Travel

Travel Note

Oostvoorne, Netherlands

Oostvoorne is a village a few minutes from the hotel where the wedding party will be staying. It's close to the wedding venue, which is cute and quiet. There will not be much to do here, but there are main accommodations close, and you can easily travel from Oostvoorne to other larger cities in the Netherlands. Opinions may vary, but I believe there is a bit of charm in most dutch villages. Being able to find a cute cafe or little restaurant or botique shouldnt be too difficult. There are many small B&Bs, as well as camping sites, and hotels that would be affordable and lovely. Using public transport or biking will be easy in this village.

Hotel

Hotel 't Wapen van Marion

This is where the wedding party and our families will be encouraged to stay for the weekend. Everyone is welcome to book a room in the beautiful hotel. We will NOT be prebooking for guests. This hotel has many benefits and is also surprisingly affordable in our opinion. Across the street is a WONDERFUL nature preserve with many trails for biking and walking. Multiple beautiful bird-watching spots along the beaten path and captivating water and nature views exist within the preserve. Along with the sea and nature, the hotel itself is much more than I expected for this area. The rooms are unique and inviting with modern fixtures. A wellness center that includes saunas, massages are available as well and requests for a romantic picnic. Take a stroll through the gardens or play a match of tennis when you have free time. With beaches and a restaurant in the hotel as well as many close by, this is a great spot to stay if you want to be close to the wedding party and our families. This is a kid-friendly hotel and has a playground for little ones.

Travel Note

Aan Zee Oostvoorne (Wedding Venue)

This is where we will be having the wedding ceremony, reception, dinner, as well as the party portion. We fell in love with this venue because of the views, being Netherlands at its core. Water, trade port, and wind turbines add to the magic of the country and its strength throughout its existence. The sea is just a few steps away, and dune grass surrounds the building, which makes me feel so at home. I (Cass) grew up mostly in a little town called Grand Haven, Michigan. It was nestled quaintly below many large dunes. Water and dune grass have always calmed my mind and made me feel at home, and we hope this wonderful venue can bring you all love and peace as well. With wonderful food and atmosphere, we hope to have so much fun dancing the night away! P.s. I love how the building looks like a seashell.

Flight

Schiphol (AMS)

One of the best international airports to navigate. It is large and busy and can seem overwhelming, but the workers are generally very kind and helpful. Everyone who works there speaks English and will help you with directions if needed. Many signs are pointing to the baggage claim or any other location you need. If you book your ticket far enough in advance, you can snag direct flights quite easily for under $1000. The website provided below can help you navigate the airport and how to get public transportation after your flight. Experience leads me to suggest that people FLY THROUGH THE NIGHT. My preferred way to fly is to book the last flight at 9-10pm, eat dinner on the plane and sleep all the way to Amsterdam. It has made the long flights way more manageable for me and LESS anxiety :)

Train

9292

DOWNLOAD the 9292 app on your phone or follow the link provided. This app will save you so much stress navigating the country. It is a LIFESAVER! Showing step-by-step instructions on how to get to your location across all forms of public transportation. Tickets for public transportation are also available through this app.

Travel Note

Public Transport Cards

You can buy a day pass for traveling at any train station through an electronic ticket booth. This is an easy option for people who won't be staying in the Netherlands for very long. When I (Cass) travel to the country, I pay around 7 euros for a blue OV-chipkaart. These cards are convenient for longer stays. Blue cards can travel through the checkpoints, only having to charge your card once you run low on funds. Money can be added to these at the same electronic ticket booths where you buy the day passes. The website below has detailed information about the different choices. (The yellow card is for students and residents)

Travel Note

Grocery Shopping

The Netherlands has multiple main chains to shop for groceries, and we thought we would break it down for everyone. Supermarket chains (A store) and discount chains (B store) are the main sources for the Dutch. These will be scattered throughout the country and should be easily accessible for everyone. There are NO SHOPPING BAGS, so you will have to pay for them at the checkout, usually around 0.50. Some stores do NOT accept CREDIT CARDS, so be careful before shopping. Usually, you will have to shop somewhere else for LIQUOR. Have fun navigating the different kinds of hagelslag and gouda! Happy shopping! Here are the main grocery stores in the Netherlands and their pros and cons. A Stores: Juicer machine, self-checkouts, name brand products, HIGHER prices, fresh bakeries, high quality produce, and usually have security gates. -Albert Heijn (AH) -Jumbo B Stores: CHEAPER prices, closer to residential areas, some have bakeries, and cheap household and tolietrie items. -Aldi -Lidl ALTERNATE OPTION: Grocery delivery is a fully online option that some Dutch people prefer. If you are staying in an Airbnb or VRBO, there is a greater likelihood of the option to get groceries delivered to your address. These are some online-only supermarkets that have phone APPS to download. -Flink -Picnic ALTERNATE OPTION: Take out delivery apps. If you want to be cozy one day, here are the food delivery options that have phone APPS to download. -Uber Eats -Just Eat