Driving to then holidaying in the Netherlands

[twolittleboysonetiredmum]

Hi
We are trying to start planning for next summer to take our 3 abroad for the first time. They will be 3.5, 6 and 7. We would like to drive from the U.K. to the Netherlands - without particularly rushing eg we’d be happy to stop a night or two on the way. When there we’d like to do a week or so in lodge/caravan/chalet at a park with a pool etc with good access to Amsterdam and some family friendly cycling routes. Any idea where to start looking and planning?!

We are thinking of doing exactly the same next summer and it will be our the children’s first trip abroad too (will be 9,7 and 4 when we go). We had thought of doing a week in De Kempervennen centre Parcs in the Netherlands and perhaps a few two nights stays on the way / way back, perhaps in Brussels and France.
I’ll be watching this with interest as I’m trying to gather ideas!
Are you planning on doing the Eurotunnel or Ferry?

I'm an Amsterdam blogger. We live in London but if we're going to the Netherlands for a week (which we do regularly) we always drive taking the Eurotunnel (which is excellent)!

We can do London to Amsterdam in 6-7 hours so we tend not to stop. If you really want to then Bruges is a great stop and also near some lovely Belgian beaches.

Efteling is also wonderful top on the way to Amsterdam for a day or so. More info here:

amsterdamwonderland.com/2016/06/13/efteling/

Centre Parcs is actually a Dutch company and also check out Duinrell and Landal parks. The Centre Parc at Zandvoort is near the beach and also near Amsterdam

I have loads of suggestions for visiting Amsterdam and the Netherlands with kids on my blog

www.amsterdamwonderland.com

Have a read and let me know if I can help with anything. It's an amazing country to spend time in with kids x

I would stay away from Bruges. Overpriced and too touristy. Like Disneyland, it's very fake now. Ghent is lovely though, similar architecture and more to do. The Belgian coast can be nice, eg De Haan is gorgeous. Or Sluis just over the border in the Netherlands.

Agree re de Efteling, it's a must with small children. Re accomodation, Center Parcs is more reasonably priced during school holidays than in the UK. Also Duinrell is quite nice, or the Landal parks.

Also recommend efteling, great for kids.
We also like the landal sites, pool, playgrounds, bikes to hire, bowling, mini golf at different sites

Take the ferry from Harwich to Hook of Holland. It leaves at 8 am, perfect for the kids to sleep most of the journey to the ferry.
It gets you to Hook of Holland for 4-5pm. The ferries have cinema, playroom, restaurants, massive decks for running around.
From Hook of Holland it takes about 40 mins to Wassenar, to give you an idea (it’s rush hour, so it varies). Duinrell is nearby. So you’ll get ‘home’ in time for dinner.
HTH

We take the Newcastle to Amsterdam ferry then stay at Landal holidays parks. They are lovely and they have them all over the country.

Also re getting there, we always take the Eurotunnel. You can use clubcard points for vouchers. Is by far the quickest way. Ferry (eg Folkestone - Dunkirk) is cheaper but takes a while (and I get bad seasickness)

I didn’t realise you could use Tesco’s vouchers for the tunnel, that’s a good saving.
Efteling looks great, I think my three would like it there. Some great ideas and help so far, thanks everyone!
Does anyone ever stay anywhere in Germany on the way?

There are landal parks in Germany too, just stayed at a lovely one called Sonnenberg in the hills around the Mosel river. Had a climbing frame area, pool etc

@fuzzybear Germany definitely isn't on the way so not somewhere we typically head on the way to or from the Netherlands (lots of Germans actually head to the Dutch beach and holiday parks in Summer)

Thanks all! Haven’t managed to check again until now. Some great ideas. We were planning on eurotunnel and way more tempting if I can collect Clubcard vouvehrs towards it too. Tho an interesting idea coming into hook of Holland.

You can also use Tesco vouchers on the Hook of Holland ferry. Last year, we went on the Eurotunnel, stayed 2 nights in Ypres (our boys are older) the drove onto Duinrell, returning on the ferry. It was nice doing a round trip.

We've also stayed in the coast in Belgium. There's a company called Sunparks in Belgium, which is similar to Center Parcs, and I think Landal have sites there too.

Bruges is perfect to stop in! The novotel is very reasonable priced.

I would either base myself near beach and Amsterdam and do day trips to efteling, Amsterdam and Durinell.

Our stay in efteling for 3 or four nights then into Durinell for rest...