Outdoors · The Hague · Netherlands
7 best outdoor things to do in The Hague
Parks, viewpoints and open-air sights for the dry, bright days.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Zairon, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Start with Madurodam, Scheveningen beach and pier and Noordeinde Palace and gardens. Together the 7 picks below take roughly 12–16 hours across 5 areas; 5 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 7
- Free entry
- 5
- Time to see them all
- 12–16 hours
- Areas
- Statenkwartier, Scheveningen Bad and Hofkwartier and Noordeinde
Outdoors in The Hague
Theme park · Statenkwartier
1.Madurodam
Visit late in the afternoon in summer, when the crowds thin and the models are lit.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Kids
- Iconic
- Outdoors
Beach · Scheveningen Bad
2.Scheveningen beach and pier
Ride the ferris wheel at sunset for views along the coast and back towards the city.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Couples
- Views
Palace · Hofkwartier and Noordeinde
3.Noordeinde Palace and gardens
Walk through the Paleistuin garden behind the palace for a quiet break from shopping on Noordeinde.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Outdoors
Gallery · Wassenaar
4.Museum Voorlinden
Allow time for the estate gardens and dunes after the galleries.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Architecture
- Outdoors
- Couples
Garden · Mariahoeve
5.Japanese Garden at Clingendael
Visit on a weekday morning during the spring opening, usually from late April to June.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- Couples
- Off the beaten path
- Photo spot
Garden · Statenkwartier
6.Westbroekpark rose garden
Pair it with a walk through the Scheveningse Bosjes to Madurodam or the beach.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- Couples
- Outdoors
Nature · Wassenaar
7.Meijendel dunes
Cycle here from Scheveningen along the dune paths and continue to the beach.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- Active
- Outdoors
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Statenkwartier | Madurodam and Westbroekpark rose garden | 2–3 hours + 1 hour |
| Scheveningen Bad | Scheveningen beach and pier | Half a day |
| Hofkwartier and Noordeinde | Noordeinde Palace and gardens | 30 minutes |
| Wassenaar | Museum Voorlinden and Meijendel dunes | 2–3 hours + 2–3 hours |
| Mariahoeve | Japanese Garden at Clingendael | 1 hour |
Booking and timing
Of these 7, 5 free, 1 mid-priced, 1 expensive. Book ahead for Museum Voorlinden. The longest visit is Scheveningen beach and pier; group the rest by area to save travel time.
- Museum Voorlinden: Timed tickets are advisable at weekends.
How to fit them into 4 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Statenkwartier): Madurodam → Westbroekpark rose garden, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Scheveningen Bad and Hofkwartier and Noordeinde): Scheveningen beach and pier → Noordeinde Palace and gardens, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Wassenaar): Museum Voorlinden, at least 2 hours.
- Half-day 4 (Wassenaar and Mariahoeve): Meijendel dunes → Japanese Garden at Clingendael, at least 3 hours.
The best months to be outside
- June: highs of 20°C (68°F), about 9 rainy days, busy crowds. Long evenings on the beach and the new herring season.
- July: highs of 22°C (72°F), about 10 rainy days, busy crowds. Peak beach season; Scheveningen is busy on warm weekends.
- August: highs of 22°C (72°F), about 10 rainy days, busy crowds. Warmest sea and summer holidays; showers are common between sunny spells.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Hofkwartier and Noordeinde — Antique shops, galleries and the King's working palace in the old court quarter
- Statenkwartier — Grand townhouses and museums between the city and the dunes
- Scheveningen Bad — Beach resort with the Kurhaus, the pier and a boulevard of beach clubs
More of The Hague
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in The Hague?
Madurodam. A miniature park of Dutch landmarks at 1:25 scale, from Amsterdam's canal houses and the Rijksmuseum to Schiphol, the Delta Works and the Port of Rotterdam, with interactive models children can operate.
+Which of these are free in The Hague?
Scheveningen beach and pier, Noordeinde Palace and gardens, Japanese Garden at Clingendael, Westbroekpark rose garden and Meijendel dunes.