Places where to go into the green
The Hague is one of the greenest cities in The Netherlands. So much so that in 2017 The Hague was awarded the “Groenste stad”. The color green is so embedded in The Hague that you can find it in our flag and local football pride ADO Den Haag also plays in green. So if you visit The Hague you have to visit some of the parks and I will tell you about my favorites.
Zuiderpark
Het Zuiderpark is the biggest park of The Hague. The park is absolutely loaded with activities. Next to of course the basic park experiences, there is a pool, open air theater and you can rent a rowing boat. Until 2007 stadium Zuiderpark was the main attraction. After the demolition in 2007 the stadium was replaced by the sportcampus. Nowadays dozens of local sporting clubs call the Zuiderpark their home.
During the year many events are organized in the Zuiderpark. Most noteworthy is Parkpop. Every year the last Sunday of June this free music festival attracts over 200.000 people to the Zuiderpark. With artists from The Netherlands and international guests, Parkpop is a hit every year. For the full agenda of the upcoming events at the Zuiderpark you can click here.
Located just east of De Haagse Markt, the Zuiderpark is easy to reach via tram 9 and tram 16 or bus 25 and 26.
Westbroekpark
Westbroekpark is the main park of Scheveningen. Split up in 2 parts, the Rosarium and the main park. Inside the main park you will find a need little playground and loads of space to sit around and barbecue. If you visit Westbroekpark during a summer evening you will find that many people will setup their barbecue and enjoy the weather. Inside the main area there is also a sort of hidden entrance towards the rowing boats. The rowing boats are an absolute joy since there is loads of space for you to discover.
In the Rosarium you will find around 25000 roses between June and October. It’s an absolute joyous sight and most definitely worth your time. After enjoying the Rosarium, there will be an ice cream shop waiting for you near the exit.
Westbroekpark is a bit harder to reach with public transport. Only tram 9 comes close, you will have to get off at Madurodam. I suggest you visit Westbroekpark after you visit Madurodam, which is also a must see attraction in The Hague
Japanese Garden, clingendael
To visit the Japanse Tuin you will probably have to plan in advance, because the garden is only open 8 weeks every year. But once you’re there, it’s absolutely magical. The garden is the only Japanese garden in The Netherlands. The garden is not placed somewhere randomly in the city. Surrounded by estate Clingendael, there is an absolute calm surrounding the garden.
Clingendael is easy to reach via bus 20 or bus 23. To get to the garden you will have to walk a few minutes.
Dunes
North-east of Scheveningen are the dunes. This large scale natural landscape is a great joy to bike around. So don’t go here thinking you will make a quick hike, you are going to need a bike. After you enter the park at the Harstenhoekweg, you will soon see the big water tower. After this, there is nothing but nature and biking people until you reach Meijendel. In Meijendel you can get your well-deserved pancakes and hike around a little bit. Before you get to Meijendel you will have to face a fierce hill where many will suffer a little bit, but the view will most definitely be worth it. You will see the skyline of The Hague, most of the natural landscape and of course the North Sea.
cONCLUSION
The Hague offers a great variety in parks and there are many more than just the few listed in this blog. No matter where you go in The Hague you will come across some green space. So if you visit The Hague during the summer please enjoy one of the great parks.