The tips for when you are not going on vacation

I'm not really a sneaker fan myself, but with these golden shoes from Woden at Shoe-S, Carolien pulls it off just fine. A bag from Fabienne Chapot on her wrist and she's all set. the temperatures in your own country are very pleasant, my urge to go on vacation abroad suddenly becomes a lot less. You walk to the bakery in the morning for your fresh croissants, during the day you enjoy those sunny hours and somewhere in the afternoon the first bottle of rosé is uncorked under the pretext of ‘we are on vacation anyway’; basically all things you can easily do at home. The only downside: good luck keeping the kids entertained non-stop in your own country. Now there are undoubtedly classmates who are home and want to play, but you also want to make some nice outings with the family, and if possible without it immediately costing four Efteling tickets at full price. To inspire you, here are a few tips.

• Create a water paradise in your own garden. Now a water amusement park is of course amazing, but nothing is more fun than creating this yourself. For a small price, you can buy a bunch of water balloons at Action and come up with a few games where these come in handy. My coolest childhood memory is making a water slide with cut-open garbage bags, dish soap, and the garden hose. Guaranteed success!
• Well, a day at Efteling or Duinrell is always good. If you search well online, there is always a discount promotion to be found or you have already saved discount coupon booklets at AH with foresight. To keep the costs in the park itself as low as possible, homemade lunch packages are of course perfect. And I'm not talking about slices of bread with sweat cheese, but ‘party rolls’ (my favorite: hummus, avocado and chicken breast) where you have put in just a bit more time. Believe me: those croquette rolls pale in comparison.
• It's a bit of an investment, but in the end, you get double and more out of it: the Museum Card. This gives you access to all museums in the Netherlands and countless outings for the whole summer (and the rest of the year). With kids, Nemo is of course a must-go, but for a trip outside Amsterdam, museum Voorlinden is the tip. And especially keep an eye on museums like the Rijks, as they often organize fun activities during school holidays.
• For those who want to get away within the Netherlands: we have the most beautiful peninsulas. For example, Texel is highly recommended and besides the beautiful beaches and nature reserves, you will find a pick-your-own garden, which is a treat for kids. Tip: for a luxury and cozy campsite, check out ’t Woutershok.