Calais to Dusseldorf with kids!

[Staceycoops14]

I will be driving to Dusseldorf in October half term with the kids- aged 10 and 8. We have 4 days to get there so can stop and stay at a few places along the way. anyone done this roughly and have recommendations? Any gems/pretty routes? Better cities to visit? Bruge/Ghent/Brussels/Cologne/Antwerp? Or maybe parks/countryside better? They do like an adventure. We have an overnighter at a hotel next to the Nurburgring for the car nut child on a race day :). Thanks!

Plopsaland is a great theme park and water park with an on-site hotel and it will be on your route if you plan on taking the A16 past Dunkirk into Belgium. Last time we went, we couldn’t get into the hotel so stayed Hoeve de Overdracht, although not sure if it’s open in October.

Remember that Ghent, Antwerp, Brussels all have low emission zones for which you need to register your car in advance - presuming it is compliant.

Ypres is great to visit if you are interested in WW stuff - there are trenches you can visit and a really good museum. Ghent and Bruges are really pretty - canal boat trips. Historium in Bruges is quite good. Antwerp has a great zoo and an aquarium right by the Central Station. Brussels - Atomium and Mini-Europe. Vaals near Maastricht has the Drielandenpunkt - it;s the highest bit of NL - you can stand in 3 countries at once. There's a look out tower and a maze.

Monschau in Germany is lovely - parking can be tricky though. https://www.visitlimburg.be/en/what-to-do/open-air-museum-bokrijk Open air museum

Valkenburg and the caves. Also good caves to visit in Maastricht - which is a lovely city. In the South of Belgium (maybe too far out of your way) you hav th Ardennes. Grottes de Han - with a little train and wild animal park. The War museum at Bastogne is fabulous.

Bruges is very nice, definitely suggest stopping there.

the Efteling is a little out of the way but not much.

maastricht is nice

Plopsaland is open daily from 23rd October for 2 weeks - otherwise weekends only.

These are great tips, thankyou! Will check the emissions had no idea. Taking a hybrid car so will ensure we register thanks