Vakantiepark Heelderpeel

If you're here for the castles, you're in luck: within 40 minutes’ drive you can poke around the stunning Geldrop, Aerwinkel, Montfort and Hoensbroek old piles, or clamber through the ruins at Valkenburg where you should dive below the surface for the murals and sculptures of the Velvet Cave. There’s plenty round these parts to keep kids busily entertained too: within roughly half an hour, you’ll reach the coasters and fairground rides of Toverland theme park, or (and?) can try De Valkenier if you’ve got a younger crowd in tow. You could also get up close and personal with more than a thousand creatures from around the world at GaiaZoo, wandering among penguins, tigers and kangaroos at Zooparc Overloon or getting really hands on at the kid-focused Dierenrijk Europa, all within 45 minutes of the site. Combine animals and thrills (and add in some calming greenery) at Mondo Verde, a theme park and animal park with fab gardens to wander around 45 minutes from base, or stick to the sedate side of things with a trip to Arcen Castle Gardens, 40 minutes away. Finally, burn a hole in your pocket with a shopping trip at the designer outlet in nearby Roermond, then, when your appetite for spending has been whetted, carry on to Maastricht (35 minutes) for underground tours, museums, breweries and old streets and buildings to explore.