Vliebiza, that's how the Wadden Island is also called among enthusiasts. Vlieland is known for a relaxed vibe and lots of sunshine hours, so Saskia decided to explore this island with her family. Nice and close by and therefore a sustainable destination for Dutch people. And it was love at first sight. With these tips, you can make your holiday on Vlieland with kids an unforgettable experience.
Vlieland with children
Honestly: the chance of a holiday with a lot of rain for us was a partyblocker to explore the Netherlands. But after so many good stories from other holidaymakers and the pleas of islanders who swear that bad weather really does blow over them more often, we decided to spend a summer holiday in Vlieland after all. And we absolutely did not regret it!
Beach holiday on Vlieland
We are staying in a glamping tent at a fantastic campsite in the dunes: Camping Stortemelk. Less than a five-minute walk and we are on a vast beach. What an oasis of calm, is this the high season on Vlieland? While ‘Vliebiza’ might make you think of a beach with lots of crowds, Vlieland is anything but that. In the distance, we see one beach pavilion and for the rest, it's mostly families and groups of young people enjoying the peace and quiet and space.
- We have travelled a lot in our lives. As a result, we have already discovered that a nice accommodation provides a lot of extra holiday pleasure. Camping Stortemelk is therefore highly recommended. It is fantastically located in the dunes and thus practically on the beach. The atmosphere is friendly, the kids entertainment is charming, the sanitary facilities are always clean and the campsite restaurant De Bolder is the perfect hang-out for parent and child.
- After a morning on the beach or loafing at Stortemelk campsite, it's standard fare to have lunch somewhere out of doors. Our favourite is Pavilion East. From the beach at Camping Stortemelk, it is about a ten-minute walk along the beach. Here you can enjoy a delicious lunch in the sun behind a windbreak. Are your kids wobblers? They also have a take-away and picnic tables on the beach.
- If you want to seek adventure, then a visit to the Vliehors with the Vlierhors Express a tip. This is a nature reserve in the west of the island. This is the largest sand plain in Western Europe, also called ‘the Sahara of Western Europe’. Frank (5) loved the bus ride and the visit to the drowning house with beachcomber finds. So did we, but mostly we got a bit quiet from the nature. Is this the Netherlands too?
Visit to nautureland the Vliehors and the drowning cottage.
- If you are lucky, you will spot a porpoise (a small dolphin) times a one seal tour on Vlieland. This excursion was certainly also a highlight of the holiday. Not only the seal spotting, but especially the spectacular trip there in super-fast rubber boats, which we won't forget in a hurry. It is not cheap (25 euro p.p.), but we think this trip is well worth the price! Dress extra well, it can get windy!
What else is there to do on Vlieland?
- The beautiful beach pavilion ‘t Badhuys’ is not to be missed when you go to Vlieland. You can enjoy a casual lunch, drinks and dinner while the children play outside or in the play corner. From Camping Stortemelk, it's about 10-15 minutes by bike.
- The village of car-free Vlieland literally consists of one village street. If you arrive by boat and look to your left, you can already see it. Here you will find plenty of restaurants, boutiques of local entrepreneurs and bike rentals. Our favourite start to the day was a cup of coffee on the terrace of Badhotel Brown, followed by picking out a sweet in The Candy Store.
- Buy a (second-hand) kite in advance! And if the kids are big enough: consider bringing a (second-hand) bodyboard. For toddlers, it is fun to fish shrimps. Nets can be bought from local entrepreneurs on the island. We have a really nice kite (tip)! It's this one: HQ Fluxx 180.
- Riders and amazons beware! Vlieland also has horse-riding opportunities. I had a fantastic evening ride on an Icelandic horse at Edda stable.
- Bad weather? For a small island, Vlieland has an impressive swimming pool with a big slide.
The North Sea next to Camping Stortemelk.
Book ferry to Vlieland and rental bikes on time
Getting to and from Vlieland by fast or slow boat from shipping company Doeksen. Book your crossing on time so that you are assured of a place on the boat. This is especially important if you want to take the fast ferry! Make sure that Rederij Doeksen brings your luggage to the campsite so that you can pick up your rental bikes when you arrive on the island. It is important to book those rental bikes in advance too, especially in the high season. Then, your holiday can start immediately and you can cycle to your accommodation without any luggage. In our case, the final destination was campsite Stortemelk. As we clinked at campsite restaurant De Bolder to a nice holiday, we saw a horse and carriage arriving in the distance with our luggage. How idyllic do you want it to be?
Good to know: cars are prohibited on Vlieland. You park the car in Harlingen. A shuttle bus will take you to the boat. Shipping company Doeksen has arranged it perfectly, but my advice is to arrive on time. By on time, I mean that you park your car at least 30-45 minutes before the scheduled departure at their long-stay car parks, so that you have enough time to get to the boat with your luggage (there are free shuttle buses).
By the way, Harlingen is also a nice little town, so you can also come earlier to explore Harlingen.
More holidays at home:
- Holidays at Terschelling: the list of the best tips.
- Holidays on Texel: this is the place to be.
- The unique beauty of the Dutch mudflats.
- Roadtrip Friesland: tips for a week away.
Photo credits: thegreenlist.nl.
