White Pines Park and Lake, adjacent to the town of Arnold on scenic Ebbetts Pass, provide families with a multitude of outdoor recreational opportunities. The lake itself is quite the hidden gem: plan a picnic by the lakeside for a lazy Sunday. For those seeking an active weekend, take to White Pines Community Park for BBQs, paths, a playground, a group area, a beach, and a softball field.

In the booklet 'Dagje Heusden' there are two self-guided city walks including a map of the fortress. The booklet gives you information about the history of the fortress and the historic buildings that you will pass along the way. The two routes can be walked independently. Duration: 1 - 1.5 hours. The 'Through The City' (Door de Stad) walk starts at the Visitor Centre, taking you past the historic Catharijnekerk, by national monuments and beautiful old buildings in the town, alongside windmills and over the towns ramparts. The second walk, 'Fortifications' (Vestingwerken) also starts at the Visitor Centre and goes along the bastions and fortifications, past the historic cannons, the windmills and the marinas. Every Sunday afternoon you have the option to go on a guided tour with a “City Guide”. The guide will tell you about the town’s history, the fortifications, about the restoration of the city and the striking buildings. The start is always at 2:30pm at the Visitor Centre at Pelsestraat 17 in Heusden, and takes around 75 minutes.

Once home to China’s emperors, the Forbidden City has more than 800 buildings and nearly 10,000 rooms. This vast imperial household opened to the public in 1949, and it’s remarkably well-preserved. The Hall of Supreme Harmony, covered in thousands of dragon motifs, hosted grand ceremonies, while the Palace of Heavenly Purity was where emperors lived, with bedrooms and private halls. Walking through the courtyards and along the red walls, it’s easy to feel the scale and ritual of life here.

The extraordinary rock formations and caves of Al-Qara are one of the most prominent landmarks in the Al Ahsa region and are well worth a dedicated day trip. Exploring the maze-like caves is a pleasant experience year-round; the caves remain cool during the summer and warm in the winter. The mountaintop offers unobstructed views of the lush palm oasis below. According to local legend, these caves are associated with the story of Judas Iscariot, who is said to have ended his life here after the biblical betrayal.