Weekend in The Hague
If you come from the west of the Federal Republic of Germany, it is not far to the Netherlands. But this is not the only reason why Holland is such a popular destination for dog owners. Warum die Niederlande das perfekte Reiseziel für einen Kurzurlaub sind, erfährst Du in diesem Blogbeitrag. 2-3 Stunden Fahrt und schon hat man Sand zwischen den Zehen, Salzluft in der Lunge und einen Mix aus kreischenden Möwen und wilden Wellen in den Ohren.
Scheveningen
This time the destination was The Hague, or rather Scheveningen: That’s right, the city with the boulevard and the pier and the Ferris wheel. Here not only the dog gets his money’s worth. If you are looking for a dog-friendly place, but where also master and mistress get their money’s worth, then this is the place for you.
The beach
In Scheveningen, dogs are allowed to run free on the entire beach from October to mid-May during the winter months. During the high season in summer – from 15 May to 01 October – dogs are allowed to run around on Zuiderstrand (south beach) between 21.00 and 7.00 hours. Otherwise, unfortunately, dogs are not allowed, with or without a leash. The great thing about the Netherlands: There is usually always a beach section that is available for the four-legged friends all year round. In this case you just have to walk a few meters in the opposite direction of the pier and you will see the green sign „Losloopgebied“ on the north beach of Scheveningen – from here on: let go of the leash!
Dogs are welcome here 365 days a year. The dog beach stretches from Zwarte Pad to Wassenaar and one thing I can tell you – it’s a good stretch! But take care, because on the north beach there is not only the Losloopgebied, but also a small area for the more permissive – but very peaceful 😀 – bipeds. Sometimes with dog, more often without. Nevertheless nobody is bothered by the dogs, on the contrary. People liked to turn around to Mojo, Rana and Mateo to watch them playing and romping.
The Pier
Surprise: Even here dogs are no problem! If you want to experience some American flair, you should plan a little trip to the pier on the boulevard of Scheveningen. There is a lot to discover here – not only for dogs, but also for you. With the dog on the ferris wheel? No problem! For the very brave among you: bungee jumping is offered right next to the Ferris Wheel. I recommend to leave the dog out of the game 😉 Once you have the two highlights behind you, you can end the day at small playgrounds and nice bars outside or with popcorn and cotton candy.
Markthal in Rotterdam
After a successful day at the beach, we decided without further ado to make a small detour to Rotterdam and the notorious Markthal (a market hall with more than 100 shops selling fresh vegetables, fish and plants, as well as a large selection of restaurants and food stalls). The dogs had their fun, now it was the turn of the pack leaders! Dogs are also allowed here and no topic at all. The corridors of the Markthal are nice and wide and the stands and restaurants are generously spaced so that there was never a feeling of confinement. No matter if fried noodles or bockwurst – the choice is huge and you can eat your fill here, as long as your wallet plays along – the prices are comparable to the prices at German fairs. In the end we decided not to go to one of the stands but to a restaurant. This has the advantage of a fixed seat: the dogs can lie down and we can eat in peace. Armed with a blanket we chose a nice place in Jamie’s Italian. The dogs even got a water bowl and the staff jokingly apologized for the fact that there is only a „one service“ and no bowls for three dogs.
GOOD TO KNOW
- Leash Off in Losloopgebied
- Dogs are allowed on the pier
- “ Screw it“ – When your dog has done his big business, you should never be tempted to accidentally miss the little mishap because: If the dog shit is not removed, you can expect a fine of 100
- Don’t forget the poop bags. If you don’t carry one, you pay a 70€ fine
…and from experience we can say: The Dutch take their rules quite seriously and can’t take a joke in that respect. A little story for you: In 2018 we spent four days in Zandvoort. (Click here for the blog post) We drove to a restaurant to pick up our previously ordered pizza – a 2 minute drive. There was no parking space available, so we had to use hazard lights on and off the hard shoulder, just like you know it from Germany. Together with the dogs I waited in the car. A few seconds later a not very happy traffic warden stood next to our car and wrote a parking ticket. I explained that Rafael went to get our food and was back immediately and that we would leave immediately. Fortunately Rafael was back as announced (including a delicious smelling pizza). Because we stayed friendly and apologized, it remained a warning. Nevertheless, I would not let it happen again.
My résumé:
The Hague is a very dog-friendly city, like almost every place in the Netherlands. Neither visitors, nor locals or restaurant owners are bothered by four-legged company. In Scheveningen you can walk your dog and explore the city almost without restrictions. At the beach section forbidden for dogs I personally do not bother myself at all, after all there is a dog beach in the opposite direction at least as big. Nevertheless, we were allowed to go to the beach bars and restaurants with our pack without any restrictions. But! As dog-friendly as the city is, you should stick to the rules in any case. The fines of the municipality of The Hague are very generous. This applies not only to the lifting of dog excrement and the obligation to keep your dog on a leash, but also to the rules in traffic. If you keep an eye on this, then nothing stands in the way of a relaxed visit to The Hague with your faithful companion!
