Landal Hoog Vaals

[WynkenBlynkenandNod]

We're off to Hoog Vaals next week and I know a few MNetters have been. I'm looking at day trips which will work for a 9 and 14 year old, any suggestions would be very welcome.

We're going to do Köln and thinking of going by train, has anyone used Aachen station, is it easy to drive to and can you park ? Am wondering if it's worth going to Phantasialand, have always thought it was a bit expensive but that's me being a tightwad. I know there's an indoor ski Center we might try and DS wants to do the maze nearby is it any good ?

I have been 3 times and love it. Hopefully the weather will improve for next week. We were there are Easter 2 years ago and Limburg was the hottest place in Europe that week. The Drielandenpunkt is interesting for a day out - the maze is good, and there is an observation tower. You can stand in 3 countries at the same time, and it is also the highest point in the Netherlands. There are some restaurants on the way up the hill with stunning views.

I will find some links of the places that we've visited....Handy hints for Hoog Vaals (and Landal in general) - go find out about the kids activities asap as you have to book up for some in advance. Dd was most disappointed to miss the Easter Egg hunt as we forgot to book. (I am normally Portofino by the way)

If your dutch is up to it, you can order a food delivery in advance. We usually do this, and get the winter warmer package with fire bricks and wine. Somehow, last time, we ended up with 3 cakes If you want to take a laptop - take a network cable - you can plug into the TV to get internet in the chalet. They do sell them in the shop. There is wifi in the main building and on the terrace (has patio heaters) I have spent many happy hours there with the IPad and wine, whilst dd and dh play mini-golf.

The breakfast package is massive and they deliver it to your chalet. We paid for 2 adults and it fed the 3 of us for breakfast and a packed lunch. You can order in the shop the day before if you want it.

Drielandenpunt

Hoensbruck Castle

Amusement park in Valkenberg There are also some caves to visit and a ruined castle on the top of the hill.

Monschau is about 30 mins drive as I recall and is lovely.

Haven't tried the station at Aachen parking

Steam train

I want to go now

Thank you so much Judith, I was looking everywhere for the parking in Aachen. My Dutch is non existent embarrassingly but we're taking food with us. Am liking the sound of the winter warmer package, especially at the moment. I've just had to buy Winter tyres as we're going to be driving in Germany and my cousin rang to say they have a lot of snow.

DH is taking cables as we got caught out in Rabbit Hill last year. Think we'll definitely go for the breakfast, sounds good. There's loads to keep us going then, roll on Friday !

You are welcome. The shop is quite good anyhow. And the food in the cafe/restaurant is not bad. We still have the firebricks in the garage as we joke the weather has always been unseasonably warm when we go. April or October.....they are like a lucky charm ;-) take senseo pads and DW tablets.

Maastricht is another place we normally go. We are in Brussels and it is on the way home. Great shops and lots of terraces/places for lunch.

There will be loads and loads of leaflets in reception for the main tourist stuff. We have barely scraped the surface.

Just to update this for anyone looking in the future. The station carpark at Aachen is a multi story right by the main station building. We bashed the street name into Satnav and got there fine. It's one of those take a ticket and pay at machine on way out.

We used the ticket machine to buy tickets, there is an English option. The queue in the ticket place was long. A day return for the 4 of us was just under 40 euros. We went to Cologne but I think it is valid for other places in the area and the ticket is for up to 5 people. Out train continued onto Bonn after Cologne.

There is a little train thing that takes you to the Chocolate Museum. It's the Bimmelbahn or something like that, is yellow and green and goes from where the buses are at the side of the Cathedral, 19 euros return for the 4 of us. Runs every half hour. There's a tour guide who speaks English as well as German and you get to see some of the Museums and old buildings enroute.

Chocolate museum was 24 euros for the 4 of us. DD felt sick so we didn't stay for that long. It was good though, DS enjoyed it. All the signs are in German and English.

For the pool here you need 50 cents for the lockers. There's a system with the changing room. You go in one door, lock it by flapping over the bit at the front of the bench, then go out the other door to the pool side, lockers are through the second door.Whole thing in reverse when you come back.

Vaals is just round the corner and as far as we can make out they speak both Dutch and German in the shops. All the staff at Vaal Hoog seem to speak English and are very helpful.

Hope the weather is nice!

Nice isn't a word that particularly springs to mind right now to be honest ! But still having a good time.