How to Spend Your Summer in The Hague

The sun is out, classes are finished and it is time for summer! If you are hanging around The Hague for a few more weeks, here are few places and events you must check out.

Duinrell

Located amidst the forest and dunes of Wassenaar, Duinrell is the perfect place to spend a warm summer day. With its thrilling attractions and wide variety of rides, the park is suitable for visitors of all ages. For the thrill seekers, the Falcon and Mad Mill rides will be guaranteed to have chills running down your spine. On the Falcon rollercoaster, you will be riding at a speed of almost 70 km per hour!! However, for those seeking more moderate speeds that are suitable for the entire family, the newly released Dragonfly rollercoaster will do just the trick. With more than 40 different attractions, Duinrell will be sure to have the perfect ride for you.

But that is not all you can do at this park! One of my favourite parts of Duinrell is the Tiki Pool (Tikibad). With its sixteen different slides and more than 1.3 kilometres of aquatic fun, Tiki Pool is the largest covered waterslide paradise in Benelux! After a day spent on the roller coasters and rides, this aqua park is the ideal place to cool off and wrap up your Duinrell experience.

So, what are you waiting for? Get your tickets and join the fun! Whether you are coming with a group of friends or your family, Duinrell will be guaranteed to be a fun-filled day for all!

Meijendel

Another great place to visit on a sunny day is the Meijendel national park. At only a 20 minute bike-ride away from The Hague city center, this nature reserve is easily accessible. The reserve extends between The Hague, Scheveningen and Wassenaar.  If you enjoy exploring sand dunes, hiking through forests, and relaxing on long sandy beaches, you definitely need to visit this park. With its vast terrain and varied landscapes, Meijendel is the largest interconnected dune area in South Holland. It is also home to an exceptionally diverse bird range. Over 250 species of birds can be found in this nature reserve, ranking Meijendel in the top ten bird-watching reserves of the Netherlands.

In Meijendel, you also have access to a visitor center. Located at the heart of the reserve, this centre is owned by the drinking water supplier, Dunea. Here you will find different fun activities, exhibitions and excursions to entertain the entire family. If you are hungry, you can also stop by the Meyendel Pancake House and grab a bite before continuing on your journey.

I recently visited Meijendel and was truly taken away by the beauty and serenity of the place. It is the perfect place to step away from the hustle of the city and enjoy a day immersed in nature.

Tong Tong Festival

If you are in the Netherlands during summer, you should definitely take advantage of the various food festivals that are held all across the country. As a food blogger, these festivals are ideal places to test out new food and expand my culinary palate. Be it a food truck festival, a sushi-inspired fair or an international market, there is always something new to discover.

One of the most famous food festivals in The Hague, is the Tong Tong Fair. Situated temporarily on the Malieveld lawn, the fair will be returning to The Hague between 24 May and 3 June for its sixtieth time! Spread out across eleven days, Tong Tong is the biggest Eurasian fair in the world! It compromises cultural performances, an immense Grand Passar and an exhibition consisting of hundreds of different East-West food and merchandise stands. Every day, visitors have the occasion to witness performances coming from Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, and even the United States. The Tong Tong fair offers you the opportunity to visit the Asia & Pacific region while skipping the jetlag!

One of my favourite parts of the festival is, of course, the famous food court. After walking around and discovering the exhibitions and performances, I like to wrap up my experience with an authentic meal at the food court. With the wide selection of available restaurants and ‘warungs’, you will never run out of dishes to try out. In fact, the food court is one of the biggest of its kind in Europe!

Since the Tong Tong fair is quite popular, I suggest you to book your tickets in advance. If you book directly online, you will also receive your tickets at a discounted price. Tong Tong Fair is guaranteed to be a memorable experience. If you enjoy discovering new cultures and sampling authentic food, make sure to check out this festival!