May falls somewhere in the first two weeks of May each year. That is exactly the moment when the Netherlands is at its most beautiful: tulips in full bloom, spring sunshine, no summer crowds yet. Campsites are open but not overcrowded, and nature does not care about vacation schedules — the forests and dunes are just green and quiet.
With a campervan from Amstelveen you are two hours from the Zeeland coast or the middle of the Veluwe. You don't have to book, don't have to wait for check-in times, and you can just move on if you don't like a spot. Below you will find the five destinations that are worth a visit year after year.
Travel time from Amstelveen
Municipality of Sluis, Zeeuws-Vlaanderen — the southwestern tip of the Netherlands
Cadzand has the widest beach in the Netherlands. In May it is just right: the sea has already warmed up, the beach is empty enough for a quiet morning walk and the air quality is exceptional due to its location directly on the North Sea. Cadzand is also one of the sunniest places in the Netherlands. On the beach you can hunt for shark tooth fossils — a serious activity here, as the beach lies on a fossil-bearing layer exposed at low tide. The small harbour of Cadzand and nearby Breskens always have fishing boats in. Buying fresh fish and cooking it in the campervan is perfectly normal here.
Zeeland — Colijnsplaat, Zierikzee, Renesse, Brouwersdam
If Cadzand is too far, the rest of Zeeland offers a richer palette. The Oosterschelde is the largest national park in the Netherlands and virtually the only place where you can see harbour seals in the wild — in May they are out in force on the sandbanks. The Grevelingenmeer is Europe's largest brackish-water lake, popular with divers and windsurfers. The small towns along the Zeeland waterways — Zierikzee, Veere, Goes — are compact enough to explore on foot.
The Zeeland coast in May — wide and peaceful
North Holland — ferry from Den Helder, 20-minute crossing
Texel is the largest and most accessible Wadden Island for campervans — the TESO ferry takes campervans on board. The island has one road running the full length north to south, and a network of cycle paths through every landscape type: dunes, polder, forest, beach and tidal flats. In May the birds are in full swing. Texel has one of the richest breeding seasons in Europe — spoonbill, avocet, godwit and dozens of other species nest in the polder areas and dunes. De Slufter, a unique nature area where sea and polder merge, is spectacular in spring.
Friesland — ferry from Harlingen, 1h 45m crossing
Vlieland is car-free — your campervan stays in the car park at Harlingen harbour. That sounds like a disadvantage, but it makes Vlieland a perfect two-night campervan destination: you park comfortably on the mainland, take the ferry and cycle onto the island. No cars, no crowds, no noise. The island has one village, one hotel, several terraces and kilometres of dune paths. In May the lilac is in bloom and the birds are active in the dunes on the west side.
The dunes of Texel in May — full of life and space
Province of Utrecht — near Woudenberg and Zeist, on the Utrechtse Heuvelrug
The Pyramide van Austerlitz is one of the strangest monuments in the Netherlands — and therefore one of the most interesting. In 1804 a French general had his troops build an earthen pyramid to commemorate the Battle of Austerlitz, in the middle of the Utrecht forests. The pyramid is over 18 metres high and completely overgrown; an obelisk stands on top. The surroundings are part of Nationaal Park Utrechtse Heuvelrug, one of the few places in the Netherlands with real topography: sand drifts, forests and heathlands alternate. In May the forest floor is full of flowering bilberries and the first ferns shoot up. Combine with a cycle ride along the ridge towards Amersfoort or Soest.
Gelderland — near Arnhem, Apeldoorn and Ede
The Hoge Veluwe is the largest contiguous nature and heathland area in the Netherlands: 5,400 hectares of forest, heath and sand drift in one national park. The park has free white bicycles you can borrow to cycle the entire terrain. In the middle of the park stands the Kröller-Müller Museum — one of the finest art museums in the Netherlands with the largest Van Gogh collection outside Amsterdam. In May the heath is not yet in bloom, but the forest is in full leaf and the light through the tall oak trees in the early morning is extraordinary. Wild boar and red deer are regularly spotted at dusk.
Drenthe — near Assen, Groningen and Rolde
The Drentsche Aa is one of the few places in the Netherlands where the landscape still looks more or less as it did hundreds of years ago: winding streams, old field systems, heathland and farmsteads. The area is officially the National Landscape Drentsche Aa. In May the meadows are full of wildflowers and the streams are at their highest water level. It is premier walking and cycling country. The nearby hunebedden of Drenthe — the largest concentration of megalithic tombs in the Netherlands — are a short cycle away.
Early morning light through the trees on the Utrechtse Heuvelrug
"May is the only month when everything falls into place — nature at its finest, campsites open, and none of the crowds of July."
Practical tips for the May holiday
Book the islands early
The ferries to Texel and Terschelling fill up quickly for campervans during the May school holiday week. Reserve your crossing at least 3 to 4 weeks in advance via the official websites of TESO (Texel) and Doeksen (Terschelling, Vlieland).
May is unpredictable — plan for it
May regularly brings showers and cool evenings. Follow the good weather: if the north is wet, drive south to Zeeland. The built-in heating in all Adelaar Campervans keeps you comfortable inside regardless of the weather outside.
Consider bringing bikes
Almost every destination on this list has a good cycling network. Cycling is the way to properly explore the Hoge Veluwe, Texel and the Utrechtse Heuvelrug. The Albatros can be supplied with a bike rack on request.
Stock up before you leave
The islands and forest campsites have small supermarkets, but the choice is limited and prices are higher. Fill the campervan fridge well before leaving Amstelveen; the fridge in every Adelaar Campervan runs on 12V and keeps working while you drive.
Hook-up or fully off-grid
All Adelaar Campervans are fully off-grid — solar panels and a 100Ah lithium battery are standard. You don't need to book an electric hook-up at the campsite. That also opens the door to Park4Night spots outside official campsites.
Suggestion · 5-day route
A week of the Netherlands from coast to forest
Day 1: Pick up in Amstelveen, drive to the Pyramide van Austerlitz for a short morning walk, then on to the Hoge Veluwe for the night. Day 2: Hoge Veluwe — cycling, Kröller-Müller, wild boar at dusk. Day 3: Early start towards Den Helder, ferry to Texel, afternoon on the beach. Day 4: Northern Texel, De Slufter and the bird reserve. Day 5: ferry back, drive to Cadzand for a last night by the sea. Day 6: beach, fossil hunting, back to Amstelveen.
May holiday with the campervan — hit the road
Pick up in Amstelveen, category B licence sufficient. Everything on board for a week in the Netherlands: kitchen, bed, solar panels, outdoor speakers and chairs.
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