Jenn Carr, founder of The Travel Mum, has shared her experience of taking her family to Duinrell Holiday Park in the Netherlands
When it comes to half-term escapes, staycations are a hit with families looking for a week-long break that won’t empty their wallets. And there’s no shortage of destinations, up and down that country that don’t require lengthy travel times.
However, one mum has discovered that jetting off abroad can actually be more cost-effective than choosing the ever-popular UK spots like Devon. Jen Carr, family travel expert and founder of The Travel Mum, has shared how her family holiday to Duinrell Holiday Park in the Netherlands was cheaper than a trip to Devon.
She revealed: “We priced up a summer week in Devon recently and found a two-bedroom caravan on a holiday park for £2,100. That’s before petrol, food, and activities! Instead, we booked a trip to the Netherlands, and, to our surprise, spent less overall.”
She added: “Driving from where we live to Devon would have meant seven hours in the car each way and about £120 in petrol, plus the stress of motorway jams and backseat meltdowns. Instead, we found return flights to Amsterdam for £380 for four people.
“If you book early, you can often get them even cheaper, especially from London or Manchester. The flight itself takes just one hour, and from Amsterdam Airport we hopped in a quick taxi straight to our holiday park.”
The Carr family chose to stay at Duinrell Holiday Park, a mere 40 minutes from Amsterdam. They secured a modern two-bedroom lodge for just £950. Similar accommodation in Devon would have cost them over £2,000.
Jenn reveals that Duinrell was an “absolute dream for kids and grown-ups alike”, with the cost of their stay including unlimited access to the on-site theme park, and huge waterpark, with both indoor and outdoors facilities.
Continuing to praise her holiday, Jenn noted that food was also more affordable than had she booked a staycation, explaining: “One of the biggest shocks? How affordable eating out can be in The Netherlands compared to UK hotspots like Devon.
“In Devon, we’ve spent £60+ on a pub lunch for four without blinking. At Duinrell, we ate at family-friendly restaurants nearby where main courses started at €10 and kids’ meals were around €6.
“Supermarkets are great value too, we stocked up on fresh bread, cheese, fruit, and snacks at the local town, saving loads by preparing a few meals at our lodge.”
Affordability wasn’t the only advantage of the trip, with Jenn observing that it was also far quieter than Devon during peak season.
She explained: “If you’ve braved Devon in peak season, you’ll know the pain: packed beaches, tiny lanes, queues everywhere. At Duinrell, we cycled to Wassenaar Beach, just 15 minutes away, and it was huge, sandy, and blissfully quiet compared to British hotspots.
“Getting around was easy too — wide roads, excellent public transport, and no stressful traffic jams on tiny overcrowded roads!”