Familiepark De Vechtvallei

Familiepark De Vechtvallei is in the region of the Vecht, the branch of the Rhine flowing from Utrecht to the lake of IIJmeer at Muiden. Woodland is all around here too, surrounding hiking and biking trails as well as a leisure lake with a sandy beach. For a scenic bike ride, pedal the six kilometres or so to Hardenberg, where keen wheelers can take one of the several cycling paths around the town. There's also a two-kilometre ride to the Oldemeijer, a play pond in Hardenberg forest with a beach and its own island. Fishing, canoeing and sailing can all be arranged in the Vecht just outside the site. A must-do in the region too is a boat trip along the waters to gawp at the buitenplaats, the country estates built by rich noblemen in the 17th and 18th centuries (like the Venetians who did the same along the Brenta Canal, this could and did get a tad competitive).