Family adventures
The Family Adventure
Eight nights with the children: a canal city to start, a cabin on the lake with a theme park up the road, then two days of rides near Cologne before the drive home.
- Titisee lake swims before breakfast
- A full day at Europa-Park
- Phantasialand's coasters near Cologne
- Duration
- 8 nights · 9 days
- Destinations
- 3 stops · 2 countries
- Travel style
- Short stages, cabins and apartments, one big day out per stop
- Indicative budget
- £1,960–£2,640
- Ferry crossing
- Dover – Calais
Every detail is editable: change the dates, add a stop, swap a hotel or start again from the ferry.
The route
1,607 km · about 21 hours driving in total
P · ferry port1–3 · overnight stopDashed line · suggested route, illustrative
Night by night
The suggested shape of the trip, in driving order. Take it as it is, or treat it as a starting point and move a night, swap a hotel or drop a stop.
- Outbound · Dover – Calais1h 30m crossing
- Drive from Calais · 1h 35m · 122 kmillustrative estimate
- 1
BrugesBelgium
2 nights · nights 1–2
A city that rewards an early start: bell towers, still water and waffle steam on cobbles that stay empty until the coaches arrive. Park the car on the edge and walk the rest.
Suggested stay
Minnewater Apartments · apartment · from £122 a night
Suggested attractions
- Rozenhoedkaai · free
- Drive from Bruges · 7h 45m · 606 kmillustrative estimate
- 2
The Black ForestGermany
4 nights · nights 3–6
Forest roads that fold into one another, thermal towns, and the kind of quiet you only find an hour off the motorway. Bring walking shoes.
Suggested stay
Titisee Lakeside Cabins · cabin · from £168 a night
Suggested attractions
- Triberg Waterfalls · £9
- Europa-Park · £62
- Drive from The Black Forest · 5h 05m · 397 kmillustrative estimate
- 3
CologneGermany
2 nights · nights 7–8
The Dom dominates everything, and rightly so. But Cologne is also a river city: promenade walks, Kölsch in small glasses, and a chocolate museum the children will remember.
Suggested stay
Belgisches Viertel Flats · apartment · from £128 a night
Suggested attractions
- Phantasialand · £58
- Chocolate Museum · £16
- Drive from Cologne · 6h 10m · 482 kmillustrative estimate
- Return · Dover – CalaisSailing home