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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

Where to visit in northern France/Belgium?

20 replies

RamekinSkywalker · 30/04/2011 22:27

Where is good to visit from Calais/Dunkerque?
We will probably be camping although possibly not every night?
Bruges?

OP posts:
ivykaty44 · 30/04/2011 22:32

yes bruges is good, there is a camp site just out of the city center, Brussels is a good city and there are campsites. Antwerp is lovely and there is a city center camp site and you can walk to the city center and go down under the river to get across form the campsite by the little river beach.

Lux is ok and pleasant

What are you looking for? weekend away city type places or rural?

Original poster
RamekinSkywalker · 30/04/2011 22:54

Not sure. First family holiday for ever a while and it starts with a family do in dunkerque.
Don't want to do loads of driving.
Kids are 6 and 4, so keeping them entertained is important.
At some point DH and I will be without the children for a couple of nights, so romantic and good for restaurant and evening strolls.
Cycling important, outdoorsy is good.

OP posts:
ivykaty44 · 30/04/2011 23:11

Antwerp is good for a romantic belgium waffle or two and shopping

bellabelly · 30/04/2011 23:15

Bruges is incredibly romantic and also pretty good for kids, I thnk - you can do boat rides on the canal, horse and carriage rides, visit the chocolate museum, etc etc. I liked Ghent too but it's not as pretty pretty as Bruges.

Original poster
RamekinSkywalker · 30/04/2011 23:17

Watched the film In Bruges. It looks lovely.

OP posts:
kreecherlivesupstairs · 01/05/2011 06:57

Bruges is lovely, Antwerp too. I don't know Brussels very well. If you are taking your children to Antwerp, the Pirate playground is good (noisy but good), also the pancake boat trip.
Do wear comfortable shoes, the majority of the roads are cobbled and that makes your feet sore after a couple of hours.
Don't forget that the Belgians insist on having a fire extinguisher, high viz waistcoat and first aid kit in the car at all times.
The beaches in Ostende are nice, as are the ones over the Dutch border.

Original poster
RamekinSkywalker · 01/05/2011 09:36

you are all brilliant. thankyou Grin

OP posts:
kreecherlivesupstairs · 01/05/2011 09:52

Technopolis is a great hands on museum/science place. It has a nice outdoor bit too. That is in Mechelen and easy to find.

Original poster
RamekinSkywalker · 01/05/2011 09:53

should we book campsites ahead (july)?
it would be nice to just play it by ear.

OP posts:
ivykaty44 · 01/05/2011 13:18

Brussels has an amazing swimming pool beach indoors with slides etc and a sauna, certainly good for my two when they where 8/9 ish

ivykaty44 · 01/05/2011 13:19

I have never ever booked campsites and not had a problem, it is northern eu and slightly quiter to say the least as most people seem to head way south

juneau · 01/05/2011 13:55

We had a lovely holiday in Belgium last July. We stayed about 20 mins from Bruges in De Haan and did day trips to various places. Nice, sandy, but rather windy beaches on the coast. My DS (2.7 at the time), loved the boat trip in Bruges and there are lots of nice restaurants with child-friendly food in all the places we visited. Be sure to go to the gorgeous little town of Damme, which is just north of Bruges. It's on a canal and the approach is so pretty as the road runs alongside the water, there are windmills, etc. Bruges and Damme were the highlights for me.

Portoeufino · 02/05/2011 08:38

Lots of info here The Belgian coast is fab. Also, haven't done it myself yet, but a visit to Ypres and the Menin gate comes highly recommended. Particularly to hear the Last Post in the evening.

Dd recommends Plopsaland! Koksijde isn't far - some nice restaurants and you can hire bikes/go carts and pedal up and down the prom. The beaches are great if the weather is good - huge expanses of sand.

We camped one weekend at Les Oyats - lovely little site with a pool and right on the beach.

And there is another great site at Jabbeke which is close to Bruges. And Boudewijn Seapark is also close by.

juneau · 02/05/2011 09:34

We stayed in Ypres for 2 nights at the beginning of our holiday and went to the Menin Gate both nights. It's VERY crowded in July and I didn't find it moving or atmospheric, despite thinking I would. There were just hordes of tourists all pushing and shoving and talking in 50 languages. But, if you're interested in WWI and/or want to see some of the absolutely beautifully kept memorials to the fallen there are plenty of them around Ypres and you can wander around in peace and quiet if you go and visit some of the smaller ones - even in July. Kids of 4 and 6 aren't likely to find them very interesting though - our DS certainly didn't - but he could run around outside and for half a day it was fine.

juneau · 02/05/2011 09:37

DS loved the aquarium in Blankenburge, which is great for a rainy day. We didn't bother with Plopsaland as he was too young.

kreecherlivesupstairs · 02/05/2011 11:22

I am going to Ypres next week for the fourth time. My parents are coming and had asked if we could stay at the Menin gate to hear the last post. On the basis of the commnets form juneau we won't.
Tyne Cot cemetary is vast and horribly affecting. Our dd has been three times and nobody was bothered with her running around.
Avoid the aquarium in Antwerp. It is a total rip off.

bellabelly · 03/05/2011 00:20

Also, if you feel like a longer trip, http://www.info-bouillon.co.uk/ is lovely - we stayed one night at the Panorama - www.panoramahotel.be/ which was lovely.

bellabelly · 03/05/2011 00:20

That was back in 2008 though, keep meaning to go back!

fortyplus · 03/05/2011 00:25

We went one year and had a couple of nights in Brussels, then went across just into Holland for 2 nights at de Efteling whick is brilliant for little ones, then 2 nights in Bruges. There's a dolphinarium on the Bruges ring road which is lovely - huge pool

SpringHeeledJack · 04/05/2011 11:34

I second de Efteling

it's utterly, utterly brilliant. And I hate theme parks

although if you want to avoid driving lots, don't go anywhere near the Antwerp Ring road...it is the worst road ever

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