Day Trips to Dunkirk: Quick Guide + Easy 1-Day Dunkirk Itinerary for WWII Buffs

If you’re a World War II history buff considering some day trips to Dunkirk, you’ve landed on the right page. While you could certainly spend more time in Dunkirk (like if you wanted a relaxing coastal vacation for example), one day is perfect if you just want to absorb the WWII history.

This post includes a quick guide for taking day trips to Dunkirk with all the essential information you need. You’ll also find an easy 1-day Dunkirk itinerary to follow to have an unforgettable trip here.

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Is Dunkirk worth visiting?

Dunkirk is a lovely city with many great reasons to visit. For World War II enthusiasts, there’s just about a day’s worth of activities and sites to see; any longer than that would be too much. If you’d like a relaxing beach vacation in the north of France for however long, this is a great destination that’s more on the quiet side.

So, is Dunkirk worth visiting? For our purposes? I say yes. If the Battle of France and the Dunkirk Evacuation are topics that interest you, it’s definitely worth visiting Dunkirk to see this historic location in person.

That being said, Dunkirk is somewhat of the way of other major European destinations. (For example, no, you can’t work a day trip to Dunkirk into your D-Day Normandy itinerary.) It does, however, fit quite nicely into a Belgium WWII road trip itinerary.

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Best time to take day trips to Dunkirk

As with most of the WWII sites in Belgium, France, and the rest of this part of Europe, the summer season is going to be the best time to visit Dunkirk. Besides offering your best chance for good weather, this is also when most of the historic sites are actually open. 

For instance, both the Atlantikwall Raversyde complex and Fort des Dunes are closed from November until March. Seeing as how Atlantikwall Raversyde is definitely one of the coolest things to do in Dunkirk, I definitely wouldn’t miss that. 

I personally visited Dunkirk in early May (2024) and had a mix of beautiful sunny weather, heavy winds and rain, and chilly temperatures at night.

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How to get to Dunkirk

A day in Dunkirk is the perfect addition to a Belgium WWII road trip, but is most easily visited and explored by car regardless of your greater travel plans. If you have your own car, you’re in good shape. [Check out the best local rental car deals here.] Otherwise, you can easily visit Dunkirk from some other top destinations. For example…

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The most popular day trips to Dunkirk

Here are the most popular places from which to take day trips to Dunkirk and some of the stuff you need to know about them:

Bruges to Dunkirk day trip

The wonderfully-preserved medieval town of Bruges is one of the top tourist destinations in Belgium. Here’s how you can take some day trips to Dunkirk from here:

Bruges to Dunkirk by car: If you have your own rental car, you can drive from Bruges to Dunkirk in just one hour. Obviously, this the optimal solution. (You can check rental car offers here.)

Another option would be to book a private car service. Company’s like DayTrip.com can be an economical and fun way to travel between these (and other) cities.

Bruges to Dunkirk by train: Unfortunately, there’s no direct train link between Bruges and Dunkirk. Instead, you’ll have to first pass through Kortrijk (BE) and then Lille (FR). With the two train changes, the journey from Bruges to Dunkirk averages 3.5 hours each way.

Though this isn’t ideal for a “day trip,” it’s not too bad if you plan to at least stay one night in Dunkirk. You can check out the train schedules and rates here.

Bruges to Dunkirk day tour: There’s always the option of a private guided day tour as well. This Operation Dynamo/Dunkirk tour from Bruges includes roundtrip transportation in your own private vehicle, stops at some of Dunkirk’s best historical spots, and even lunch. (Plus it has all 5-star reviews!) It can take a maximum of 7 people but dates are limited.

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Paris to Dunkirk day trip

Given its popularity, I’m sure tons of people visiting Paris add on some day trips to Dunkirk as well. Here’s how you can make it happen too:

Paris to Dunkirk by car: If you have access to a car, the drive between Paris and Dunkirk will take around 3.5 hours each way. Again, this isn’t ideal for a day trip, but not awful if you’re planning to spend at least one night in Dunkirk.

Paris to Dunkirk by train: Taking the train is actually the faster option here. If you take the direct TGV train, the journey takes just 2 hours each way. There are several more options that include a train change in Lille, and that journey averages just 2.5 hours. Head here to see the train options.

Be sure not to miss all the great World War II sites in Paris while you’re there!

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Dover to Dunkirk day trip

Even if you’re across the Channel and looking to take some day trips to Dunkirk, you have quick and easy options too. Unfortunately, getting to and from London is going to be a long journey that requires multiple modes of transportation, but the link between Dunkirk and Dover is pretty ideal.

Dunkirk-Dover ferry

Thanks to the Dunkirk-Dover ferry you can travel between the two destinations in just two hours. While it’s not exactly the cheapest option, it is the fastest and probably the most interesting one. Plus, they make up to 24 crossings each day which gives you tons of options for timing and they serve food on board.

