Duinrell Holiday Park

If you’re looking for the perfect location and entertainment for the whole family, great water park, a town within walking distance and a beach too then look no further than Duinrell. One huge advantage of staying at Duinrell is that there is no need to have a car as Amsterdam Schiphol airport is a taxi drive, short train or bus ride away.

Duinrell holiday and theme park is located in the beautiful village of Wassenaar. It is set in extensive woodland yet is just around the corner from the beautiful coastline of Wassenaarseslag which is an unbelievable 8km stretch of beach to stroll along or relax and play, do some wave jumping or dive straight into the North Sea. Whatever the weather or your preferred beach activity this beautiful beach is perfect for at least one family day out.  You could do what we did and rent family bikes from the park and cycle to the beach along the safe cycle paths. Whilst there you will also discover a good selection of cafes along the beach serving a range of refreshments, not to mention fresh battered fish straight from the sea. If you venture a little further there are even more beaches to explore including Scheveningen and its impressive boulevard complete with family attractions.

The park itself includes a theme park and water park. All of the accommodation is situated a short stroll from the theme park making it easy to access with younger children. Even with its direct proximity to all the exciting attractions the holiday park accommodation has a very relaxed feel and provides the perfect place to put your feet up and really get into the holiday spirit. The joy of staying at Duinrell really is its perfect balance between entertainment and relaxation.

Duinrell theme park is free for those staying on the holiday park. It is not on a large scale like Alton Towers or Disneyland but it provides plenty of variety, thrills and excitement for all ages whilst maintaining a lovely friendly family atmosphere. As your accommodation is never far away it is so easy to leave the fun of the theme park and find yourself back in your own little tranquil spot for a midday nap, rest or lunch break before heading back to the park (if you so wish). Of course there is no need to do everything all at once, but slowly familiarise yourself with the rides that you enjoy the most. The trains, kikkerbaan mini roller coaster, monorail, go-karts, rowing boats, trampolines to name but a few are all perfect for young children. There is also a huge playground which is open even after the park is closed.

Duinrell is centred around Rick the Kikker and his friend Lelie who are frogs and can be met as they walk around the theme park and restaurant at specific times of day. In the fairytale discovery area you will find two shows which are perfect for toddlers, the play kwek show, which is a sort of talent show and Kwakus Kwebbel that tells the story of a mole who is trying to discover why he has a bump on his head and meets other mini-beasts and creatures along the way. Although quite old fashioned, these shows never fail to entertain a younger audience, especially as they are allowed to participate in the scoring of the talent contest.

Within the theme park there is an abundance of eateries to choose from but we love the pancake house which features its own working traditional carousel right in the middle of it!

The Park Plaza is where you will find a range of restaurants and a snack bar/take away, a large mini-market, an Irish pub  and a roof top bar and lounge.  In the plaza you will also find the base for children’s animation and a large games room. The kids’ disco with its Duinrell songs is a big hit. Check the notice board next to the shop for the different types of organised animation and their timings. You will also find baby changing facilities here and a good selection of baby goods, toys, toiletries and food. What’s even better is that your children can help you with your shopping by using one of the toddler sized trolleys.

The Tikibad is a huge indoor water complex which includes 16 thrilling water slides. Within the pool there are play pens and seating areas and even a snack bar serving hot and cold refreshments. There is a water park play area for children under 120cm, with a wide range of exploratory activities, fountains, slides, water canons and a lovely heated pool area. There are a number of pool areas to try out and a lazy river ride for the whole family and a wave pool too. In the warmer summer months there is an outdoor pool with lawn area which was completely renovated in 2019 to include slides, fun play things and the largest tipping bucket in the Netherlands! Please see important information regarding pool access below*

If you manage to tear yourselves away from the fun on park, Wassenaar is a beautiful picturesque village to visit and literally begins on the doorstep to the park. Walk along its beautiful cobbled streets and pedestrianised shopping streets and soak up some Dutch culture along the way. There you will discover boutique stores, a fabulous ice-cream parlour and even an English convenience store just in case you need some PG tips!

Bring a passport photo of yourselves as you will need this for your entrance card that gives you entry to and from the theme park.

*Pool access- When staying in Duinrell’s own accommodation you get a set number of pool entries included per stay. This depends on length of stay. Please see here for full info. For Eurocamp guests the pool is payable (more info here-scroll down to pool section).