sorry, try not to fall asleep but does anyone know anything about holidaying in BELGIUM (Flanders)

[harpsichordcarrier]

have been recommended to stay in Brgues and travel by train to nearby coast and theme parks.
much cheaper than France and nearer. apparently.
is this bonkers? will it be very rainy and dull?

Ive been a couple of times many many years ago as my parents worked over there for a while. Bruges was very pretty and great for a day trip/weekend but to be honest I have not been to the coast or theme parks. Not sure I would fancy it though - I would rather go to France! Someone else will probably come along and have a better idea of the coastal and child friendly areas!

Belgium is lovely. I live there. It is very family friendly and there is lots to do. The weather, however, can be crap. Like UK but maybe a bit wetter. When the weather is nice it can be glorious.

I would do it the other way round with kids. Stay by the coast and visit Bruges. There is a tram that runs up and down the coast and it is very easy to visit lots of different towns. The beaches are sandy and huge.

De Haan and Knokke Heist are the nicest towns (and therefore slightly more expensive accommodation) Blankenberg is built up almost on Costa's scale.

Sunparks have sites at De Haan and at Oost Duinkirk. Like Center Parcs but cheaper. We have stayed at both for a weekend. DD loves it. Bruges is beautiful. Lots of lovely (and expensive) hotels. Maybe a bit overrun with American tourists.

What sort of things do you like to do on holiday?

We went on holiday to the Sunparks in DeHaan a couple of years ago (2006) and it was great fun. Dts were 4 1/2 at the time and they still talk about it now.

There is a tram that runs along the entire coast and when we were there it was something like ?5 for the entire day, getting on and off as many times as we wanted.

We went in May, rained only once, for one morning! It wasn't dull at all, there was lots we didn't get round to doing simply because we ran out of time.

Depending on the ages of your dc I can recommend (or rather dts recommend!) visiting the Atomium and Mini Europe in Brussels. Ieper was very humbling and the In Flanders Field Museum is fantastic, I would imagine older children would get more out of a visit as it brings home the experience of WW1 in a very realistic way.

Have we convinced you yet?

Visit Antwerp. And Gent. Both lovely.

We've got 2 child free nights in Antwerp at Easter when dd goes to Pirate Camp. Used my Hilton points. I am really excited! We've only been to the Zoo so far, but I've heard the nightlife and restaurants are really good. Agree Anna that Gent too is worth a visit.

Looks quite good. Is Belgium the new France?

Oh and the SHOPS in Antwerp are just amazing.......

Antwerp is the new Florence, actually .

Have been to Bruge, Gent and Antwerp, found them great places to visit with young children.

Good food, even better beer

Shopping is very good too.

Oooh SHOPS! Me and DH have only ever had one night away from DD in 5 years. (Well at the same time anyway). I hope I won't be too traumatised and worried to want to do all these things! What I am most looking forward to is not worrying about getting back to the babysitter and Room Service Breakfast in BED!!!!

The Zoo and Aquarium in Antwerp are great - and the Zoo is quite compact and easily manageable for little ones. There's a fantastic playground too. There's a Theme Park and Dolphinarium just outside Bruges. Name escapes me at the mo. And Plopsaland in Ypres.

There is all sorts in Ostend and a Sealife centre in Blankenberg. Easy and cheap to get places by tram and train. Free for the under 6s and they do all sorts of family tickets and B-excursions (entrance included)

Website for the Belgian Coast

This really does sound perfect for us. ds is really into war and dd loves dolphins. Ds2 would have a ball anywhere.

Just have to convince dh. Mentioned it to him, "nah, belgium is crap"

Agree with Portofino, stay on the coast and head inland for day trips.

Dolphinarium isn't supposed to be very hot on animal rights but I haven't been so it's only what I have heard.

If you can read French
official web site

one of the sites that criticises the dophinarium

Bugger it, one of the places we didn't get round to seeing was Antwerp! Now we've missed out!

I have photos on my Facebook (why do I feel like that is admitting something naughty!) if you are interested in seeing some of the places!

Oh and Portofino, I hope you realise that if I ever get the chance to take dts back there then I'll be on here looking for you for advice on what to do so we don't miss out anything this time!

Belgium is...

flat.

and the main theme park is called...

Plopsa Land.

need I say more?

Oh for God sake! This is a thread that is beginning to remind me of all the places we didn't get round to! I so wanted a t-shirt with Plopsaland written on it, had to make do with one with a picture of TinTin's Milou on it.

Pah!

Belgium is not all flat! Alot of it is, yes. But then there are the Ardennes. Did you know you can ski?

lolololol at plopsaland
I REALLY must go

"Plopsaland De Panne is a theme park located near the town of De Panne on the Belgian coast. The park opened on 20 April 2000. Before that date (from 1936 to 1999) the park was called Meli-Park, created by a honey company and based on a bee theme."
lolololol a BEE THEME PARK! I can't believe I missed that

Belgium is great.
Or at least it was when I was 19 and staying in friend's diplomat dad's fab apartment and hanging out at the Grand'Place every night.

Isn't Antwerp all cutting edge designers and other cool stuff now? Dries van Noten and all that gang?

I love Bruges. We went there for the first 2 days of our honeymoon and it was great. Then we had some trouble finding a nice place to go in Belgium after that (well planned, our honeymoon!!) but Mechelen was ok; and Ypres/Ieper was amazing.
Have been to Brussels before and the main square is lovely but that's about it, from what I remember.

Not sure that helps, really!

We stayed in a Sunparks (bit like centre parks but not so good) at De haan. Actually had a decent holiday. The pool complex was great there and very close (within walking distance of a beautiful beach)Don't be tempted by the Oestdunkirke sunparks though- it's like a prison camp!

Bruge makes a nice day out (horse and cart rides and boat trips)

Plopsa land is actually quite a nice little theme park (once you can get over the tweeness- the characters who walk round are called Wizzy and Woppy! ) but not in anyway comparable to Disney.

There is another theme park out there somewhere but I can't remember it's name.
Not the most cosmopolitan of places but we quite enjoyed it.

The Belgians go on holiday in belgium so it can't be that bad! The smell of hot waffles in brussels on a cold day is lovely