Here are some suggestions for what to do in The Hague next week during ICANN 74.
The first in-person ICANN meeting in nearly three years kicks off in The Hague next week, so I crowdsourced some suggestions for what to do while visiting The Hague.
I’m told that The Hague gives off a “serious” vibe. And with good reason, it’s the administrative and royal capital of the Netherlands (primarily located at Het Binnenhof) and the home of the Peace Palace, which houses the International Court of Justice.
But I’m also told that you’ll find many options for entertainment in or near the city. Whether you attended the fifteenth ICANN Meeting back in December 2002 or this is your first trip to the Netherlands, you may want to do some things the Dutch are generally known for.
1. Try pannenkoeken (somewhere between a crepe and an American pancake), stroopwafels (a caramel waffle cookie that originated in Gouda), bitterballen (Dutch meatballs generally served with beer), maatjes (fermented herring), or kibbeling (battered chunks of fish with mayonnaise-based garlic sauce).
2. Rent a bike or take a boat tour around the canals.
3. If it’s sunny, stop whatever you’re doing and go sit at a terrace cafe. Some cafes with great views include Bleyenberg, Grand Cafe Haagse Bluf, Bink Rooftop, Cafe de Bieb, Brouwerij de Prael, and de Paas.
4. If you want to be among a crowd, head to Het Plein (the town square in the old city center) or Grote Markt (the market square). If you want a quieter experience, visit Cafe de La Gare, which has its own square.
5. Experience Dutch art and design at the Mauritshuis, Kunstmuseum Den Haag or Escher in The Palace.
6. If you’re interested in venturing out of The Hague’s city center, you can take a 12-minute train ride to Delft, famous for its blue pottery.
7. Go to the beach, which takes roughly 30 minutes to reach by bike or bus. Along the North Sea, you can walk among the dunes at Meijendel, go surfing or paddle boarding in Scheveningen, or visit the Ferris wheel, shops, and cafes at the pier.
8. Taking a day trip (90 minutes by train) to the historical ‘s-Hertogenbosch (Den Bosch), home of early renaissance artist Jheronimus Bosch. (If you’re into cop novels like me, you know this is who Harry Bosch is named after.)
9. If you find the nightlife in the Hague lacking, it’s only 45 minutes by train to Amsterdam.
I won’t be attending the meeting in The Hauge, but I hope everyone has a productive and fun time.
Jim Prendergast says
One of the best Automobile collections I have ever seen is also there. Well worth a few hours of your time even if you are not a complete motorhead. https://www.louwmanmuseum.nl/en/
Andrew Allemann says
Looks very cool. And I’m not a motorhead!
Hennie Groot Lipman says
Maybe use a real picture instead of one with completely exaggerated colors?