The Roadside Tourist: roadside tourism at its best

Roadside tourism: sitting on your chair or next to your tent looking at the cars. Bring sandwiches and coffee. Enjoy the sun. It was a typically Dutch activity, originating in the 50s when our country only had about 140.000 cars. It has been prohibited along the highways for some time. Not in Zwanenburg. In fact, it is highly recommended there. Because that's where you'll find the Roadside Tourist.

Roadside tourism

Anja Meinders is running the Roadside Tourist for the third summer. She bought the vacant lot in 2018; the old parking lot of the closed swimming pool next to the Ringvaart. The municipality renounced it. Anja saw potential in it. The site had a kiosk purpose. So for Anja, who loves roadside tourism, the choice was quickly made. At the Roadside Tourist you can enjoy roadside tourism at its best. The atmosphere exudes the past: the folding fabric chairs, the somewhat shaky camping tables. Next to the table a basket with comic books. You feel like a roadside tourist in the last century.
With a nice cup of coffee or tea in the sun. Watching cyclists on the Lijnderdijk, cars, motorcycles and freight traffic on the nearby A5, planes to and from Schiphol and boats on the Ringvaart. In short: you see all forms of transport passing by and coming over.

Blackberry shots

If you are cycling along the Lijnderdijk and need a rest, be sure to get off at the Roadside Tourist. For coffee or natural herbal tea in different flavors. Of course with homemade apple pie or the old-fashioned Arretjes cake. Come have lunch with a cup of soup made from zucchini from the garden. Or go there especially for the famous blackberry shots: an espresso made from pure blackberry juice, also from the own garden. It really is like an espresso, a divine refresher, a power shot.

Interior of the roadside tourist's house

Easy to find

Are you looking for the opening hours of the Roadside Tourist? Then view the Facebook page of the BermtouristAnja will let you know when you can come by for fresh apple pie. Cyclists who cycle past the shack eventually stop to see what there is to experience. And of course it's great: people come back. This creates a group of regular customers through word of mouth. Most come to sit quietly and enjoy the treats and the surroundings. They move the chairs and tables with the sun, like real roadside tourists do. Some sports enthusiasts get on the pedal boat. You can use this for a voluntary contribution, because Anja has no idea what to ask for it. Behind the roadside you will find the extensive garden, which is also definitely worth a visit.

At De Bermtoerist every weekend is different. There's always something happening. Even if the weather is not good, you can go there. Visitors can also sit inside. That's a bit tight, but it's possible! Come by and enjoy, sit on the roadside!