The beach is the reason Scheveningen exists as a resort: a five-kilometre run of clean broad sand, gently sloping into the North Sea, backed in summer by a string of beach clubs (strandtenten). The sand is fine and grey-blonde, the water cold even in August — swimmable, but expect a North Sea bite.
The central section in front of the Kurhaus is the most crowded. Walk ten minutes north toward the harbour or south toward Kijkduin and you can almost always find empty sand. The surfing scene is small but committed; there are several surf schools on the central beach. Year-round it is one of the best places in the Netherlands for a long walk on a windy day.