De Kempervennen is an easy Center Parcs in Holland to review! It's been a long standing favourite since the 90s. A notably large park with plenty to do.  You’ll notice a central drive with the first main feature being the lake. It’s got nice sandy beaches and on a hot summers day you’ll find people swimming, canoeing and filled with inflatables. The lake can be a very pleasant compromise if half the family wanted a beach holiday. The lake hosts all the usual activities such as pedal boats but also features a cable system for water skiing, wake boarding and knee boarding. Like most places you’ll need a lesson unless you’re competent. Next up adjoining the lake is the aqua park, a giant inflatable assault course.

This is generally aimed at teens and above. Life guards usually leave the buaynocy wearing participants to their own means without the hard rule you might find in the uk.

If you follow that main road further down on the left you’ll have a kids' suspended ropes course (tame) and a playground. That backs onto the sports centre although on recent visits it’s not been open so much.

Carry on further and you’ll get to what you’ve come for - it’s the central focal market dome. You’ll find there the usual eating and drinking venues including the grand cafe, Nona’s and the buffet. If you’re used to uk parks, it feels very similar to Longleat. It’s pleasant and warm with the usual tropical feel. This of course joins to the Aqua Mando which I’ll talk about in that section.

Take an exit out of the market dome and by day three you’ll be looking for the Montana Ski Center. Not technically run by Center Parks, but on, or at least joined to the far side of the park. It’s an all year round reasonably priced real snow dome.  They have a beginners slope with a travelator mat or a steeper longer side with a drag lift.  On quiet days this can be a great place to practice some turns. If you’re into freestyle there’s often a rail and other obstacles out - maybe attempt these toward the end of your holiday! You can, but you don’t have to bring your own kit as they hire boards, skis suits etc.

The park is typically forestry with large amounts of water in lakes etc. This is worth bearing in mind if you have small children. There are other parks such as Les Bois aux Daims that are almost water free, if that is a priority for you.

The time of year you visit this park can bring a completely different experience. If you’re lucky with the weather in the summer it’s beach and bbq season, in the autumn there are other celebrations such as Halloween which is certainly worth it. Seeing a fellow tourist getting dragged into the dark woods by the pig man was worth every euro.

As mentioned, it’s a large park so you’re probably going to need some transport to get around. Back in the 90s there was a land train which was great fun, but now if you don’t bring your own, or hire a bicycle there’s always the option of a golf cart hire. These can be a fun way to get around this reasonably large park. Very helpful too for carrying beach and ski gear!

Like most parks, cars are only permitted on site on change over days and this is reasonably well enforced at this park.

If you want to venture to another park,  de Kempervennen is only 16 km from de vossermeren

Some people even do a split holiday between the two parks.

If you’re into theme parks then Efteling is under an hour away. de Kempervennen is about 45 minutes by car from Efteling. It's a huge theme park with fantastic rides from mystic experience to one of my favourite roller coasters, The Baron

Sadly the onsite pancake house is no more but don’t fear,  Suykerbuyck family pancake house is just outside de kempervennen park. Normally a very warm welcome from the owner, who remembers all his customers from the year before… even if it’s their first time in Holland. Experience some of their many varieties of pancakes cooked in their traditional Dutch oven. Ok I’m kidding, they’re fried like everyone else does.

What about transport to this park? If you’re driving, my preference is always to come across from the uk on the Harwich to Hook of Holland ferry over night. That way you sleep through most of the miles with about 1hour and 45 through Holland.  If budget is a priority it’s probably cheaper to go via the tunnel, especially if you’re in the south of england. The official journey from Calais to de kempervennen is three and a half hours, but frankly driving through Antwerp is a pain in the arse and always ends up being 4+ hours.

However, if you’re lucky enough to live near an airport that has a route Eindhoven this is literally 25 minutes away by car! A very viable alternative to the car journey.

What’s it like communicating in Holland?

If you don’t speak freaky deaky Dutch,  you’ll probably be ok. English is a very common second language in Holland and most people are happy to use it.

I don’t think I’ve ever experienced or heard anything bad about de Kempervennen- it’s a park that’s stood the test of time and keeps updating over the years.