You live in Amsterdam. It’s summertime, the weather is beautiful, and you want to sip wine on the beach. But there are no beaches in the city, or at least the kind you’re used to . . . where the sand is soft and silky white, and the horizon line is endless. Luckily, you have a smart friend. She suggests a ride to the beach (because she’s awesome and has a car). . . . and even though it’s Wednesday night, you say ‘why not!’ By 6.30pm you’re at the ocean, with almost four full hours of sunshine left to go. Welcome to my hump day at Bloemendaal!
Bloemendaal aan Zee is a 20 minute car ride from Amsterdam.
The beach has a cute boardwalk lined with restaurants and clubs. So you can drink prosecco and watch the sun set over the sea, or come up for a refreshing snack on a long beach day.
Melissa and I selected a restaurant for dinner, but for the life of me I cannot remember the name (bad blogger). 
It was right next to Woodstock, but to be honest, all of the restaurants along the boardwalk were quite homogenous, with the same outdoor vibe, menu selection, and price range. 
So we scouted out a spot solely based on the view, and sat down to enjoy some refreshments!
We ordered a light dinner. Melissa got the carpaccio and I went for the smoked mackerel salad. Both were very Dutch and topped with a checkerboard of mayonnaise. 
They were also both delicious!
We watched the sun set from the deck, and once the last little slither of sunlight disappeared, we went for a walk on the beach.
We passed a groovy party at Woodstock, and then made a friend in the sand.
Overall it was a fantastic evening on the beach – one I am not accustomed to in Holland!!
I’m going to try and cram in one or two more beach days this summer. I love the ocean, and sometimes get distracted by city life in Amsterdam, forgetting there is an ocean so close by!
If you want to go to Bloemendaal aan Zee from Amsterdam, here are some handy directions:
Stunning photos Ali – I think a bit of sea-air always does one good xx
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:) I completely agree!
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