Camping Halve Maan

Natuurgebied Heukelomsebeek (five minutes’ drive) is a nature reserve that turns a pretty mauve colour in the summer, when it is carpeted with wild cuckoo flowers. For more natural colour, head to De Hamert estate (10 minutes), where the heathland blossoms into vivid purples in late summer; you might also spot woodpeckers, cranes and migratory birds here. Overloon (25 minutes) might be small, but it has a couple of big hitters when it comes to sightseeing. The Overloon War Museum focuses on World War II, with such exhibits as military vehicles and the not-quite-reconstructed wreckage of a British Lancaster bomber. Residents at ZooParc Overloon include big cats, primates and colourful birds. The Museum van Bommel van Dam in Venlo (half an hour) houses interesting collections, ranging from Japanese woodcuts to 20th-century Expressionist art, while the Limburgs Museum runs hands-on activities for children as well as displaying local artefacts dating as far back as Roman times.