About Texel
Texel is unique and beautiful in all seasons. The island has the North Sea side with beaches and dunes as far as the eye can see. And the Wadden side with meadows full of woolly sheep and lambs in early spring. Beautiful forests, authentic villages with cozy cafes and restaurants. Texel is a unique place and offers plenty of choice. With an approximately 30 km long sandy beach on Texel, you have plenty of space to enjoy the beach and sea. Enjoyment already starts on the boat, the trip of about half an hour immediately gives you a holiday feeling. We will give you a few tips about things to do on Texel.
Seals at Ecomare
When you are on Texel, of course you want to see seals. For that you have to go to Ecomare, it is the oldest seal sanctuary in Europe! In Ecomare you can enjoy seals, birds, fish and many other animals that live in the Wadden Sea and North Sea up close. Young seals are almost always cared for in the sanctuary. How touching they look at you with their big, round eyes!
In the Ecomare nature museum you will discover how special the Wadden Sea Region is. Be amazed at the enormous size of whales in the Walviszaal and get acquainted with the work of scientists in Waddenstad.
Ecomare is open daily from 9.30am to 5pm. Highly recommended, even for children!
Shrimp fishing
A fun activity for the whole family is shrimp fishing in the Wadden Sea. TX-10 skipper Frido or TX-20 skipper Herman will take you on board of his boat and you will experience the real fishing life here. In addition to shrimp, there is much more in the net, which the crew is only too happy to tell you more about. After the catch, the shrimps are cooked and you can taste them. Hmmm! You won't get them fresher anywhere.
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A tidal flat trip
A great adventure is a tidal flat trip (wadlopen in Dutch) with shrimp boat TX10 or TX20. The skipper will take you out to the Wadden Sea and via a gangway you can discover the Wadden Sea floor on a dry sandbank. The guide will tell you all about the rich soil life. Before the tide turns, everyone is back on board and you will sail back to the harbor of Oudeschild. You can explore a little further in the living box on board! Then everything goes back into the sea alive.
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Vineyard "De kroon van Texel"
Near our park, you will find the only vineyard of the Wadden: De Kroon van Texel. The vineyard of ± three hectares is good for ± 6000 liters of Texel wine. On Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays there is a guided tour where you can learn more about the vineyard and taste different wines.
More informationThe lighthouse
An iconic image of Texel is our lighthouse on the northern tip of Texel. You can climb the tower via 118 steps (six floors) and the view is more than worth it! On top of the lighthouse you really feel how hard the wind can blow on Texel. During a visit you will also learn about the history of Texel, for example during the Second World War.
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Museum Kaap Skil
An educational day out for the whole family! Go back in time in the old fishermen's houses, or experience one of the centuries-old crafts. You will discover the importance of Texel in the Golden Age at the enormous scale model. The museum has a large collection of objects from that time that have surfaced, but you can also learn more about the Texel tradition of 'beachcombing'.
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Museum Flora
In the first, real and largest beachcombers museum in the world, the real beachcombers talk about their experiences and wanderings on the beach. Museum Flora has beach finds over 70 years old! And is more than worth your visit.
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Daytrip to the island Vlieland
A daytrip to Vlieland is a realy nice experience. You will depart by the boat "De Vriendschap" near Paal 33. After a half-hour boat trip you will arrive at the beach of Vlieland, where you will board the Vliehors Express, which will take you to Het Posthuys in half an hour, from there you can discover the island by bike yourself. Travel time: 1 hour Departure time: 9.30am Return journey starts at 5.15pm.
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Beach pavilions
On Texel all the beaches are named by beach poles.
Paal 17
"Strandpavilion Paal 17 by the sea" gives you a real holiday feeling! Lovely food and a cosy atmosphere. On the terrace you have a lovely view and inside it is cosy and warm. Paal 17 is open all year, so even in winter you can enjoy the sea! Would you like to make a table reservation or rent a beach house? For more information have a look at the website www.paal17.com.
Paal 15
Strandpavilion Paal 15 is a unique pavilion where you can eat very well. It is a nice ride by bike through the dunes. This pavilion is also open all year from 10:30 a.m. till sunset. For more information have a look at the website www.paal15texel.nl
Paal 9
Strandpavilion Paal 9 is a real beach experience close to Den Hoorn! It is a cosy pavilion for the whole family. Even when the sun is not shining, it is still nice to be here. For more information or to rent a beach house, have a look at the website www.paal9.nl
Paal 33 (Kaap Noord)
Strandpavilion Kaap Noord is situated on the north on a unique spot on the island of Texel. From the pavilion you will have a view on the ferry to the island Vlieland. For more information have a look at the website www.strandpaviljoenkaapnoord.nl