into account. The journey time to Madurodam from the central station is expressly given as approximate and may vary. You can account for these specific conditions as you plan, while the coast, gardens and museums each offer their own highlights for your stay.
Discover more destinations: Scheveningen, Kijkduin, Centrum, Vissershaven, Geuzenkwartier, Haagse Hout.
Go to the main travel overview: The Hague.
