The best time to visit The Hague and its beach town Scheveningen depends on what you want from the coast. If you picture a swim and a cold drink at a beach bar, you need different months than if you want empty sand, big skies and a walk that blows your head clear. The Hague has eleven kilometres of coastline at the end of the tram line, so every season gives you a different city.
We live here, so this guide follows the year the way locals see it: what the weather does, what the sea does, when it gets busy and what is on. At the end you will know which month fits your trip.
- For the beach and a swim, come in July or August. The sea is at its warmest at the end of summer.
- For space, storms and waves, come between October and March. The beaches are quiet and the light is low.
- For the dunes and the big days, come in spring: King's Day is on 27 April and the Japanese Garden opens for a few weeks.
The Hague through the year
The Hague has a sea climate. Summers are mild, winters are rarely hard, and the wind is part of almost every day. According to Weerplaza, January days reach about 7°C with nights around 3°C, while June days reach about 20°C with nights around 13°C. Those are averages over the past ten years, so a warm week in May or a cold one in June is normal.
The sea moves more slowly than the air. Measured along this coast, the water averages about 7°C in winter and about 17°C in summer, and it stays warm longest in late summer and early autumn. The wettest months are September and October, with around 96 and 107 mm of rain.
| Season | Air | Sea (average) | Crowds | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer (Jun to Aug) | about 20°C by day | about 17°C | Busy | Swimming, beach bars, long evenings |
| Autumn (Sep to Nov) | mild, then cooler | about 15°C | Quiet | Storms, waves, the Japanese Garden |
| Winter (Dec to Feb) | about 7°C by day | about 7°C | Very quiet | Empty beaches, the New Year's Dive |
| Spring (Mar to May) | rising | about 9°C | Getting busier | Dunes, King's Day, blossom |
Summer: the beach is the point
From June to August, The Hague is a beach town that happens to have a parliament. The days are long, the beach bars are full and the boulevard in Scheveningen smells of sunscreen and fried fish. If you want to swim, this is your season, and the water is warmest at the end of it.
Lifeguards watch the beaches of Scheveningen and Kijkduin from May to September. Swim near their posts and keep clear of the pier and the groynes. The North Sea is calm on most summer days, but it is still a sea, and a rip current can pull you out fast.
Scheveningen gets busy on sunny weekends, and busier when the Dutch and German school holidays overlap. Kijkduin and Zuiderstrand are calmer. Zuiderstrand has no boulevard full of shops, just the dunes behind you and the harbour pier in the distance.
In June the harbour of Scheveningen celebrates the first new herring of the year on Vlaggetjesdag, with flags on the fishing boats and herring stalls on the quay. The date moves every year, and in 2025 the event looked different because of the NATO summit in The Hague, so check before you plan around it.
If you bring a dog, read the rules first. On most of Zuiderstrand, dogs are not allowed during the day from May to September. They are welcome in the evening and early morning, between 21:00 and 7:00, and all day at a few beach entrances.
Want the beach without the crowd? Go early. At eight in the morning the boulevard belongs to dog walkers, runners and the odd surfer, and you can pick your spot.
Autumn: storms, space and waves
September still has warm days, and the sea is often warmer than in June. On the third Tuesday of September, the King rides through the city in a horse-drawn coach for Prinsjesdag, the opening of the parliamentary year. The city centre fills up, the beach empties out.
At the end of September, kites take over the beach south of the pier during the Scheveningen kite festival, usually on a weekend and free to watch. Whether it flies depends on the wind, which is rarely the problem here.
From October the coast changes. The beach bars that only open in summer close, the light gets lower and the first autumn storms roll in. This is when locals go uitwaaien: a long walk on the beach to let the wind blow your head clear. Bring a layer more than you think you need. A heavy hoodie at eight degrees and a strong westerly feels about right.
Autumn is also when the North Sea finally sends waves. On a good day you will see surfers lined up next to the pier in Scheveningen and at the harbour mouth near Zuiderstrand. If you have never tried it, a lesson in September or October is a good start, because the water is still relatively mild.
For a few weeks in October, the Japanese Garden on Landgoed Clingendael opens its gates. In 2026 that was 10 to 25 October, free, with a time slot you book in advance. The autumn colours are worth the trip into the city.
Two small things change on 1 October. Dogs can run on the beach again during the day, and you may cycle on the beach all day until 15 May. A bike ride along the waterline at low tide is one of the best things to do here in the off-season.
Winter: quiet, raw and honest
Winter in The Hague is grey more often than not, and short days mean the light is gone by late afternoon. That is exactly why it is good. The boulevard is empty, the wind is honest, and a walk at sunset feels like you have eleven kilometres of coast to yourself.
You will not be alone for long, though. Some beach bars in Scheveningen stay open all winter, and there is nothing like a hot chocolate behind a window after an hour in the wind. Kijkduin, with the dunes right behind the beach, is the quieter choice.
In the city, the Royal Christmas Fair fills the Lange Voorhout with stalls and lights. In 2026 it runs from 3 to 23 December, every day from 12:00 to 21:00.
Then comes 1 January. At noon, thousands of people in orange hats run into the sea together for the Nieuwjaarsduik, the New Year's Dive. The water is around 7°C, so nobody stays in long. In 2026 the dive started 400 metres south of the Kurhaus, near museum Beelden aan Zee. Bring a towel, a warm layer for afterwards and someone to hold your phone.
For surfers, winter brings the most consistent waves of the year. You will need a thick wetsuit, boots and gloves, and the surf shops in Scheveningen can tell you where it is working that day.
