Camping with children in Germany

During a family holiday, it is important to combine many wishes: Parents long for relaxation, children are looking for adventure and teenagers want to be active and socialise. All of this is possible when camping with children in Germany. It's just a matter of finding the right region and the ideal family campsite in Germany for your needs.

Destinations

The North Sea is a popular destination for camping with children. There is plenty for children of all ages to experience by the sea: Collecting shells, building beach castles, hiking in the mudflats, swimming in the sea, watching seals and flying kites. In addition to a public children's playground and a sports theme park, the Bensersiel beach and family campsite also offers an indoor playground to ensure that children don't get bored even in bad weather.

The Black Forest is a real paradise for children, with adventure playgrounds, animal parks and an enchanted forest trail. For children hungry for knowledge, there are interactive museums that invite you to join in, for example the Experimenta in Freudenstadt or the Black Forest House of the Senses in Grafenau. The International Camping Schwarzwald campsite already has a lot to offer on its own grounds. The regular children's entertainment programme provides variety with craft sessions and the sandman. Meanwhile, mum can treat herself to a beauty moment and dad can visit the gym. Bookworms will get their money's worth in the lovingly furnished library.

The Bavarian Alps also offer plenty of nature and numerous attractions. In summer, the mountains are of course ideal for hiking, and there are many hiking trails suitable for families with children of all ages. If you need more action, the Ruhpolding amusement park is just the place for you, with its fairytale theme, lots of games and rides that make for a great family day out. A visit to the Zugspitze is also a great experience for children. Take the gondola up to lofty heights, enjoy the view at the top or try your hand at climbing in the Alpine Park. The park is also suitable for children.

Top tips

• The House of Nature with its gnome trail on the Feldberg in the Black Forest brings children and nature together. It's a great place to start, especially for city kids, because once you know what animals and plants you can find along the way, a hike is much more fun.
• Watch out, it's getting muddy: in summer, water playgrounds tempt children to cool off. There is a particularly beautiful one in Bad Dürkheim on the German Wine Route, with a water mill and water fountains that the children can operate themselves. Don't forget a change of clothes!
• A museum just for children and young people can be found in Munich. The children's museum is a world exploration centre with changing, interactive exhibitions that invite children to join in.
• Visitors can find all current workshops for children on the Hochschwarzwald website. There are, for example, dance, painting and riding courses to choose from.

Activities and excursions

All over Germany, families will find excursion destinations where young and old can have fun. At the North Sea and in the Black Forest, there is plenty to experience and learn at any time of year.

On foot to the nearest island

During low tide, it is possible to walk to islands on the North Sea. There are various organised walks on offer. Some of them are specially designed for families. A guided tour has several major advantages: it is safe, the children learn about the flora and fauna as well as the sea and several families meet up, potentially making great holiday friends and playmates.

Get to know marine creatures at Sylt Aquarium

The Sylt Aquarium is home to octopuses, sea wolves, sharks and many other animals. The tunnel, which gives visitors the feeling of being in the water themselves, is particularly impressive. The Sylt Aquarium is also unique for another reason: the water in the tanks comes directly from the North Sea, so the animals are at home in their natural habitat.

Winter fun in the Black Forest

There are several premium toboggan runs in the Black Forest. Guests can hire sledges there and race down the slopes, which are up to 1.2 kilometres long, to their heart's content. Thanks to several conveyor belts and a toboggan bus, all family members can easily get back up to the start. If you want to experience something out of the ordinary, you should try snow tubing. This involves sliding down the slope on a large inflatable tube.

Adventures at Europa-Park

Europa-Park offers over 100 attractions. These include not only carousels and rollercoasters, but also shows. The 15 different themed areas are each modelled on a different European country. A water world will also open in spring 2019. There is enough variety in the park to spend a whole day or even more time there.

Events

When choosing a holiday destination, you should pay attention to the regional events. There are numerous events in Germany, especially for children and families, which are worth a trip in themselves.

February

• Bükebrennen: Fires are lit in North Friesland on 21 February to drive away the winter.

April

• Büsum Kite Flying Days: There is a colourful programme of kite flying events on the Easter weekend.

October

• Family Weeks in Sylt: In October, Sylt offers a colourful programme for the whole family.
• Fairy tale days: The last weekend in October in Bad Säckingen is all about fairy tales, legends and stories.

November

• ARD Radio Play Days: The largest German-language radio play festival takes place every year in Karlsruhe.