Who IJmuiden suits
IJmuiden is the industrial mouth of the North Sea Canal — huge locks, a busy port, the Netherlands' main fishing fleet, and a wide beach next to it all. It suits three types of visitor: passengers on the DFDS ferry to Newcastle who need a room the night before, travellers who genuinely enjoy port cities and shipping, and beach-goers who want a quieter alternative to Zandvoort with more parking. The seafood market at the harbour is excellent.
It doesn’t suit anyone looking for a historic Dutch centre — IJmuiden was flattened in WWII and rebuilt plainly. Haarlem, 10 km inland, has all the charm this town lacks.
Where within IJmuiden
IJmuiden aan Zee, at the beach and marina, is the nicest area — a handful of hotels, the ferry terminal, restaurants on the boulevard. The town centre (IJmuiden proper) is functional. If you have an early Newcastle ferry, sleep at IJmuiden aan Zee — the terminal is a 3-minute drive.
Questions answered
How do I reach IJmuiden by public transport?
Bus 74 or 82 from Haarlem station in 30-35 minutes, or bus 382 R-net from Amsterdam Elandsgracht in about 40 minutes. No train.
Can I watch ships transit the locks?
Yes — public viewing points at the Noordersluis and the new Zeesluis IJmuiden (one of the world's largest sea locks). Free and worth an hour.
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