Workum sits directly on the IJsselmeer, and the waterfront is only a short walk from the historic centre. The harbour is a working one, busy with sailing boats in summer, and the beach — a strip of sand at the lake's edge — is one of the few proper beaches on the Frisian IJsselmeer shore. It is particularly popular with kitesurfers: the consistent south-westerly wind and the shallow water make it one of the better beginner kitesurfing spots in the Netherlands.
The Frisian lake district begins immediately to the east of Workum, and the town is a good base for exploring by boat, kayak, or bicycle. The 225-kilometre cycling route around the IJsselmeer passes through here, and the Elfstedenroute — the trail that traces the eleven historic Frisian cities — runs along the waterfront.