Mobilheime und Kanuverleih Ems-Hase

For outdoorsy times, head to Gesste reservoir (15 minutes' drive) for open-air swimming and beach volleyball in pleasant green surrounds. A little further afield, the nature reserve at Tinner Dose-Sprakeler Heide (30 minutes) has almost 4000 hectares of outdoor habitats to explore. Local towns of note include Meppen (15 minutes), whose old town square and gothic church deserve a visit. Lingen (25 minutes) is a similarly lovely spot to linger in, with riverside walks and sites of historic interest including an old Jewish cemetery. For more history, check out the seafaring specimens on display at the local maritime museum (20 minutes). For a kid-pleasing jaunt, try Ferienpark Schloß Dankern (20 minutes), a theme park with jumbo-sized slides, rollercoasters and a sailing lake, or head off to meet the creatures at Wildgehege Haselünne zoo (30 minutes). Münster, an hour and a quarter to the south east of the site, is a smashing provincial city that's too often overlooked. Highlights here include the cathedral, botanical gardens, art galleries and elegant Erbdrostenhof Palace.