h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Doesn't sound like you liked it much. And looks like there isn't much to do!

Am going for a couple of nights next week with the family and was hoping for some suggestions of fun stuff to do, now a bit concerned!

I recommend Ghent! (Gand)

Having said that, Bruges is very pretty, esp out of season. Nice walks, boat trips... Prob a winter market of some form. But Ghent has canals as well and is a bit livelier. About 30 mins away.

If it doesn't snow, it's also only 30 mins to the coast, which is nice for a bracing walk and a pancake. Knokke or De Haen.

What there isn't in Bruges is that much indoor stuff, apart from a not esp child friendly museum.

sprout

Well we are going one afternoon, having the next full day and night there then home the following afternoon - we don't need tons of stuff for such a short break Husband had some free eurostar tickets and hotel points so is a fairly cheap little pre-christmas break. The hotel has a pool so we will take swimming stuff for when the boys need an indoor activity. It is meant to be cold but dry while we are there so we will do a lot of walking, look round the markets and might even do one of those hideously expensive horse and cart trips for tourists because I think the boys might like it. I think the 366 step bell tower might be too much for them (am sure my thighs would cope just fine, is purly concern for the children you understand ) .

Will report back if I like it

Was it alright then? I guess for that period of time there was enough to do.

sprout

We had a lovely time just walking around the city admiring the pretty architecture and enjoying the christmas markets that had sprung up all over. We did do the horse and cart thing (36 euros) and the boys were thrilled with it - they still talk about it often and want to go back and do it again. We had lots of nice meals and hot chocs and gluhwein and waffles and generally enjoyed the atmosphere. We went into a couple of the old buildings but were happy enough just strolling really. There was an ice rink set up in the Makt and we spent a lot of time just watching the skaters, but didn't venture on as the boys were too small and everyone else so big and fast that we thought they wouldn't like it. Had good dinners, particularly enjoyed the beer-based one in the pub/restaurant whose name escapes me but that was so incredibly busy that we couldn't get in on a tuesday night and had to book for the wednesday (always a good sign, that). We did use the hotel pool each day, but more because it was there than because we were short of things to do!

All in all it was a lovely trip

We did a few hours in Brussels on the way home, just long enough to have moules frites in some restaurant that my husband had raved about when he worked there for a year. The boys love mussels, they thought eating them with the shells was the most fun ever