A sure-fire guide to having the perfect holiday in a vacation park while avoiding crowds

Choosing a holiday park as your destination is a great choice on many levels, but especially right now, when avoiding crowded places and putting safety first is everyone’s number one priority. Vacation parks offer you and your entire family a high dose of relaxation, an exceptional home away from home, without the hustle and bustle of big cities and central areas. Selecting a date during mid-season also offers you an advantage, keeping you away from higher densities of people – even if the park is breezy, surrounding areas and frequented locations are also filled to the brim during high season, making it trickier to avoid crowds.

We are glad to bring you 6 vacation parks, where you can kick back and relax, concentrating on the important things in life:

Vallée Les Etoiles

Located in Blaimont, Belgium, this vacation park is in the middle of the Belgian Ardennes, combining the beauty of nature getaways with historical sites and small but magical treasures, such as the surrounding villages and towns. One of the best things you can do as an activity while staying safe, is trekking in the ancient forested region, renting bicycles and drinking in the beauty of what nature can offer you.

Vallée Les Etoiles offers an entire range of accommodations, catering to almost every need. The houses are spaced out well, built in the Norwegian style and offering comfortable lodgings in various sizes: bungalows for 2, 4, 6, and 8 people, with comfortable beds, a fully equipped kitchen, modern bathroom, a sitting and dining area, personal terrace and basically everything you might need to spend some quality time away from home and relax.

Domaine La Sapinière

Domaine de la Sapinière is the ideal place to visit if you, as a lot of other people, are absolutely in love with Luxembourg. The park, located at the foothills of the Ardennes and near such places as Clearvoux and Vianden, has a lot to offer in terms of a natural backdrop mixed with majestic castles and villages with a special kind of taste for life.

Find the perfect hiking route for your level of fitness, these start right from the park, making it absolutely convenient to just wake up and start your day with discovering the area, topping it with a nice picnic somewhere along the way, enjoying a stress free holiday, where you and your group can walk to the beat of your own drums.

The houses can offer accommodation for the following number of groups: 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 16 persons, created with comfort and utility in mind, offering an experience where it almost feels like your own personal vacation home and space.

Hof van Zeeland

Is the fresh air calling to you? Currently the scarcely populated Zeeland region is a way better and smarter option than going to places filled with people. Hop on a bike and cycle trough this place, allow yourself to discover a rich history and cultural treasures in peace and tranquility.

Avoiding crowds not only keeps you healthy but also brings you a great dose of peace of mind. The typical fishing villages of Breskens, Vlissingen and Yerseke all have their own specific vibe, a kind of symbiosis with the sea which can only be truly felt in settlings like these. Besides these, Middelburg, Zierikzee and Veere exude an atmosphere of days gone by and history. Inhabitants of these villages have a great amount of solidarity, these are tightly knit communities, waiting for you with open arms and warm hearts.

Hof van Zeeland holiday park is in the middle of the region, making everything easily accessible by using your own car. There are various available bungalows, from 4, 6 to even 9-person capacity. The water theme is prominent in the park, you can choose a house near the waterside upon booking and fishing is also possible, almost from your own porch!

Grafschaft Bentheim

A tranquil vacation for anyone who knows to appreciate the small things in life. Discover the woods, rivers, hills and windmills scattered along the green landscape, go for a bike ride and hike as much as your heart desires. Grafschaft Bentheim offers its visitors a green scenery, balsamic for any free spirit and the simple but wonderfully calm life of the surrounding villages.

Visit the village of Uelsen with its small open-air museum, the Bronzezeithof, where you will have the chance to experience history out in the fresh air, not having to worry about crammed places and large numbers of people.

Houses are available in many sizes: 3, 4, 6, 12 people, fully equipped to start your adventure in nature or simply play your favorite board games with the ones you love most.

Waterdorp Burdaard

Forget the city, pack your car and visit Burdaard, but most importantly, live there like a local. Enjoy a nice wine on your porch and look at the stars, walk alongside the watery banks and stay still for a minute or an hour, however much you may need. Waterdorp Burdaard holiday park is located in the North of The Netherlands, close to the crisp, fresh, endless ocean and scattered with cute vistas to visit. Take a look at the Frisian Islands, visit the city of Leeuwarden which has more than 800 national heritage sites on such a small piece of territory.

