EuroParcs Zuiderzee

For fresh-air frolics, get lost in the maze or kick off your shoes to take a walk on the barefoot path at Kijktuinen Nunspeet gardens, or go in search of wild horses, deer, otters and storks at Natuurpark Lelystad. Both are around a 20-minute drive from the site. Harderwijk’s Dolfinarium (20 minutes’ drive) and Apeldoorn’s Apenheul monkey park (45 minutes) are other top places for animal spotting. A huge reconstructed wooden 17th-century ship and traditional crafts are on show at Bataviawerf in Lelystad, and you can learn more about the region’s past by following the scavenger hunt at the town’s Nieuw Land museum. Thrillseekers don’t have to stray far from the park for their adrenaline fix: you can walk to Walibi Holland in half an hour or so for the country’s fastest rollercoasters and a collection of rides and activities for the nippers.