Alkmaarderhout — "De Hout" to the locals — is a wooded park immediately south of the old town, said to be the oldest city park in the Netherlands. It was laid out in the 17th century on land already partly forested, and has been preserved as public green space ever since. The mature beech and oak trees are the main attraction; the canopy is high and the paths broad.
The park hosts a small free petting zoo, a deer park, the city tennis courts, and a couple of open lawns popular in summer. It is about a 15-minute walk from the Waagplein, past the railway station and across the southern moat. Stops well with a museum-heavy morning — useful when you need a break from gabled streets and cobbles.