Our time in Den Haag was entirely devoted to what we love most – family time and some much needed R&R. The Hague is the capital city of the South Holland province, less than an hour train ride from Amsterdam. The city is home to the Dutch government and over 150 international organizations and the International Criminal Court. As we set off toward the Hague, we peered into the countryside through the window of our train to find fields of tulip beds and the iconic windmills that you find on nearly every postcard of the the Netherlands. We were lucky enough to visit this destination with family who actually lived

Foodie Finds

Travel Tip >> Try the raw herring. If you down this delicious fish in three whole bites you can basically consider yourself a local! 

If you don’t remember anything from this post remember this: GO TO PASTANINI. It is by far the best pizza we’ve had, and even rivals its native homeland of Italy. Just think of pasta and panini and combine to help you remember. It’s on “The Fred,” or Frederik Hendriklaan street, like almost all establishments in this part of the Hague are. Although the menu isn’t featured online, our favorite pizza is was made of a spicy meat that was utterly to die for. Mom here rarely eats the crust, like the kiddos, and that was even good enough to devour at this restaurant. We aren’t naturally food critics so it’s difficult to find the words to describe how amazing this pizza was, but believe us, its pretty mind blowing!

If your family loves dim sum like ours check out Chinees Indisch Restaurant Walong. It came on a recommendation from our talented sister-in-law who is a talented nutritionist and chef. Her insight certainly did not disappoint so we pass the recommendation right back your way. It was definitely worth the trip.

The final full day of our trip we decided to venture out to Scheveningen Beach on the North Sea, which is where we were introduced to the local favorite: Raw Herring. Often served straight with onions, or sometimes sandwiched between a simple piece of bread, its told that to be a true Dutch citizen you can eat the entire thing in less than three bites. We came pretty close and our niece showed us up by enjoying every last bite. Taste-wise it was good. Very fishy of course and overall quite buttery. Mom loves exotic foods though and adding it to her weird foods list right below alpaca and guinea pig! When in The Hague right? Life goal: eat with Andrew Zimmerman.

Scheveningen Beach

Travel Tip >> Rent a bike but don’t be timid. Unlike America two wheelers, trikes and bikes with side wagons often have the right of way in this town. A family of four can easily get around without a taxi or trolley ride. 

It is Holland’s most famous seaside resort towns and is the go-to weekend escape for many citizens in and out of the country. The icon for luxury travelers is the Kurhaus hotel which looks like a huge royal palace just sitting on the beach like a giant sand castle. There are also options for family hotels with magnificent views. It was off-season while we were there so the vast shore was surprisingly empty and seemed to stretch for miles. During peak travel months there are huge pavilions that are set up along the boardwalk where people can eat, drink, watch the ocean and simply make the most of their vacation.

We set up shop at one of them where we enjoyed a tea made of two ingredients – hot water and a full bushel of mint. It was just so refreshing and pure it was absolutely perfect. One of our favorite things about the region is that they are extremely family-friendly. We loved that you could sit and enjoy some quality adult-time while easily watching your children hang out on nearby beach playgrounds within eye and ear shot. The city makes it so easy to enjoy quality time with those who are most important in our lives.