North Holland is a narrow province with two very different sides. To the west lies the North Sea, with dunes and wide beaches. To the east lie the IJsselmeer and the Markermeer, with harbours and old fishing villages. Sometimes only thirty kilometres separate them, but the holiday is a different one entirely.
Parkzie lists 28 holiday parks in North Holland with 250 accommodations. Here is how to choose between the two sides.
The coast: dunes, wind and short distances
Almost every park on the North Holland coast sits within three kilometres of the beach. Schoorl is the densest spot with four parks, all two to three kilometres from the sea, in the highest dune area in the Netherlands. Egmond aan Zee and Callantsoog lie closer still: there you walk to the beach in a few minutes.
Julianadorp aan Zee has the largest coastal park in the province in Beach Resort Ooghduyne: 23 accommodations, with houses sleeping up to 22. That is unusual, because most coastal parks here are smaller and aimed at couples and families.
On the coast you are within three kilometres of the sea. At the IJsselmeer it is forty.
What the coast asks of you: expect wind. The dune ridge blocks the worst gusts, but a terrace facing the sea in September is a different proposition than in July. Parks in Schoorl and Egmond sit behind the dunes and are more sheltered than the beach houses at Wijk aan Zee and Julianadorp.
Who suits the coast?
- Families who want the beach every day
- Walkers in the dunes of Schoorl and Bergen
- Anyone who wants to hear the sea, in or out of season
- Kitesurfers and land sailors (Wijk aan Zee, Julianadorp)
The IJsselmeer: water without surf
On the eastern side lies a second set of parks, and they are of another kind. Medemblik, Enkhuizen, Uitdam and Volendam sit on the IJsselmeer or the Markermeer, thirty to forty kilometres from the North Sea. No surf, no salt water, but harbours, sailing schools and historic towns within cycling distance.
The parks here are larger on average. EuroParcs Poort van Amsterdam in Uitdam has 28 accommodations, EuroParcs IJsselmeer in Medemblik 22, EuroParcs Enkhuizer Strand 20. That means more choice in house types and more often facilities such as an indoor pool or wellness on site.
From Uitdam you are in Amsterdam in twenty minutes. From Schoorl it takes an hour.
If you want to combine Amsterdam with a park, this is the side to search. Uitdam is a twenty-minute drive from the city, Amstelveen sits inside the ring road. EuroParcs Het Amsterdamse Bos has 22 accommodations with houses for up to 16 people, and you are on Dam Square within half an hour.
Who suits the IJsselmeer?
- Sailors and paddleboarders (Medemblik, Enkhuizen)
- Anyone combining Amsterdam with a park
- Lovers of harbour towns and museums
- Groups looking for a larger park with facilities
Going to North Holland with a group
Large parties have more choice in this province than you might expect. Beach Resort Ooghduyne in Julianadorp sleeps up to 22, EuroParcs Poort van Amsterdam up to 18, and EuroParcs Het Amsterdamse Bos up to 16. In Schoorl the group houses are smaller: Berger Duinen and Duynvallei go up to eight.
When to go
The coast is busiest and most expensive in July and August. May, June and September are cheaper, and the water is warmer in September than in June. If you are coming for the quiet, book outside the Dutch school holidays.
At the IJsselmeer the spread is different. There the watersports season leads, so May to September, peaking around the summer holidays. Outside those months the parks are quieter and prices lower, but not every facility is open.
In short
- Beach within walking distance: Egmond aan Zee, Callantsoog, Wijk aan Zee, Schoorl
- Large parks with facilities: Uitdam, Medemblik, Enkhuizen, Amstelveen
- Groups of twelve and up: Julianadorp aan Zee, Uitdam, Amstelveen
- Combining Amsterdam: Amstelveen, Halfweg, Uitdam
- Watersports: Medemblik, Enkhuizen, Volendam, Bovenkarspel
Ready to choose? Browse all 28 holiday parks in North Holland or compare every region. For each park you can see which providers you can book with; Parkzie charges no booking fees.
Parks that fit
EuroParcs Poort van Amsterdam
Beach Resort Ooghduyne
EuroParcs Het Amsterdamse Bos
EuroParcs IJsselmeer
Park Westerkogge
