A family weekend break in Belgium

 

Belgium is really just a short hop away for people like us who live in Kent.   Half an hour from home we arrive at Folkestone Eurotunnel, no time for coffee, we are called early for our 40 minute crossing and just over an hour later, we arrive at our destination of De Haan. 

De Haan is characterised by its beautiful Belle Epoque architecture.  It is not a big town but has an attractive array of shops, restaurants and park area.  It is famous for the tram line, built in 1902, that runs through the town and along the coast line.  What really catches the eye though is the adults and children pedalling along the pathways in a whole range of crazy looking contraptions.  The following day, we too were one of these.  

We are actually staying in the Sun Parks site which is the Belgium version of Centreparks.   Like Centreparks, the site is centered around a large dome which includes all the inside activities such as the vast swimming pool, indoor sports, shops and restaurants. Outside are playgrounds, mini golf, table tennis and petanque.  In order to get our money’s worth, we spend the next few days trying out as many activities as we can.

Our home for the weekend was a cute little detached building with its own garden and a supply of real live rabbits that hop around the area.  We seem to be at the far end or should I say in an exclusive area!  Inside, the accommodation is functional consisting of an open plan living area and kitchen and 3 separate bedrooms upstairs.  We are happy with our home for the next few days.

The other good thing about Sunparks is that it is walkable to the stunning sandy beach.  It is a pleasant 15 – 20 minute walk via the shady forest and then crossing over the tram line, we climb a set of steep steps to the top of the sand dunes and then get our first glimpse of the huge golden sandy beach below – perfect for making sandcastles.

Yes Sunparks was definitely fun parks for us and we would highly recommend as a fun and easy break for families, especially those with small children or in our case grandchildren.