Tell Me It's the School Holidays...

Why We Chose Center Parcs Erperheide Over a UK Resort — And Would Do It Again!

Nothing screams school holidays more than the Center Parcs price plan, so when we were looking to plan a family break to Center Parcs UK — but the UK prices gave us serious second thoughts. A basic stay at a UK Center Parcs during school holidays can easily hit £1,200+ before you’ve even booked a single activity. That’s what led us to explore Center Parcs in Europe, and more specifically, Erperheide in Belgium. Spoiler: we had an amazing time and saved hundreds of pounds — even after travel costs.

The Price Difference: UK vs EU.

Let’s get right to it.

UK Center Parcs (e.g., Woburn, Longleat, Sherwood):

4 nights in a two-bedroom lodge = £1,200–£1,800+ during school holidays

Center Parcs Erperheide (Belgium):

6 nights in a similar cottage = €600–€900 (roughly £500–£750)

Even after factoring in travel (Eurotunnel or ferry), fuel, and snacks for the journey, we still came out £300–£600 cheaper than staying in the UK and we got to experience another country and culture in the process.

Getting There: Travel Options

Getting to Erperheide is easier than you might think and can cover every eventuality. We travelled from the North of the UK, making it into quite the exciting road trip, despite the bank holiday traffic trying to dampen our mood.

• Eurotunnel (Folkestone–Calais): ~35 min crossing, 2.5 hrs drive to the park

• Ferry (Dover–Calais): ~90 min crossing, often cheaper

• Fly to Brussels or Eindhoven: Both under 90 minutes from the park (car hire recommended)

Driving gave us the freedom to pack snacks, scooters, and spare clothes without worrying about baggage limits and also meant we were able to go at our own pace, stopping off along the way to let the kids release some energy, as well as stopping off at a local Lidl supermarket to pick up some bits of food for our stay, making our trip that little bit more budget friendly. Driving from Dunkirk to Erperheid through parts of France and Belgium was also super simple and much nicer than driving on the hectic UK roads.

Free Family Fun at Erperheide

What really stood out is how much is included for free. No hidden charges. Just walk in and enjoy, here is a few of the free activities that were on offer during our stay:

🌊 Aqua Mundo Swimming Paradise

Indoor and outdoor pools with rapids, slides, a toddler area, and a tropical theme. No booking required and no limits on how long you stay. This was one of the highlights of our visit.

🧸 Baluba Indoor Play World

We don't go on holiday to spend hours sat in a soft play area, however this is not just any soft play area - it is a HUGE soft play arena with trampolines, climbing structures, slides, and ride-on toys. Entirely free — and open for hours each day. We visited on more than one occasion, despite saying we weren't going to visit at all. A great way for the kids to burn off some energy or shelter from bad weather.

🐐 Children’s Farm

Every morning you could visit the delightful petting zoo where kids can get up close and personal with goats, ponies, chickens, and rabbits, followed by a feeding session. Again — free!

🪩 Silent Disco

A real hit with our kids — a fun, free evening disco with wireless headphones and colourful lights. Great atmosphere in a beach like setting without the noise overload. The DJ even accepted song requests.

🎡 Nightly Water Fountain Show

This was one of our favourite activities! The Lakeside fountain display with lights and music was a perfect way to end the day.

🎤 Evening Entertainment

From children's discos to games how's there was evening entertainment scheduled every night. Please note that not all entertainment was translated to English and was often presented in the language of the country you were in. Although some things, like the discos were easily enjoyed regardless.

🌳 Forest activities - Various ranger experiences and nature trail activities can be enjoyed dotted around in the forest setting.

🛝 Playgrounds - There are playgrounds everywhere - all designed around an animal theme and plenty of them to enjoy, indoors and outdoors, whatever the weather.

These are just some of the free activities we enjoyed during our stay, there are many more on offer!

Activities: Cheaper and More Accessible

Unlike UK parks, we found that paid activities in Erperheide were far more affordable — sometimes half the UK price, and with more availability. As this was our first visit, we were gifted 4 free activity tokens to use which were loaded to our wristbands on arrival. Here's what we tried:

🐴 Pony Rides & experiences – Gentle rides for kids around a parc trail and looking after your pony experiences for those animal lovers.

🎳 Bowling – Family bowling with light effects and smaller balls for kids. We found this was a great evening activity for us and really affordable as you pay per lane, which can accommodate upto 8 players.

🚙 Safari Jeeps – Battery-powered jeeps for little ones to drive through a woodland track. We went during May Half term so had a few bouts of rain so the little loved driving straight through the big muddy puddles and over the little ramps and bridges dotted along the trail. No need to worry about the kids driving into anyone or anything as adults are giving a parent control device so can stop the jeep at anytime. Kids are even provided with safari hats to really add to the experience.

🛶 Pedalos & Mini Boats – Affordable water fun on the lake, giving you a chance to experience the parc from the water. Be careful for low bridges during rainy seasons though!

🕹️ Arcade – Fun mix of games at reasonable prices. Whether you're into the old classics like pinball or the more modern simulator style games, there's something for everyone.

🏸 Badminton & Indoor Sports – Easy to book and cheaper than UK equivalents. We enjoyed a game of Badminton, but there are plenty of different sports to choose from.

⛳️ Mini adventure golf course - i mean, who doesn't love a bit of mini golf?

🌲 High Wire Adventures - This was perfect for our adventurous 8 year old, and for the more timid child, adults can join in too!

And just like in the UK, you can hire bikes (including trailers and kids’ bikes) to explore the beautiful forest surroundings. Paths are flat and safe — ideal for families with young riders.

Whilst we found there was alot of availability for most activities to book whilst there, some activities are best booked in advance through the app and are released for booking 6 weeks before your arrival. Pony rides are a popular one, so bare this in mind if this would be something you would like to do!

Other Great European Center Parcs to Explore

If Erperheide doesn’t suit your family, there are plenty of other fantastic (and budget-friendly) Center Parcs locations across Europe:

1. De Vossemeren (Belgium) – Just 20 mins from Erperheide, with a pirate-themed Discovery Bay and wakeboarding lake. Great for older kids and teens.

2. Het Heijderbos (Netherlands) – A lush forest setting with a tropical jungle dome and thrilling water slides.

3. Le Lac d’Ailette (France) – Gorgeous lake views and a laid-back vibe. Great for younger kids.

4. Bispinger Heide (Germany) – A larger park with unique activities like indoor skiing and a nature spa.

Final Thoughts

Choosing Center Parcs Erperheide over a UK resort gave us a more relaxed experience, with more included for less money. From the incredible pool and free soft play to pony rides and the magical nightly fountain show, every member of the family was catered for.

It’s not just about saving money — it’s about getting more value and fewer extra charges once you arrive. If you’re happy to travel a little further and want an unforgettable, wallet-friendly break, European Center Parcs are absolutely worth considering.

We’ve already marked our calendars for next year! Which one will you choose?