Villatent at Recreatiepark De Lucht

The park is located in a peaceful area on the Grebbe Line, close to the Utrechtse Heuvelrug and De Hoge Veluwe national parks (both roughly 20 minutes' drive). Head to the former for aquatic trips to Henschotermeer lake, a large open-air recreation spot where the whole family can build sandcastles or get active with watersports. When it's time for a stroll around town, try Amersfoort (20 minutes), a mid-sized city with laidback canalside streets and impressive monuments like the medieval Koppelpoort gate and contemporary Eemhuis arts centre. The larger city of Utrecht (35 minutes) is also well worth the drive, with top attractions like beautifully-maintained botanic gardens, the imposing Dom tower and a world-class railway museum. Finally, when it's time to really treat the kids, there's a good range of theme parks with top-end attractions close by. Nearby options like Julianatoren Apeldoorn (25 minutes), the aquatic-themed Dolfinarium (30 minutes) and Walibi Holland (40 minutes) have a mix of seriously high-adrenaline rides and gentler amusements for the whole family. It's also worth setting aside a day for a trip to Burgers' Zoo (half an hour) – the atmospheric themed areas are home to everything from butterflies to big cats, and give you a chance to experience the world's ecosystems including mangroves and desert.