Head to Holland for a seaside family holiday with absolutely zero stress
The Dutch do many things brilliantly: waffles, windmills, beer and, it turns out, seaside family holidays.
Landal Strand Resort in Ouddorp Duin, in the beautiful delta island of Goeree-Overflakkee (have fun practising pronouncing that!), is a collection of villas dotted among the sand dunes along the water’s edge. Think 18km of vast beaches, lots of nature to soak up and absolutely zero stress.
JUST ADD WATER
Rent a bike from reception – £10 per day for adults, £5 for kids – to discover the island at your own pace via easy-to-follow cycle paths that hug the water’s edge.
Surf lovers flock to Lake Grevelingen, and their meeting point is the super-chilled Sail & Surf Centre in Brouwersdam.
If you fancy a go, a two-and-a-half-hour windsurfing lesson costs £53, and you can also try stand-up paddleboarding, longboarding or bodysliding – AKA throwing yourself down a huge, slippery inflatable water jump, which is hilarious ().
If the weather isn’t on your side, Strand Resort has an indoor playroom, mini-golf, climbing park and a huge heated swimming pool. Villas sleeping four cost from £339 for four nights ().
GO DUTCH
Strand Resort’s on-site supermarket stocks everything you need for feasting at home – be sure to make full use of your villa’s barbecue.
But for a night off meal prep, grab a table at Bij Marc, the resort’s super-friendly restaurant, which excels at family favourites like fish and chips, £12.50, and freshly made pizzas, from £9 (). Sit on the terrace for sweeping views over the dunes and big skies.
There’s also ParkSnack for takeaway lunchtime grub, and don’t miss the best banana bread, £3.50, at Brouw, a cool pavilion cafe on Lake Grevelingen, or its ham, tomato and cheese brioche, £4.50 ().
FEEL THE HEAT
The pretty villas – some of which are thatched – are modern, well finished and thoughtfully equipped, sleeping from four to 24 people.
There’s even an indoor sauna adjoining the main bedroom to warm the cockles after a long bike ride – you’ll be googling how much it costs to install one back home.
The high sand dunes and dense tufts of marram grass between villas give great privacy when you’re on the terrace, though there’s a strong community feel among the families holidaying side by side.
SEAL OF APPROVAL
The nearby picturesque fishing village of Stellendam, 20 minutes’ drive away, is home to seal sanctuary A Seal Zeehondenopvang en Expo, which gets you up close to the beautiful mammals.
Learn how rescued grey seals are returned to the wild – more than 1,000 since it opened in 1990. Entry costs £6.25 ().
Next, walk around the pretty village – one of the few Dutch marinas with direct access to the North Sea. Find a spot to sit and watch the leisure boats and let the kids run around in the playground.
Stalls on the quay sell yummy fish snacks – make sure you order Stellendamse garnalen, around £3 a pot. These locally peeled shrimps, which once provided the village’s livelihood, are delicious on a buttered soft white roll.
Delve into the streets of Stellendam to browse cute craft shops and cafes, including one in the first house built in the village, called Het wapen van Stellendam.
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FYI
Ouddorp is about three hours’ drive from Eurotunnel Le Shuttle Calais. Crossings from Folkestone cost from £50 each way ().
