The great thing about a weekend in Vilsteren with children: you hardly need the car for anything. The swimming lake is 200 metres away, the forest begins behind the bungalow and the best outings are within 20 kilometres. With us you book a long weekend — from Friday to Monday inclusive — and here’s how we’d lay it out.
Friday — arrive and straight into the forest
Check-in is from 4 p.m., completely contactless. While the bags are still half unpacked, the children are usually already running outside: 50 metres away there’s a grass field for football, and under the canopy there’s a table-tennis table. In the evening, light the Weber barbecue and eat outside under the canopy — even when it’s chilly, because the wood stove makes it cosy.
Saturday — swimming lake, horses or pitch & putt
Start the day on the Vilsteren estate: from the estate centre by the church, five waymarked routes run through woodland and across the heath — pick a short one and let the children lead the way. In the afternoon, the swimming lake 200 metres away is the place to be in fine weather: sandy beach, a fenced-off children’s area and clear water. Prefer something active? Manege Laarbrug riding stables are around the corner for a pony ride, and on the same page you’ll find the pitch & putt course — golf fun on a child’s scale. For the parents: while the children watch a film on the 4K TV, tired on the sofa in the evening, the private sauna in the garden is already heating up.
Sunday — the Sahara, an outing or simply the lake once more
The beauty of a long weekend: Sunday is a full day. Walk the Sahara route near Ommen (a mini sand desert, children love it), pick one of the 10 outings within 20 kilometres we listed earlier, or keep it nice and simple: swimming lake, grass field, forest. In winter? Sledging on the Lemelerberg.
Monday — a relaxed check-out
No Sunday-evening stress and no traffic jams. Have a leisurely breakfast, pack up and check yourself out before 11 a.m.
Tip: the bungalow is specially for families and couples — with a cot, two high chairs and a baby bath, everything is ready and waiting.
A family weekend?
See when the bungalow is available
Three bedrooms, the forest as a back garden and the swimming lake around the corner.
