De Leughte Resort Renswoude

You may well spot some wildlife in the national parks – but then again, you may not (wild beasties sometimes don’t arrive on cue…). Guarantee animal sightings with outings to Ouwehands Zoo (half an hour's drive) or the Het AlpacaBos alpaca farm (15 minutes). If you’re up for a bit of history on your holidays, take a walk around the grounds of Castle Renswoude (five minutes) – so swish it’s even got its own ‘grand canal’ – or step back in time to live the lifestyle of days gone by at the Netherlands Open Air Museum (25 minutes). The Pyramid of Austerlitz (20 minutes) and the Nationaal Militair Museum (half an hour) should also please those looking for a history-themed outing. A day trip to Utrecht (40 minutes) will yield more history from across the ages, along with some fab museums (don’t miss the colourful Miffy Museum…). For more elaborate art, head to the Kröller-Müller Museum (half an hour) to view Van Gogh’s efforts. Have the kids been well-behaved? Perhaps they’ve earned the reward of a dip at Recreatiegebied Henschotermeer (20 minutes), a lake with soft sandy beaches.