What to do in Overijssel
Giethoorn sits in the northwest of Overijssel and draws more visitors than anywhere else in the province. The village has no roads at all: you get around by whisper boat, canoe or on foot across its wooden bridges. Thatched farmhouses line the waterways, and the whole place moves at a noticeably slower pace than the rest of the Netherlands. If you want fewer crowds, a weekday visit makes a real difference.
Weerribben-Wieden National Park borders Giethoorn to the west and covers thousands of hectares of open water, reed beds and peat channels. Canoes are the best way to get into the quieter parts of the park, where the reeds close in on either side and boat traffic thins out. The park supports several rare species, including the purple heron, the bittern and the otter.
Zwolle, Kampen and Deventer each have well-preserved medieval centres worth half a day of your time. Zwolle's Sassenpoort gate is the most recognisable landmark in the city, while Deventer sits directly on the IJssel river and ranks among the oldest cities in the Netherlands. Head east into Twente and the character of the province shifts again: country estates, stretches of forest and an open agricultural landscape surround the urban centres of Enschede and Hengelo.
Holiday parks Overijssel: canals, lakes and wetlands
Overijssel has a high concentration of holiday parks on or close to the water. Parks around Giethoorn and the Weerribben-Wieden area often have direct access to canals, lakes and peat channels, with boats and canoes available to hire on site. Further south, parks along the Vecht or the IJssel sit next to flowing water rather than open lakes, giving a different setting with river views and current-fed channels alongside your accommodation.
Water and reed in the west, hills and forest in the east. Overijssel lets you pick which holiday you want.
Where to go in Overijssel
Ommen and Hardenberg are two popular towns along the Vecht river and both have a good number of holiday parks close by. Denekamp and Oldenzaal sit near the country estates and forested stretches of Twente, making them practical bases if you want to explore that part of the province on foot or by bike. Enschede is the largest city in Twente and has a lively centre with shops, restaurants and cultural venues. Zwolle functions as the provincial capital and offers solid amenities alongside its medieval architecture.
Overijssel for families
Overijssel keeps children busy without much effort. A whisper boat trip through Giethoorn works well for younger kids, and paddling the canals of Weerribben-Wieden adds another half-day on the water. Speelpark Hellendoorn is a well-known theme park in the province, and Aquapark Salland gives children a dedicated spot for water activities. Cycling the quieter roads through Twente is manageable for families, and several holiday parks across the province run organised activities for kids throughout the season.
TipGiethoorn fills with coach parties between eleven and four in July and August. If you are staying nearby you have the village to yourself outside those hours: take a boat out early in the morning or towards sunset, when the water is still and the bridges are empty.
What time of year suits Overijssel
Spring, from April into May, is when water levels are good for canoeing and the reed beds start filling out again. Visitor numbers are low and prices tend to follow. Summer brings the busiest conditions across the province, and Giethoorn in particular gets crowded on weekends, so arriving mid-week makes a noticeable difference. Autumn is a strong season in Twente, where the forested stretches around Denekamp and the Sallandse Heuvelrug take on deep colours through September and October, making it a good time for walking and cycling. Winter is the quietest period, with mist sitting over the peat channels in the morning and the open landscape of Twente looking notably different once the trees are bare.
