Saskia went to Texel with her family for a week in the May holidays and had the time of her life. Texel is relaxed, culinary and adventurous. In short, Texel is the perfect destination for a family holiday. That is why she now shares her list of the best Texel tips!
Holiday on Texel: tips!
We try to extend our sustainable lifestyle throughout our lives, so we also try to tackle our holiday style more sustainably. Because of this, we have a mission: (re)discover the Netherlands, because travelling less far is better for the climate. Nice that we have some beautiful Wadden islands, because that makes sustainable travelling a lot easier. The Wadden are beautiful and cosy and with the most hours of sunshine in our country, a perfect year-round holiday destination. As a native of North Holland, I have been to Texel several times: as a child, on a school trip and also as a teenager. Now I return there with my family. And only now do I see how beautiful and special this island is, a perfect holiday destination with and without children. The area is even a World Heritage Site. I share my holiday tips for Texel.
Ecomare children's excursion: trawling.
Family outings on Texel
Always when we go on holiday in the Netherlands, we try to book an outing with a nature organisation such as Natuurmonumenten, Staatsbosbeheer, It Fryske Gea or in the case of Texel: Ecomare. The great thing about these kinds of organisations is that they offer a glimpse into beautiful natural areas of our country. With enthusiastic guides (often retired volunteers) you experience an interesting and adventurous morning or afternoon. It is an experience every time to be allowed to go out with these wise nature guides. This was a hit again on Texel. On the Ecomare site you will find a list of all current outings and available days and times. We did a number of outings and all of them are big tips as far as we are concerned:
- Wading and learning all about the mudflats (from seven years old). Our son, Frank, is just seven and he loved it! You don't actually go mudflat walking to the mainland (thankfully), but you stay around the coast for a bit with a guide. This makes this outing very suitable for children. Can be booked via Ecomare.
- Strolling through the Slufter (from eight years old). This excursion is organised by the Forestry Commission. Together with a forest ranger, you will discover this special nature reserve which - like the Wadden area - is part of the World Heritage List. This excursion is also excellent for seven-year-olds, provided they are interested in nature. Frank loved it and hung on the lips of forester and children's friend Ton. Bookable through Ecomare.
- Trawl excursion (from four years of age). Together with a guide from Ecomare, you go onto the beach to discover all the things that live in the sea. This is a great experience for kids, because you fish from the beach (without getting wet) and the guide has great stories to tell about every animal and plant you catch. Also bookable through Ecomare.
Texel tip: go into the Slufter with a forest ranger from Staatsbosbeheer, bookable through Ecomare.
- A visit to Ecomare is also a must on a holiday on Texel. Here you can learn all about nature on Texel and see rescued seals. Tip: seals are fed at 11.00 and 15.30, a highlight not to be missed.
- A visit to the lighthouse I was also tipped off by followers on Instagram. Unfortunately, there were no more tickets available. So my tip is: buy these tickets on time should you want to do this outing.
- Walking through the most beautiful village on Texel: Oosterend. This is a lovely little place that mum and dad in particular will love. Good to combine with lunch or drinks in a local restaurant or café. For the kids, it's fun to buy a Texel ice cream in the (former) Mennonite hideaway church. Also an ideal sop to take your time exploring the village. The sweet shop has hundreds (maybe thousands) of old biscuit tins and products that will remind you of grandmother's time.
- Walk through Texel's cosiest village: Den Burg (see shopping tips below). Definitely go for lunch at Local 16. This is a beautiful lunchroom in a historic building on the edge of town with a mouth-watering menu (lots of veg too) and a lovely terrace garden at the back (truly a hidden gem!).
- Horse riding on Texel: I went for a beautiful outdoor ride by myself through the woods, dunes and over the beach via Kikkert riding school. I am an experienced rider, though.
- Kite flying on Texel: bring your own kite! On Instagram, I got a lot of questions about Frank's kite. We have a HQ Fluxx 180.
Texel tip: have lunch at Lokaal 16.
The best beach bars on Texel
Beach pavilion Paal 9, Kaap Noord, Paal 17, Paal 21, Faro 2, Beachclub Texel: no shortage of beach tents on this beautiful island. Check Google Maps for the nearest ones and you'll have a good time either way. We have seen almost all of them for a coffee, lunch or dinner. But which one is the very best? For us, two beach bars stood out head and shoulders above the rest:
- Beach pavilion Paal 12: a super fun atmosphere, beautiful decor, insane menu (including many vegan dishes) and nice staff. This beach club is also a perfect place to hang out for a whole day on nice days.
- Beach post 21: a lovely beach club for extensive drinks and food, also inside a nice full restaurant with a fine menu.
We have listed even more cool beach clubs on Texel for you here. And good news for everyone who likes to eat a little sustainably: on Texel, you can eat out sustainably in more and more places. Check out our list of sustainable restaurants on Texel.
Kid tip: have lunch at a beach bar and fly kites on the beach of Texel.
Shopping on Texel
Den Burg is the largest village on Texel. Here you have a number of shopping streets and several restaurants and terraces to settle down in. If you fancy an afternoon of conscious shopping, I have some sustainable shopping tips for you in Den Burg:
- Stek Concept Store: beautiful home accessories.
- Texelana: beautiful products made of (Texel) wool.
- Stijlz Concept: concept store.
- JOJO: beautiful sustainable branded clothing.
- Texel's tastiest shop: local delicacies.
- Wnkl: surf and lifestyle boutique.
A visit to Ecomare is also a must while on Texel.
Sleeping on Texel
On Texel, you will find a place to sleep for every type of holidaymaker and every wallet. From cheap B&Bs at home to luxury accommodation and everything in between. As we were going on holiday with the family in the May holidays, we felt it was important to choose a place with plenty to do for children. A good indoor swimming pool was therefore a must for us. On Texel, this leaves us with three options. One is Landal Sluftervallei all the way in the north of the island. We booked here (last minute) a four-bed cottage (non-sponge) equipped with all conveniences: good beds, living room with fireplace, a nice kitchen and bathroom. For us, this was the perfect base for a week on Texel. It offered a nice mix of exploring the island and comfort and entertainment for our son. I can definitely recommend this place and I would definitely come back here.
Walk through beautiful Oosterend and stop by the old museum shop.
More outings in your own country
- Tips for a weekend in our sustainable capital Nijmegen.
- Sustainable shopping in Amsterdam: Do the Green Light District Walk.
- Vlieland with kids: do during a holiday on the Wadden!
- Holidays at Terschelling: the list of the best tips.
Photo credits: thegreenlist.nl.
