Aan Noordzee

It's a peaceful potter of 15 minutes or a pedal of five minutes from the site through the dunes to the nearest beach, a clean, wide and sandy stretch popular with families. There's a wide network of cycle paths in the area, past ancient villages, Dutch polders and tulip-filled fields in spring: explore the Het Zwanenwater and Zildwijk nature reserves, take a five-kilometre ride to lively Callantsoog, or bike along the Hondsbossche seawall, to ride on a paved path right next to the sea. Within driving distance for families, animal park Van Blanckendaell (10 kilometres) also has a museum and a playground, and an aquarium is in Bergen Aan Zee (20 kilometres). Further afield on the island of Texel (30km), visit the Ecomare seal sanctuary to see its seals and rescued gannets. For some tiptop and traditional Dutch experiences, have days at the tulip theme park of Fluwels Tulpenland three kilometres away, head to the Friday morning cheese market in Alkmaar (25 kilometres) or whirl around the windmills of Zaanse Schans, 40 kilometres away.