Ameland (Wadden Islands), Netherlands

For our third wedding anniversary we wanted to go on a trip, but we still hadn’t had a chance to be fully vaccinated yet so we weren’t comfortable traveling abroad. We had heard of islands on the north coast of the Netherlands and decided that would be a fun new place to check out.

Hotel

We were really looking for a place to just relax, be close to the beach and be able to cook our own food. We found this cute apartment owned by one of the hotels that was perfect. It had a balcony overlooking a field of sheep which had heaters as well (we didn’t end up needing them, but in the Netherlands its always good to have the option). It also had a stove top and dishes (a very basic kitchen, but enough to get by!).

It was also a quick trip from the beach and close enough to walk to restaurants if we wanted to. There was also a grocery store a quick walk away. It was perfect!

Getting around

We had a car to get to the island (there is a ferry that will take your car) but decided to rent bikes to get to and from the beach and around the island. Like everywhere in the Netherlands, there are tons of beautiful bike paths everywhere.

What to do

Ameland Brewery

This was a nice long bike ride to a super cute brewery. We sat in their huge outdoor area at a picnic table and enjoyed a nice beer.

The beach

There are several beaches (it’s an island!) and we spent a lot of time biking around and checking out the beaches.

Lighthouse

There’s a cool light house (fire tower?) on the island right by the beach that has lots of photos taken of it.

Hiking

We went on several long hikes that were so nice - lots of dunes and cows!