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Can you explore Amsterdam, Haarlem and Zandvoort from Bloemendaal without a car? Yes, and more easily than most people expect. Connexxion bus 81 links Bloemendaal aan Zee with Haarlem station on one side and Zandvoort on the other. From Haarlem, the train runs straight to Amsterdam Centraal. So the car can stay at home, and the only real question is which way you turn when you step outside.
That's the quiet advantage of staying on this stretch of coast. A historic city, a seaside village and the Dutch capital are all within reach, and at night you come back to the sound of the sea. Here's how the three compare.
How does the bus connect the coast with Haarlem and Zandvoort?
Bus 81 is the thread that ties this part of the coast together. It runs from Haarlem station through Overveen and the dunes of Bloemendaal aan Zee, then on to Zandvoort, and it keeps running outside beach season too. On busy summer weekends, Connexxion even adds an extra beach line, the 84, alongside it (Connexxion, in Dutch).
Paying is easy, also if you're visiting from abroad. With OVpay, the Dutch system for contactless travel, you simply hold your bank card or phone against the reader when you get on and again when you get off.
Haarlem is the easy city day
If you only have time for one, we'd send you to Haarlem. It's compact enough to explore on foot from the station, and it packs a lot into a few streets: the Grote Markt with the great church of St. Bavo, the Frans Hals Museum with its Golden Age paintings, and the Teylers Museum, the oldest museum in the Netherlands. In between: independent shops, small cafés and terraces to watch the city go by.
Haarlem is also where the train to Amsterdam leaves from, so it combines well with a bigger day out. Our piece on Haarlem by the sea has more ideas for what to see once you're there.
Zandvoort brings the seaside next door
Take the 81 the other way and you arrive in Zandvoort, the lively beach village just south of Bloemendaal aan Zee. Here it's all about the long boulevard, the village streets behind it and the famous racing circuit tucked into the dunes. Where Haarlem is about museums, Zandvoort is about wind in your hair and lunch with a view of the water.
Feeling energetic? You can also walk there along the beach, with the sea on your right. Before you set off, check the weather warnings of KNMI, the Dutch weather institute. On a stormy day the waterline is no place for a walk, and the bus is the better choice.
Is Amsterdam worth the longer trip?
Amsterdam is the furthest of the three, and by far the busiest, but still easily doable. Take bus 81 to Haarlem station and change there for the train to Amsterdam Centraal. Zandvoort station has direct trains to Amsterdam too, so you can go out one way and come back the other.
It's a full day rather than an afternoon. Choose one neighbourhood or one museum instead of trying to see everything, and you'll come back with energy to spare.
Which one suits your day?
Half a day and in the mood for culture? Haarlem. Craving sea air but not ready to sit still? Zandvoort. A full day and ready for the big city? Amsterdam, ideally after a slow breakfast. And if the weather turns, Haarlem's museums are the safest bet.
Coming home to the dunes
However you spend the day, the evening looks the same: back on the coast, far from the crowds. In autumn that contrast feels even stronger, when the beach empties out and the sea is at its most dramatic.
That's exactly what our Cosy Autumn Package is made for. You stay in a room with a view of the sea or the dunes, you're welcomed with a hot chocolate, and the next morning there's a generous breakfast buffet waiting. Check-out isn't until noon, so there's time for one more walk before you head out again. Fancy dinner close to home? Our restaurant The Blonde is just downstairs. Prefer to pick your own dates and room? Have a look at our rooms and suites.
Good to know before you set off
You'll find Blendin Bloemendaal at Zeeweg 80 in Bloemendaal aan Zee, on the coast road between Haarlem and Zandvoort. Bus 81 runs all year round, but timetables and fares change now and then, so check your connection in the 9292 journey planner, which covers every Dutch bus and train and works in English. Not sure where to catch the bus? Just ask at reception, we're happy to point you in the right direction.
Questions guests often ask
- Is the Cosy Autumn Package a good base for day trips? It is. You get a room with a sea or dune view, breakfast, a hot chocolate on arrival and check-out at noon, so you can explore by day and come back to the coast at night. Current dates and prices are on the package page.
- Do I need a car to stay at Blendin Bloemendaal? Not at all. Bus 81 takes you to Haarlem station and to Zandvoort, and from there the train takes you on to Amsterdam.
- Can I pay for the bus with my bank card? Yes. With OVpay you check in and out with a contactless bank card or your phone, so there's no need to buy a ticket in advance.
- Which day trip works best in bad weather? Haarlem. Its museums, shops and cafés are close together, so you're never far from somewhere warm and dry.
- Can I see all three in one stay? With two or three nights, easily. Give each place its own day, or pair Haarlem and Amsterdam, and keep a slow morning by the sea in between.
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