Photos from Google
The Hondsbossche Zeewering defines the look of Petten. Behind the village sits a reinforced row of dunes, fronted by a wide sandy beach laid down over recent years. Before that work, there was a bare dyke here; now there is a strip of sand with small dunes in front of it.
Petten itself has around 1,605 residents and belongs to the municipality of Schagen. For a long time it was an independent municipality, merged into Zijpe in 1929 and came under Schagen in 2013. The village is small and the buildings sit just behind the dyke.
There are two beach clubs on the beach. Both serve breakfast, lunch and dinner, so you can come from morning until evening. The average rating works out at 4.3 out of 5. The atmosphere is geared towards families.
The beach at Petten is wide and slopes gently down to the sea. Thanks to the new sand, the strip is more spacious than at many other spots along this coast. That leaves room to settle in, even on busier days.
Several other seaside resorts lie a short distance away. Schoorl aan Zee is just over five kilometres away, Callantsoog almost eight kilometres and Bergen around eleven kilometres. If you want to see more than Petten alone, you can easily combine these places.
Petten is reached mainly by car. The nearest station is Schagen, almost ten kilometres away. From there, a bus connection runs towards the coast. You can park within walking distance of the beach; check the current rates and locations in the parking overview on this page.
Dogs are welcome at several beach clubs. The rules on the beach itself follow the arrangements of the municipality of Schagen, described below under the beach zones. The beach is well suited to a day out with the family, and the combination of dunes, dyke and wide sand makes a walk worthwhile.
Great for
The beach at Petten is wide and slopes gently down to the water, with room to play and settle in. Both beach clubs are aimed at families and serve food all day, from breakfast to dinner.
Dogs are welcome at several beach clubs. On the beach the rules of the municipality of Schagen apply. From 1 October to 1 April dogs may run off the lead; during the summer months a lead is required during the day. See the beach zones below for the details.
Both beach clubs serve dinner, so you can stay and eat by the sea after sunset. One venue is also available as a wedding venue, which shows there is room for a quieter evening at the table.
With two beach clubs serving lunch, a simple meal on the beach is easily arranged. The average rating of 4.3 points to a friendly welcome.
A corporate outing is possible at the beach clubs in Petten. The wide beach and the space on the dyke offer scope for outdoor activities, followed by a bite to eat indoors.
When it rains or blows, the two beach clubs offer a spot indoors where you can eat with a view of the sea. The Hondsbossche Zeewering and the dunes also lend themselves to a brisk walk in poorer weather.
In summer, the wide beach at Petten draws the most visitors. The combination of sand, dunes and the Hondsbossche Zeewering brings walkers, sunbathers and families. On warm days it can get busy around the beach clubs.
Spring and late summer are quieter. The beach clubs are less crowded then and the beach offers plenty of room. For anyone wanting to avoid the crowds, these are good months to visit.
In winter the character changes. The wind often hits the coast full on and the sea defence lies open and bare. It then becomes mainly a place for brisk walks along the water and over the dyke.
The lead season for dogs runs from 1 April to 1 October. Outside that period, dogs may run off the lead on large parts of the beach, which makes the winter months appealing for anyone coming with a dog.
Bear in mind that the number of facilities in Petten is limited. With two beach clubs, there is less on offer than in the larger seaside resorts further along the coast.
Parking
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Nearby seaside resorts
Last updated: 23 June 2026