Waterdorp Burdaard offers visitors two types of bungalows, for 4 and 6 people. These come with everything you may need for the perfect mid-season getaway, complete with a garden and a terrace ideal for yoga or other “outdoor sports” like wine tasting and stargazing.

Bergvliet Villa's

The Bergvliet Villa’s resort is unique in more than one way. Located in Oosterhout, The Netherlands, this 13th century estate is hidden between the Brabant and Oosterhoutse forests and right next to Breda. This deluxe park is known and adored for its 18-hole golf course and excellent catering. It boasts with a wide array of luxurious villas, where you will be able to use the golf course in peace, enjoying the fresh air and the secluded area. The villas are absolutely stunning, with high ceilings, large glass windows for natural light and the best possible experience.

Golfing is not the only experience people can have here, as the park is located in a nature reserve with National Park De Biesbosch just a skip and a hop away. Biking, horseback riding and other outdoor activities can be found all within a few kms of the resort.

Choose whatever suits your needs: Birdie is a 4-person villa, while the Eagle can accommodate 8 people and the Albatros has space for 12.

The parks are ready to assist you, constantly reinforcing safety measures which benefit you:

• If you avoid crowded places and getting into contact with strangers and large groups, you can maximize your chances of staying healthy during your vacation. Buses, trains, crowded restaurants and hotels where you are enclosed with others under the same roof pose a real threat and should be avoided if possible.
• By choosing a vacation park, you will be getting your own space, a furnished home and the possibility for flexibility. You can prepare your own food in the bungalow or stay at the terrace of a small restaurant inside or outside the park (note: during this period, you should make a reservation beforehand, because most of the facilities will only seat guests who have previously arranged for this).
• It is also a great idea to book during the extra-season because this smart move will not only save you money but at the same time you will be vacationing at a moment when everything won’t be as crowded and you will have more opportunities to keep social distancing.

Holiday parks have adopted a general list of safety measures which they take very seriously:

• The cleaning service has been extended and disinfecting bungalows and surfaces in general has become their number one priority.
• Masks are mandatory in some areas – such as the park shop and some receptions, as much as for the safety of guests as for the safety of the workers
• You can go to the restaurant only upon prior reservation
• The swimming pool usage varies, some parks allow people in only with reservation, but there are also restrictions on how many people can use them at the same time (Valle allows a maximum of 25 people at the same time in the indoor swimming area).
• Some parks will leave your keys in the bungalows, to minimize contact and protect you and your family/group
• In some holiday parks there is only 1 person allowed at the reception at a time, which serves as a safety measure for everyone staying there

Recommended general measures for a safe vacation

• Always get informed before a trip, do this from official sources, governmental sites – do this on the regular, checking back every few days before your trips.
• Be on the lookout for new quarantine measures in order to avoid unwanted quarantining upon returning to your country.
• Be informed on local restrictions, every country handles the situation differently and sometimes restrictions change from city to city due to outbreak containment.
• If you are travelling between countries, consider signing up for a coronavirus test, a negative test might help you during your travels, while it also gives you a peace of mind, knowing that you are safe and not spreading the disease.
• Stock up on reusable face masks: many places require the usage of a mask while inside, this might be the reception area of the holiday park, or a small kiosk where you might want to buy your daily dose of magazines.
• Understand, that using a mask is for your own protection as much as for the protection of others. It is a very smart way of minimizing the chance of infection but think about it this way: there are many other viruses and bacteria you will be avoiding this way at the same time.
• Try not to mingle too much outside of your own group. This doesn’t mean you will have to shut out people completely, but maybe instead of planning a night of charades with your bungalow neighbors, spend some quality time with your family or immediate friend group. Staying safe and strengthening your relationships will benefit everyone in the long run.
• If you choose to go to a restaurant, even if the inside area is open, ask for a table on the terrace. The virus spreads very easily in confined spaces, but sitting out in the fresh air, in a safe distance from others will minimize chances of getting sick.