Spring: dunes, blossom and King's Day
Spring is for the dunes. Meijendel and Westduinpark wake up, the days get longer and the wind softens a little. A walk from Westduinpark to the beach at Kijkduin takes you from woods to sand in under an hour.
The Japanese Garden opens again for its spring season. In 2026 that was from 23 April to 7 June, and the blossom around the red bridge is the reason people queue for it.
On 27 April the whole country turns orange for King's Day. The city centre becomes one big street market, with music in the streets. If you want the beach to yourself that day, this is your chance, because everyone is in town.
The sea stays cold until June, around 9°C on average in spring. Swim if you want a story, not a tan. Lifeguards are back on duty from May, and from 15 May cycling on the beach is only allowed in the evening and early morning again.
The best time to visit, by what you want
There is no single best month. Here is what we would tell a friend who asks.
| You want | Come in | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A swim in the sea | July and August | Warmest water, lifeguards on duty |
| Waves | October to March | Autumn and winter storms bring swell |
| The coast to yourself | November to March, on weekdays | Empty beaches, open beach bars |
| Walks in the dunes | April, May and October | Mild weather, spring green or autumn colour |
| The big days | 1 January, 27 April, June, September | New Year's Dive, King's Day, Vlaggetjesdag, Prinsjesdag |
| A dog on the beach all day | October to April | No summer restrictions |
| Cycling on the beach | 1 October to 15 May | Allowed all day |
A weekend by the sea, season by season
If you have two days, this is how we would spend them. None of it needs a booking, except the Japanese Garden.
In summer, start Saturday early on the beach at Kijkduin, before the crowds arrive. Swim near the lifeguard post, eat on the terrace of a beach bar and walk north along the waterline in the afternoon. In the evening, go to the boulevard in Scheveningen and stay for the sunset over the sea. On Sunday, rent a bike and ride through the dunes of Westduinpark, then take the tram into the city centre when the beach gets full.
In autumn, check the forecast for wind and pick the stormiest afternoon for a walk on Zuiderstrand. Watch the surfers at the harbour mouth, then warm up inside. If your weekend falls in the second half of October, book a slot for the Japanese Garden and spend the morning on Landgoed Clingendael. A bike ride along the waterline at low tide is allowed again from 1 October.
In winter, walk from the Kurhaus along the boulevard and back over the beach, and stop at one of the beach bars that stay open. In December, end the day at the Royal Christmas Fair on the Lange Voorhout. If you are here on 1 January, the New Year's Dive is the obvious plan, and the city is quiet enough the day after to have the beach to yourself.
In spring, spend Saturday in the dunes: Meijendel in the north or Westduinpark in the south, ending at the beach. On Sunday, see the blossom in the Japanese Garden if it is open, or join the King's Day street market if you are here on 27 April. The sea is cold, but a walk with your shoes in your hand is not.
When it gets busy, and how to avoid it
The beach fills up on sunny summer weekends, in the Dutch school holidays and in the German ones. Long weekends such as Ascension and Pentecost are busy too, because The Hague is a few hours' drive from much of western Germany. On those days, the roads to Scheveningen and the parking garages near the boulevard fill up early.
Three things help. Come early, before ten. Take tram 1 from the city centre to Scheveningen instead of the car, so you skip the hunt for a parking spot. And walk a little further: Zuiderstrand and Kijkduin are quieter than the boulevard in Scheveningen on almost every day of the year.
What to wear on the coast, season by season
The wind is the one thing you can count on here. Even on a warm summer day, the evening on the beach gets cool once the sun goes down, so a hoodie in your bag is never a bad idea.
In autumn and spring, think in layers: a tee, a heavy hoodie and a jacket that keeps the wind out. In winter, add a hat and gloves, and wear shoes you do not mind getting sandy. If you plan to go in the sea on 1 January, bring dry clothes you can pull on fast, starting with something warm for your top half.
Frequently asked questions about visiting The Hague
What is the best month to visit The Hague?
It depends on what you want. For the beach, July or August. For space and waves, October. For a quiet city by the sea, any weekday between November and March.
Can you swim in the sea in The Hague?
Yes. Swim near the lifeguard posts, which are staffed from May to September, and keep clear of the pier and the groynes. The water is coldest in February and warmest at the end of August.
How warm is the sea in The Hague?
On average about 17°C in summer and about 7°C in winter. It stays warm longest in late summer and early autumn, so September is often a better month for a swim than June.
Is The Hague worth visiting in winter?
Yes, if you like your coast raw. You get empty beaches, beach bars that stay open, the Royal Christmas Fair in December and the New Year's Dive on 1 January.
When is Scheveningen busiest?
On sunny summer weekends, in the Dutch and German school holidays and on long weekends such as Ascension and Pentecost. Early mornings are quiet all year.
Can I bring my dog to the beach in The Hague?
Yes, with seasonal rules. From May to September, dogs are not allowed during the day on most of Zuiderstrand, only between 21:00 and 7:00 and at a few beach entrances. From October to April they can go almost anywhere.
What is the best time to see the Japanese Garden?
It is only open a few weeks a year: in spring, roughly from late April to early June, and in autumn for about two weeks in October. You book a free time slot in advance.
When are the waves best for surfing in The Hague?
From October to March. Autumn and winter storms bring the most swell, so you will need a thick wetsuit. In summer the sea is often flat.
Bring the coast home
Whatever month you come, the wind off the sea comes with it. We are THE HAGUE SURF COLLECTIVE, a clothing brand from this coast, and we make tees and hoodies with prints about the places in this guide: the pier, the dunes, the beach posts. Every piece is printed after you order it, so nothing is made for a shelf.
If you have walked Zuiderstrand in October or run into the sea on 1 January, you will know what they are about. Born at the North Sea.