Noordwijk is a medium-sized coastal community that attracts many tourists to its beaches, dunes, forests and bulb fields. Noordwijk is also the most important congress town on the Dutch coast. Tourism is important to Noordwijk however nature should not suffer from tourism, therefore the municipality tries to limit the environmental pressure created by the visitors. One way of doing this is to focus on quality tourism instead of quantity tourism, preventing the boulevards to become overcrowded.
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Noordwijk offers a great variety of activities: cycling, walking and horseback riding on the beaches and in the dunes have already been mentioned. Golf, tennis, (wind and wave) surfing, sailing, kite surfing and other water sports are also possible. Fitness equipment and relaxation like health and beauty spas are available in one of many hotels. Furthermore there is a theatre called the Muze and there are many bars and restaurants where evenings can be spent. Additionally there are museums and many shopping facilities. Noordwijk is also the location of the headquarters for the European Space Research and Technology Centra (ESTEC). |
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The visitors' centre Space Expo is a permanent space exhibition. Another famous tourist attraction is the Keukenhof. The Keukenhof Gardens is a 70-acre showcase for the Dutch flower industry. For nine weeks every spring, these famous gardens draw an estimated 800,000 visitors in April and May. In April the Bulb Area flower parade, Noordwijk – Haarlem is famous and the same goes for the Rijnsburg flower parade held in Rijnsburg, Katwijk, Noordwijk in August. |
Noordwijk has seen an increase of eco-labelled accommodations and restaurants since it acquired the QualityCoast label in 2007. Since then, two holiday parks, one hotel and a beach pavilion annex restaurant have acquired an ecolabel.
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Noordwijk intents to increase the number of eco-labels in the future. |
Noordwijk Municipality is a healthy, safe, and above all a pleasant place to stay. To ensure this on the beach there are three stations of the Rescue Brigade of Noordwijk (NRB) present which are manned with lifeguards during the season. These stations are located on the Badstrand and at the beach exits at Duindamseslag and Langevelderslag. The beach towards Katwijk has no NRB station but this beach is not officially marked as a swimming beach. Lifeguards present are all certified and dressed in a easily recognizable uniform. The stations also have the necessary rescue resources and first aid materials.
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The KNRM (the Royal Dutch Rescue Association) also has a rescue station in Noordwijk and whenever there is assistance needed at sea this organization has a boat ready to assist in emergencies. Furthermore a police station is located on the beach, here the police raises the warning flags and informs the public. In the village there is a fire brigade and a police station with the necessary resources present. The nearest hospital is in Leiden. which is about 14 kilometres from Noordwijk. |
