Best: Nature, Culture and History

Best is located in Het Groene Woud, a large natural park landscape between ’s-Hertogenbosch, Eindhoven and Tilburg. In the municipality, visitor attractions range from nature trails and heathland areas to memorial sites and regional craft history. If you are looking for a hotel in Best, you can plan your stay around these different interests.

Museum and Liberation History

The Bevrijdende Vleugels Museum presents authentic aircraft, vehicles and personal stories about Operation Market Garden and the liberation of the Netherlands. Its collection includes tracked vehicles, aircraft, dioramas and photographs, as well as weapons used during Operation Market Garden. Check the current collection and exhibitions before your trip.

You can reach the museum by train to Best station and then by buurtbus to the Museum Bevrijdende Vleugels stop, directly in front of the museum entrance. Public transport timetables may change; check them before travelling. For museum visits on Saturdays and Sundays from April through October, a flight simulator operated by actual pilots is available from 12:00 to 16:00. As seasonal programme details may change, it is worth checking in advance.

Brouwerij Strijder operates as a small craft brewery on the Bevrijdende Vleugels site in Best. A brewery tour includes explanations of the brewing process, followed by a beer tasting and matching snacks. If you are planning a tour, check booking and programme details in advance.

Nature Trails and Landscapes

The “Best Bijzonder!” network comprises ten nature walks created by IVN nature guides. You can start the routes in the centre or at their respective starting points. One walking route through the Nieuwe Heide passes through marshes, inland dunes, woodland and heathland. Around 10,000 years ago, wind shaped these landscapes in this part of Noord-Brabant. The Nieuwe Heide is also a fen area with numerous pools, including the Langven.

At the Aarlesche Heide, you can see prehistoric burial mounds, lichens and viviparous lizards. The area is located within the municipality of Best and was used for a long time as a military training ground by the Dutch Ministry of Defence. Red deer live in De Scheeken, an area on both sides of the A2 and the Eindhoven–Den Bosch railway line. A sighting of the animals is not guaranteed. Check access rules before visiting.

Korenmolen De Volharding also connects the landscape with regional history: the mill was built in 1851 and completely restored as a windmill between 2009 and 2011. Free guided tours are offered on Saturdays from 10:00 to 15:30, during which the grinding of spelt and wheat is demonstrated. The mill shop sells, among other things, bread flour and baking mix on Saturdays from 10:00 to 15:00. The tour and shop hours differ. Check opening days, tour arrangements and product availability before your visit.

Memorial Sites, Art and Crafts

The Joe Mann monument commemorates Joe Mann and all those who fought for the liberation of Best. The Joe Mann Natuurtheater was founded in 1954 and has cultural and historical significance within the tradition of open-air and nature theatres in the southern Netherlands. Performances are scheduled separately; check the dates if you are planning to attend one.

Best is known for its rich poplar-growing past and the many wooden clogs made there. At Beleefpad, you can decorate your own wooden clog in the “pimp your klomp” workshop. As the workshop is scheduled on specific dates, check the dates before you arrive. The “Kunst in Best” route takes you to public artworks that you can explore on foot or by bicycle. Another cycling option is the Fietsrondje Best, a 35.2-kilometre route.

When choosing a hotel in Best, it helps to decide what you want to focus on during your trip: nature walks, liberation history, or the mill and crafts each offer different starting points for your plans.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Best, Valkenswaard, Rucphen, Vught, Mill En Sint Hubert, Sint Anthonis, Moerdijk.

Back to the main travel overview: North Brabant.