Let me recommend a route approximately - Amsterdam, Essen, Cologne, Koblenz and then a stopover in MAINZ. (I lived there many years ago - beautiful historic city at the join of the Main and Rhine). There is a v.good campsite (camping Maarau (check spelling)) on an island in the Rhine, directly opposite the city.
You can walk there over the Theodore Heusse bridge, and get a bus to Wiesbaden or Frankfurt if you like. Mainz houses the Gutenburg museum amongst other things. There are plenty of shops, cafes, bars etc.. it has a number of good parks (Volks park and Stadt park are the biggest) and you can get a boat trip on the Rhine too.
Continue on towards Nurnberg and Munich and into Austria.
------------- Two drifters off to see the world.
I'm tired of reality, so I'm off to look for a good fantasy.
Hi we drove from rotterdam to Lake Garda in the summer i have all the roads writting down in motorhome so this from memory.
On the way down we stayed at a campsite in Bruhle (spelling) nice wee campsite for a night or 2 has a lake which is great for swimming and playing in. We then stayed in Ulm lovely little town but this was a stellplatz we stayed on allthough we did see a sign for campsites. Once over the border into Austria there where loads of campsites so wouldn't worry about getting something.
Once in Innsbruck we stayed at Natters see wow what a campsite your kids will love it and will want to wash themselves without arguement as they are the best toilets we have ever seen (ones above the reception) Have tv screens above the basins and when kids showers are switched on they have thunder and lighting affects. Or if the use the adult ones which our 13 year old did they will feel like a star with all the light bulbs around the mirror.
On the way back up we used a campsite at Stuggart next to the football club and Mercedes museum which is a great day out for all the family.
Once at amsterdam we stayed at zeeburg campsite for 3 nights ideal for city centre as only 5 tram stops form centre.
I should also have added Cologne as a place to stay. Decent basic campsite on opposite bank or river with a choice of foot bridges to city centre. Good local places to eat and easy enough to get into city centre on foot.
As for Amsterdam (another place I've lived in), let me recommend Camping Gaasper. Easy walk to metro line.
But, if you want a real picture-postcard Dutch village, go to Enkhuizen - just north of Amsterdam. Good choice of sites and a great open air museum with free trips on a Dutch sailing barge.
------------- Two drifters off to see the world.
I'm tired of reality, so I'm off to look for a good fantasy.
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
Natters is a wonderful site and there is a good site near to Ulm the Stuttgart side Camping Waldpark at Hohenstadt it is in the ACSI Camping Card book as is Natters.
------------- Kia Sorento XS towing Elddis Crusader Storm.
Have to agree that the Natterersee campsite is the most wonderful campsite! Certainly the best facilities we have ever had (and are probably ever likely to come across). I would recommend this campsite to anyone - expensive but great.
However we also had our worst campsite experience ever - Camping Zeeburg in Amsterdam. Yes very convenient for the city but everything else NIGHTMARE! It didn't help that we arrived in the pouring rain but all we could see was tents with hardly a blade of grass between them. We thought we had arrived at a festival. I was very ill at ease the whole time. To be fair there was no trouble but I certainly wouldn't recommend this place with a family or even if you are over 21.
Camping Zeeburg in Amsterdam. Yes very convenient for the city but everything else NIGHTMARE! It didn't help that we arrived in the pouring rain but all we could see was tents with hardly a blade of grass between them.
That's because its all weed in Amsterdam these days.
Quote: Originally posted by gerry hughes on 22/10/2010
Hi we drove from rotterdam to Lake Garda in the summer i have all the roads writting down in motorhome so this from memory.
On the way down we stayed at a campsite in Bruhle (spelling) nice wee campsite for a night or 2 has a lake which is great for swimming and playing in. We then stayed in Ulm lovely little town but this was a stellplatz we stayed on allthough we did see a sign for campsites. Once over the border into Austria there where loads of campsites so wouldn't worry about getting something.
Once in Innsbruck we stayed at Natters see wow what a campsite your kids will love it and will want to wash themselves without arguement as they are the best toilets we have ever seen (ones above the reception) Have tv screens above the basins and when kids showers are switched on they have thunder and lighting affects. Or if the use the adult ones which our 13 year old did they will feel like a star with all the light bulbs around the mirror.
On the way back up we used a campsite at Stuggart next to the football club and Mercedes museum which is a great day out for all the family.
Once at amsterdam we stayed at zeeburg campsite for 3 nights ideal for city centre as only 5 tram stops form centre.
Hope this helps
Gerry
Wow that brings back memories! We stayed at Buhle years ago when the kids were younger. There is a theme park nearby.
This summer we did the same journey from Newcastle. First take a flask of coffee on board, at over £4 a cup in any bar on the ship it was a rip-off. We stayed at natters. Yes highly recommended.
On the way back we stayed at Duinrell campsite in Wassenar, about an hour's easy drive from the ferry. Your two girls would love this as something to really look forward to after the long drag back. Duinrell is a theme park and you get full entry to the theme park for free. There is also a waterpark for which you have to pay. As campers it is about 3 euros each, but what a water park! I still have nightmares from some of the water slides! We had to vacate our pitch by 12, but you can simply park up with the caravan hitched in one of the many car parks, because you still have full use of the theme park. We bought a very reasonable lunch there, and had a few super toboggan runs before heading back to Amsterdam at 3pm.
On the way down we stayed at Lahnstein on the Rhine, at a campsite called Lahneck. This campsite has a castle in the grounds which you can visit. It is about 240 miles from the ferry, an ideal journey considering you will not leave the ferry until about 10am.
On the way back, we came through France, staying at Les Ripettes in St Benigne (fantastic site with the largest pitches I've ever seen), and Larochette (Campsite Auf Kengert) in Luxembourg with another castle to visit just down the road. All these campsites can be booked through the C&CC quite cheaply.
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
I can't comment on routes as we always manage to crisscross countries without meaning to. But we are in Austria just now, first time, and what a beautiful country. We are staying in a campsite in the hohe tauern national park, just gorgeous. Stopped in Bavaria for a few days and loved it there as well so hope to go back for another few days on the way home. Weather hot and we didn't book in advance for sites and got on Each site we stoppednat with no probs.
Hopscotch Glad you had a good holiday and enjoyed Natters see, we also stayed at Zeeburg and must admit it was full of tents and i would not have wanted to camp there but i must say all the youths that where there were well behaved and at no time did we feel uncomfortable but i wouldnt want to stay there for more than 2 nights.
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: Amsterdam-Austria Where to stay en route?
