Noordwijk aan Zee is one of the best beach towns on the Dutch North Sea coast, about 40 minutes from Amsterdam by car. A wide, clean stretch of sand backed by high dunes draws surfers, kite surfers, and sunbathers from spring through autumn. Beach pavilions (strandtenten) line the shore from April to October, serving drinks and food with your feet in the sand.
The town itself is compact and walkable, with enough bars and restaurants to keep an evening interesting. It makes a good day trip from Amsterdam or Leiden, which is only 15 minutes away by bus. The bulb fields between Noordwijk and Lisse explode with color in April and May.