Scheveningen with Children: SEA LIFE, the Beach and the Pier

If you have moved to The Hague from abroad and want an easy family day by the sea, this guide covers SEA LIFE Scheveningen, the beaches on either side of the Pier and the boulevard that links them. You will learn how booking works, which stretch of sand suits small children and where to go when the weather turns.

• SEA LIFE Scheveningen: what to expect
• Tickets, time slots and passes
• Choosing your stretch of beach
• The Pier, the boulevard and rainy-day backups
• Parking, food, events and an evening for the adults
• FAQ

SEA LIFE Scheveningen: what to expect

Start with one check. The city’s visitor site, DenHaag.com, lists SEA LIFE as “currently closed”. The official SEA LIFE Scheveningen site, on the other hand, is promoting a new underwater world and selling tickets. Check the SEA LIFE site for your date before you promise the children anything.

Inside, a route through 13 themed rooms takes you from Dutch waters to the deep ocean. The aquarium says not to miss the tropical section and the underwater tunnel, which are the big, visual moments that tend to hold restless children’s attention. DenHaag.com mentions sharks, piranhas, rays and seahorses. There are also otters, daily feeding times and jellyfish that SEA LIFE breeds itself, which usually prompts plenty of questions from older children.

Sea at Night is one of the newer additions. It is set entirely on a coral reef and shows how life there changes from day to night. There is also a virtual reality dive among sharks, mermaids and other sea creatures, which SEA LIFE describes as an experience for the whole family. Teenagers and adults with a curious streak may prefer the Behind The Scenes Tour. The main page gives no age limits for the VR or the tour, so check the booking pages if your children are very young.

Tickets, time slots and passes

Online tickets cost less than buying at the desk. If you book up to one day ahead, you can save up to 20%. Every online ticket includes a time slot. SEA LIFE warns that the desk can sell out quickly, so don’t count on walking in on a wet Saturday. If you want the VR experience, add it while you book. Prices and opening hours are not on the main page, but the SEA LIFE booking pages have the current details.

Two options suit residents. The annual pass gives 12 months of unlimited entry and 10% off in the shop, which is handy if you expect to come back on grey weekends. The combination ticket with LEGOLAND Discovery Centre, an indoor LEGO playground on the same part of the boulevard, saves money if your children want to do both.

Choosing your stretch of beach

DenHaag.com gives a useful breakdown of each section of Scheveningen’s beach:

• Kurhaus Beach and the Pier: the easiest base with children. SEA LIFE, LEGOLAND Discovery Centre and the Pier are all here, along with beach pavilions and a boulevard full of places to eat. It is pleasant all year, winter included.
• Noordboulevard: between the Pier beach and the Zwarte Pad, with shops, kiosks and Foodhall Scheveningen. The beach is wide and usually a lot quieter, so small children are easier to keep in sight.
• Zwarte Pad: north of the Pier among the dunes. It is lined with beach bars and known for beach parties, so it suits adults better than a toddler’s afternoon.
• Middenboulevard to the Noordelijk Havenhoofd: calmer, with a few beach pavilions. It is a real surf spot, and Keizerstraat’s shops and restaurants are just behind it.

Older children who want to try the waves can take lessons at Hart Beach or at Aloha, a small beach pavilion with a surf school. The independent site Scheveningen.com has pages on renting sunbeds, windbreaks and umbrellas, and on beach wheelchairs.

The Pier, the boulevard and rainy-day backups

The Pier at the Noorderstrand, with the Ferris wheel behind it, is the view everyone knows. Walking out over the water is a simple thrill for children. The visitor pages give no opening times or prices for the Pier or the wheel, so check before you go. Along the boulevard, the fairytale sculptures by Tom Otterness, part of Museum Beelden aan Zee, make a natural stop. Keizerstraat and the Palace Promenade are close by if someone needs a dry jumper.

When it rains, DenHaag.com recommends the local attractions and museums, especially for children. These include LEGOLAND Discovery Centre, Glowgolf with its indoor glow-in-the-dark minigolf, and Muzee Scheveningen, which tells the history of the old fishing village. The Oranjehotel and the Beelden aan Zee museum, half-hidden in the dunes, are better suited to adults and older children. Scheveningen.com also lists playgrounds and indoor playgrounds.

Parking, food, events and an evening for the adults

Before you drive, open the From A to Sea live tool on DenHaag.com. It shows real-time parking availability, live beach webcams and coastal access routes. Scheveningen.com has pages on parking, bicycle rental, Sunday shop opening and medical addresses, and the last one is worth bookmarking when you travel with children.

With children, the boulevard and the beach pavilions make lunch easy. For dinner, the seafood restaurants in Scheveningen Harbour serve fresh fish. If you are planning a beach barbecue, DenHaag.com links to the current rules.

Events give you reasons to come back. In summer there is Vlaggetjesdag, where you can try the first herring of the season, as well as the North Sea Regatta and Live on the Beach concerts. In winter, Scheveningen.com lists an ice rink, the arrival of Saint Nicholas, a Light Walk and the Royal Christmas Fair. Dates change each year, so check the event pages.

If you can book a babysitter, Scheveningen works for adults too. In summer the beach clubs hold parties most weekends. The AFAS Circustheater stages concerts, musicals and cabaret, and Holland Casino is there for a night out.

FAQ

Is SEA LIFE Scheveningen open at the moment?

The sources disagree. DenHaag.com describes SEA LIFE as currently closed, while the official SEA LIFE site is selling tickets and promoting a new underwater world. For your visit date, trust the SEA LIFE site, and book a time slot there before you set off.

How can we save money on SEA LIFE tickets?

Book online instead of at the desk. If you book up to one day before your visit, you can save up to 20%, and your ticket includes a time slot. The annual pass covers 12 months of entry with 10% off in the shop. The combination ticket with LEGOLAND Discovery Centre saves money if you want to visit both.

Which part of the beach is best with young children?

Kurhaus Beach by the Pier is the most convenient, with SEA LIFE, LEGOLAND Discovery Centre and plenty of food nearby. For more space and fewer people, walk north to the Noordboulevard, which DenHaag.com says is usually a lot quieter. The Zwarte Pad is better kept for an evening out without the children.

What can we do in Scheveningen when it rains?

Stay close to the boulevard. DenHaag.com suggests LEGOLAND Discovery Centre, Glowgolf and Muzee Scheveningen as rainy-day options for children, and SEA LIFE is indoors if it is open on your date. Scheveningen.com also lists indoor playgrounds in the area.

Official sources: visitsealife.com · denhaag.com · scheveningen.com

Last checked: 12 October 2026 against the pages linked above. Prices, opening hours and programmes change; the venue’s own site always has the current details.