The Efteling is the most famous theme park in the Netherlands. It has a good number of rollercoasters for the real daredevils (the Baron, Joris en de Draak, Python, Bob, Vogelrock) but also has a lot of attractions in fantasy / fairytale style, and a lot of attractions for the little ones. In rides like ‘Droomvlucht’ you will see flying castles on moving planets in the dark. In Symbolica you will be invited in the castle of the Kingdom for an amazing Fantasy ride with a slight Harry Potter style touch. And there is a theater show called Raveleijn, which tells the story of 5 children that become knights as soon as they pass the gate of a hidden village. The show is fantastic, even if you don’t understand Dutch because the special effects are very good. The show contains elements of horseback riding knights, birds, and fire spitting dragons.

The Sprookjesbos is the area for the real little ones with many many fairytales represented, and also an impressive Talking Tree.

The theme park is located in Kaatsheuvel, in the South of the Netherlands. We have found two nice family hotels at a short walking distance of the entrance. Children are very welcome here and they have free parking outside and children’s play areas.

At only 30 meters from one another, and only 500 meters from the Efteling theme park, this hotel has 2 locations, one is the old hotel, family style and simple, with a play area for the kids, and the other one is a bigger, more modern hotel, which also focuses completely on families. They even have rain boots and umbrellas to borrow for when it rains on your day at the Efteling! The hotel has a restaurant with a kids menu and a rooftop garden with a play area.

Check out their first hotel here.

And check out the new hotel here:

When we stay in Kaatsheuvel, we always go to the same pancake restaurant: D’n Berepot. It is about a 10 minutes drive by car from the hotel and a very cosy place. The children often get a gift at the restaurant with their pancake. Remember, the Dutch pancakes are very thick compared to the French crepes.

Website of the restaurant: http://www.deberepot.nl/