De Koog is Texel's main resort village, a ten-minute bike ride from the island's long North Sea beach. It's the liveliest spot on the island, with the highest concentration of restaurants, beach bars, and accommodation — which also means it can feel a little touristy in summer. Most visitors use it as a base and spend their days out on the dunes and beach.
The North Sea beach is the main draw: a broad, clean stretch of sand backed by dunes, accessible through several paths from the village. The surf is lively enough for kitesurfers and windsurfers, and the beach is wide enough that you can find a quiet spot even in August. De Slufter, the natural saltwater inlet just north, is worth the walk — one of the few places on the Dutch coast where the sea enters the dunes unchecked by any dike.
EcoMare, right at the edge of the village, is the one indoor attraction worth the entry fee: a seal rehabilitation centre and nature museum with outdoor seal pools, good exhibits on the Wadden Sea, and a small aquarium. Duinen van Texel National Park covers the dune belt that De Koog backs onto, and the De Muy bird reserve just north is one of the best places in the Netherlands to see breeding spoonbills.