Duinrell-best way to travel from UK

[rockingbird]

I’ve have just booked for me (single parent) and two DC to go to Duinrell last week of July, start of the summer holidays. Excited but now debating the best way to actually get there 🙈
I’m not sure I fancy the drive! Never driven ‘onto’ a ferry and really don’t fancy it as well as a 4 hour drive to the holiday park. Have you been? How did you get there? Any other tips or recommendations of things to do around there other than the park itself? All suggestions welcome!

Where are you in the country? Ferry to hook of holland from newcastle or harwich is a good bet. Only a short drive the other side so not the 4 hour drive you describe.

You can train and ferry as a foot passenger. But may be more difficult the other side.

DH does the driving, but he says driving in Europe is way nicer than the UK. Especially in the Netherlands, the roads are generally wide and clear, well maintained and clearly signed.

Theres ferries from Hull, Harwich and Newcastle to the Netherlands, or you could drive from the Eurotunnel which is a much quicker crossing. It’s about 4h drive from the tunnel, but I believe less than an hour to drive from the Hook of Holland.

I haven’t been to Duinrell but I’ve been looking into it for when my kids are older. There’s a Facebook group called Duinrell - Chats and Tips for Holidaymakers which might be useful for you.

Could also go to Dover -Dunkirk as it is a very quiet ferry terminal and into nice roads easily and a shorter drive. I haven’t driven on the continent either but once I saw the roads on the drive to Duinrell I knew I could do it.

We were originally meant to fly to Schiphol when we went to Duinrell and I believe there is both public transport and taxi transfers available depending on budget.

I took my two children alone to Beekse Bergen last summer and took the Eurostar to Rotterdam and then train and bus to Beekse so Eurostar might present options too.

Join the Duinrell groups on Facebook for very helpful info on getting there. If you have time to add on Beekse Bergen or Efteling to your trip do, we loved it!

We are in the SW, but have visited Netherlands and Belgium a fair bit, usually topping/tailing a few days around the theme park/Centre Parcs we stay at.
We do/have done

1. Overnight ferry from Harwich, with a meal at the Alma Inn before we board.
2. Fly to Schiphol, rent a car. (We use BB&L Car Rental, who I will happily recommend because they posted home DH’s euro wallet full of notes, when he left it in the car)
3. Channel Tunnel - we stop off to stay with relatives in Sussex on the way out for an earlier start and then get an afternoon train home. We’ve been able to board earlier trains when we have arrived early (not sure ferries can cope with last minute changes). It is probably a bit easier to drive into/onto than a ferry?

With 1&3 we usually take bikes (there is a nice beach at Duinrell).

It is a bit of a walk from the park to Wassenaar for food/groceries but do-able.

I have a hazy recollection that the supermarkets don’t take Mastercard, just VISA (I am sure that a quick google will confirm this).

if you do have a car it is well worth exploring the area.

I’m in Kent and thought 30 minutes from Dover. I might be brave as I do like a nice drive and the roads sound lovely. Couple of years back I drove the length and breadth of Wales over 5 weeks camping with the kids and absolutely loved it - so did they. I looks at city airport as an option, less than £500 for return flights for us all hence me debating that option which could also give us some leeway on staying on longer and finding a hotel to see more of the area after our stay at Duinrell.

Thank you for all your suggestions, it’s made me feel a little more at ease ☺️ I booked the holiday drinking my morning coffee on a bit of a whim, and then started to get myself in a pickle thinking what you done. It’ll be the first time out of the UK as a single parent so that may be a factor. I’ll find that Facebook group!

We had 2 holidays there when the kids were younger. We took the overnight ferry from Hull to Rotterdam (we’re in Manchester) and it was perfect. Absolutely loved the place, amazing beaches, easy cycling to The Hague and Leiden for trips out, easy park & ride to Amsterdam 💕 you’ll have a fabulous holiday xx