Hoek van Holland: Beach, Dunes and Atlantic Wall

Hoek van Holland offers a range of options for planning your trip: the beach, routes through dune landscapes and the history of coastal defences. Specific routes, beach conditions and access information help you explore each topic according to your interests.

Beach and water sports

Hoek van Holland’s beach is 250 metres wide and 3.5 kilometres long. The sports beach is located on the section of beach by Rechtestraat; you can take part in sports there all year round. Sailing, kitesurfing, surfing and surf kayaking are permitted in designated water sports zones. The municipal beach zones apply, so make sure your activity takes place in the zone designated for it.

The beach has paved paths suitable for wheelchairs and the Wensambulance. Jutter beach wheelchairs are available at Badweg during the beach season and can be used free of charge during that time. Check the current arrangements for seasonal availability before your visit. In addition, the local EHBO association rents out Mobi Chairs, which can go into the water, as well as the electric beach wheelchair De Bug. Check rental availability before you travel.

Routes and dune landscape

The Zeeheldenroute is about three kilometres long and passes through Roomse Duin and Hoekse bosjes on its way to the beach. Changes to the route markers are planned for 2026; check the current signage before setting off. The route offers a specific walking option that takes in both dune areas and the beach.

The approximately 30-kilometre cycle route “Fietsen langs sporen van de Atlantikwall bij Hoek van Holland” follows traces of the Atlantic Wall. Check the route conditions before setting off. The two routes differ in both mode of travel and length: the Zeeheldenroute is about three kilometres on foot, compared with around 30 kilometres by bike. This gives you a factual basis for comparison when planning, without implying a walking or cycling time based on the route distances.

Vinetaduin is characterised by a different landscape: its varied dune landscape includes dune scrub, dune grassland and areas of shifting sand. Vinetaduin is part of Nationaal Park Hollandse Duinen and has been part of the Kapittelduinen-Solleveld Natura 2000 site since 2007. Species found there include sand lizards, natterjack toads, roe deer and bats. Access is restricted because the habitats are sensitive; guided excursions are announced separately. Take this access restriction into account when planning a visit.

Getting there and crossing the water

Metro line B of the Hoekse Lijn stops at Hoek van Holland Strand station, right by Zeeplein, the main beach square. Check the timetable before travelling. The Hoeksveer is a bicycle and passenger ferry between Hoek van Holland and the Maasvlakte. As the ferry service is seasonal, you should check the timetable before your trip as well.

Coastal defences and history

The Atlantic Wall Museum presents the Atlantic Wall through authentic objects, dioramas, information panels and images. It also features a special bunker cinema with its own documentary about the Atlantic Wall in Hoek van Holland. The historical background to the coastal defences is also clearly defined: because of its access to the Port of Rotterdam, Hoek van Holland was the German armed forces’ most important Atlantic Wall site in the Netherlands. Strategically located at the mouth of the Nieuwe Waterweg, the Hoek van Holland fortress shielded the port against a possible Allied invasion.

Fort 1881 is the best-preserved armoured fort. The Netherlands built it towards the end of the 19th century to protect the Nieuwe Waterweg. This places the fort in a different period from the history of the Atlantic Wall and adds an earlier construction phase to the picture of coastal defences.

Discover more destinations: Hoogvliet Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Pernis.

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