Dokkum is a pleasant visit from late spring through early autumn (May–September), when the weather is mild enough for walking the canal circuit and the outdoor terraces are open. Summer days in Friesland can be beautiful — long, cool, and clear — though the province is not immune to the grey weather that dominates the Dutch north.
The town is busiest on summer weekends, when day-trippers from Leeuwarden and Groningen visit. Weekday visits are quieter. The Boniface pilgrimage in June draws significant numbers of Catholic visitors to the chapel and the town centre.
Winter visits are possible but the town is quiet and some attractions have reduced hours.