Castricum with Kids: Family-Friendly Things to Do

A practical guide to the dunes, beaches and village streets of Castricum for families travelling with children.

Why Castricum Works as a Family Base

Castricum sits roughly 30 kilometres north of Amsterdam and about 12 minutes by train from Haarlem, which makes it a quieter alternative to staying in the city. The village centre has a bakery, a supermarket and a weekly market on Tuesdays, all within a short walk of the station. Families tend to book here because the beach and the dunes are reachable on foot or by a short bus ride, so you are not loading children into a car every morning. Hotels in the village are small; for more choice look at Castricum aan Zee or neighbouring Bakkum.

The trade-off is evening entertainment. Castricum is a village, and after about eight in the evening the streets go quiet. If your children need restaurants, cinemas and noise, Haarlem or Alkmaar will suit better. If they need space to run, sand and early nights, this is the right place. Booking in May, June or September gives you decent weather with fewer people on the beach; July and August are busiest and accommodation fills earlier, so reserve well ahead if you are travelling in high season.

The Beach at Castricum aan Zee

Castricum aan Zee is around four kilometres west of the village, reached by bus in about ten minutes or by bicycle in twenty. The beach is wide, backed by low dunes, and has lifeguards in the summer months. There are a handful of beach pavilions serving pancakes, sandwiches and coffee, plus a couple of places renting windbreaks and chairs. Water is cold even in August — most children paddle rather than swim. Currents can be strong on the outer sandbanks, so keep younger children between the flags and near the shoreline.

The walk from the bus stop to the sand takes about five minutes on a paved path, which makes it manageable with a pushchair. Bring water and sun protection, because shade is limited and the wind can disguise how strong the sun is. The beach is at its best on a clear weekday morning; weekend afternoons in July bring queues for the pavilions. If the wind picks up, the dune paths behind the beach offer a sheltered alternative and are easy enough for children of six and up.

Dunes, Forest and the Wider Area

The Noordhollands Duinreservaat covers the dunes between Castricum and Egmond, and you need a day ticket to walk in parts of it — buy one at the entrance machines or the visitor centre. Trails are marked and mostly gentle, with a mix of open sand and pine woodland. The route from Castricum station to the beach via the dunes takes around an hour at child pace and is one of the better half-days in the area. Cycling is the local way to do it: rental shops in the village charge by the day and child seats or trailers are available if you ask in advance.

For a change of scene, Alkmaar is 20 minutes by train and its cheese market runs on Friday mornings in spring and summer. Haarlem is closer at 12 minutes and has the Teylers Museum and the Frans Hals Museum, both manageable with children in short doses. Amsterdam is 25 minutes by train from Castricum, useful for a day trip but not somewhere you want to drive into. I would book a village hotel in Castricum for a dune-and-beach stay and a Haarlem hotel if museums matter more, skipping the Amsterdam commute each day.

Practical Planning Notes

Parking near Castricum aan Zee fills quickly on warm weekends, and the access road is closed to cars at busy times, so the bus or bicycle is genuinely easier. The village station has direct trains to Amsterdam Centraal, Haarlem and Alkmaar, and a staffed ticket desk in the morning. Supermarkets close earlier than in the cities, and several village restaurants shut on Mondays and Tuesdays, so check before you plan an evening out. Cash is rarely needed but a few beach pavilions still prefer it.

Rainy days are the main risk in any season. The nearest indoor options are in Alkmaar and Haarlem rather than Castricum itself, so a wet forecast might change where you base yourself. Families with toddlers often prefer Bakkum, one stop or a short cycle away, because it is closer to the beach and has quieter lanes. Those with teenagers do better in Haarlem, where there is more to do after dark. Book directly with a hotel and confirm cot and family-room availability, since the small properties here have limited stock.

Questions, answered

Do you need a car to visit Castricum with children?

No. The station has direct trains to Haarlem, Alkmaar and Amsterdam, and buses run to Castricum aan Zee. A bicycle with a child seat covers most local trips and avoids the crowded beach car park in summer.

How far is the beach from Castricum village?

Castricum aan Zee is about four kilometres west of the village, roughly ten minutes by bus or twenty by bicycle. The walk from the bus stop to the sand is around five minutes on a paved path suitable for pushchairs.

When is the best time to visit with children?

May, June and September give reasonable weather with quieter beaches. July and August are warmest but busiest, so book accommodation early. Autumn walks in the dunes are good, though beach pavilions close earlier outside the summer season.

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