Camping Oudesluis

To the coast first? Good plan – the nearby stretch of the North Holland coast is a particularly fine one, with several options for beach days. Your closest beach is in Groote Keeten (10 minutes’ drive), where the dunes open out onto a long sandy beach that’s also one of the widest in the area – plenty of space for sunbathing, paddling, picnics and kite flying. A little further south, Callantsoog (15 minutes) is a popular pick too, with the beachcomber-inspired Juttersmuseum on hand for a bit of a break from the sands. Elsewhere along the coast there are hiking trails through the dunes, cycle routes, places to go horse riding and the chance to spot water birds at the Zwanenwater nature reserve (10 minutes). Away from the beach, there’s outdoor fun for the kids at Land van Fluwel Avonturenparadijs (15 minutes), the chance to get up into the trees at The Climb Valley (20 minutes) and a collection of animals to meet at Estate Hoenderdaell (10 minutes). Alkmaar (25 minutes) makes a great day out too, with its canals, Nationaal Biermuseum De Boom, Beatles Museum and Dutch Cheese Museum.