There are no baggage restrictions and you can take your day trips to Dunkirk on foot or even with your car if you so choose. You can see the full Dunkirk-Dover ferry schedule here.

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Where to stay in Dunkirk

Here are some quick hotel suggestions if you’d actually like to stay the night in Dunkirk after your day exploring the historical sites. (Otherwise, you can see all Dunkirk hotel options here.)

Hotel Cargo 

I personally stayed at the Hotel Cargo during my one day in Dunkirk. It’s located just a short walk from a large parking garage, tons of restaurants, the Operation Dynamo Museum, the marina, and pretty much everything else in the center of Dunkirk. 

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1-Day Dunkirk WWII Itinerary

For when you’re ready to dedicate a day to exploring all the great historical sites in Dunkirk, here’s a great itinerary you can follow. (This is how I personally spent my one day in Dunkirk.)

For more information on each of these sites, check out my post on the best (historical) stuff to do in Dunkirk.

Map for this itinerary

This map contains all the Dunkirk sites and suggestions I mention in this itinerary. To save this map: Click on the star ⭑ next to the map’s title to save in your Google Maps. To use this map: Open Google Maps on your phone, click “Saved” at the bottom, then click “Maps.”

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10:30 am – Atlantikwall Raversyde

Start your day in Dunkirk at Atlantikwall Raversyde which opens at 10:30 am. If you skip the WWI area you can plan to spend about 1.5 hours here. You’ll explore 60 well-preserved tunnels, batteries, bunkers, and some small exhibit spaces as well as two miles of trenches. Be sure to pick up the free audio guide before you head out into the complex. 

Also prepare for a considerable amount of walking on a variety of surfaces—dirt, gravel, wooden boardwalks, concrete, grass, etc. (And maybe in heavy winds and rains like I did!)

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1:00 pm – Check out the shipwrecks

On your way back to Dunkirk proper, and if the tide is low (check the chart!), stop off at one (or all) of the shipwrecks from the evacuation of Dunkirk that are still visible. Each has a small parking area at the end of the nearby roads where they meet the beach. You can walk out to the waterline and check them out up close. 

If the tide is high during this time, you can certainly rearrange some of the things on this itinerary around the tide schedule. 

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1:45 pm – Dunkirk Cemetery and Memorial

From the beach, drive over to the Dunkirk Town Cemetery to check out the Memorial to the Missing and Commonwealth graves. Park at the cemetery’s entrance, follow the green sign to the main road, and walk about 5 minutes to the entrance. 

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2:15 pm – Lunch

Head back into the center, park your car, and enjoy a nice lunch. During my day in Dunkirk I had lunch at Au Bureau and it was fantastic!

Keep in mind that Dunkirk is super French in that most of the restaurants and businesses keep super strict open hours. Even though I ended up loving it and would definitely recommend it, I stopped for lunch at Au Bureau because it was one of the only places that stayed open past 2:00 pm.

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3:30 pm – Operation Dynamo Museum

After lunch, make your way over to the Operation Dynamo Museum of Dunkerque to learn all about the Battle of Dunkirk and the subsequent evacuation of troops. Start your visit with the introductory film then wind your way through its exhibit rooms. Afterwards, check out the memorials and mementos outside the entrance. 

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5:00 pm – Check out the memorials and beach

When you exit the museum, turn right. Stop by the Le Sablier (hourglass) monument first, then continue across the waterway. Check out the Memorial to Allied Armies and then continue on to the beach where thousands of troops were loaded onto “little ships” and sailed to safety. 

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6:00 pm – Rest and Freshen Up

Head back to your hotel for a brief rest and/or to freshen up for dinner after your full day spent mostly outdoors. 

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7:00 pm – Dinner on the Princess Elizabeth

You can make a reservation for whatever time you prefer, but now it’s time for your dinner aboard the historical little ship and movie star Princess Elizabeth. They offer a variety of set menus full of delicious fresh food and wonderful service.

I opted for the first dinner reservation of the night so I’d have some time to walk around and check the boat out before it got too crowded with diners. Be sure to check out the table at the head of the dining room that features a plaque commemorating the ship’s participation in the Dunkirk evacuation and some historical photos.

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Bonus – Wormhoudt Massacre site & memorial

If you’ll be taking your day trips to Dunkirk via your own car, I highly recommend a visit to the Wormhoudt Massacre site and memorial as well. At this site in 1940, Nazi SS soldiers violently executed 81 British troops who surrendered, expecting to be taken prisoner. The site today serves as a lovely tribute to these men.

This site is a short drive outside the city so it doesn’t fit well into this one-day itinerary. However, you can easily visit it either on your way into Dunkirk or the next day on your way out.

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