The best things to do when traveling with children in Germany

The vacations are coming and you are planning a family vacation in Germany? But you wonder what to do in Germany with children? You can find answers here. Whether it’s a trip to the water, a city break with the family or time out on the farm – the choice is almost limitless. Depending on the time of year, different destinations are available. In summer, a family vacation at the Baltic or North Sea attracts with beach fun and swimming. The many bathing lakes such as Lake Constance, Lake Chiemsee and Mecklenburg Lake District are also excellent destinations. In autumn, it’s the family-friendly cities and gorgeous landscapes that have something for every member of the family. Or how about a skiing vacation in winter? Here are the best tips for all German states, sorted alphabetically:

Castles, islands and waterfalls in Baden-Württemberg

Those visiting southern Germany are spoilt for choice: on Lake Constance, a boat trip to the flower island of Mainau is a real highlight, especially in spring and summer. A little further north, Hohenzollern Castle in the midst of the Swabian Alb beckons with an underground passage to the treasure chamber. The climb is easy even with the little ones – and the view from the top is a dream. The Triberg Waterfalls in the Black Forest are also a must-see destination. The falling floods of water amaze children (and adults!).

Bavaria: English garden, dripstone cave and UNESCO World Heritage Site

Of course, the Bavarian capital is already worth a trip. Munich attracts not only with the Oktoberfest, which, by the way, begins in September. Those who spend a relaxing day in the English Garden with the whole family will gladly come back to this beautiful and varied park. It may go underground? The Devil’s Cave Pottenstein extends over a total of 3 km. Worth seeing! Culture and variety abound in the university town of Bamberg, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that provides a pretty backdrop for souvenir photos and exciting forays into the city.

Experience the capital Berlin

Poor but sexy – the city’s self-chosen slogan is quite promising. Whether it’s a zoo, a computer game museum, Legoland or a spy museum, time flies in Berlin, even for kids. The city’s twelve districts are as individual as the proverbial cheeky Berlin snout that the people of this multicultural city are said to have. And if you need a break from the hustle and bustle of the city, head to Wannsee, the capital’s most popular swimming lake, which – at least in summer – invites you to splash around.

Brandenburg: barefoot path and Havelland

Brandenburg is always a little lost next to Berlin? Completely wrong. Those who discover Brandenburg with the whole family face a variety of exciting activities. How about the barefoot park Beelitz-Heilstätten? Here there is fun and action for the whole family, when the path even leads over broken glass! Anyone who travels to Ribbeck in Havelland experiences a leap back in time to another world, so picturesque is the small town.

The Bremen Town Musicians in – Surprise! – Bremen

Once see the real Bremen Town Musicians – in Bremen no problem, because they stand as a beautiful statue clearly visible in the old town. The market square is also worth seeing, as it bears witness to Bremen’s importance as a rich Hanseatic city. Universum Bremen is a museum where even the kids forget about time. The world of science and phenomenal experiments provide amusement.

Hamburg, my pearl…

Whether it’s a harbor tour, Miniaturland, Hagenbeck Zoo, the Old Elbe Tunnel, the Stair Quarter, the Speicherstadt or a visit to The Lion King, one of the most successful musicals in the world – time flies in Hamburg. And if you’re looking for a break from the hustle and bustle of the city, buy a fish sandwich and sit on the Elbe beach while the kids dig in the sand. Hach, Hamburg!

Hesse

Anyone who has ever stood on the Mühlenkopf ski jump in Villingen will look at the heroism of the male and female ski jumpers with completely new eyes. Knowledge is not neglected in Hessen either: with the DDF (Deutsches Filminstitut und Filmmuseum) in Sachsenhausen-Nord, young and old can experience the history of film. High up on the cable car in Rüdesheim or up the Frankfurt TV tower; Hessen is as diverse as the variety of plants in the Palm Garden and Botanical Garden in Frankfurt.

Lots of water in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania

The Baltic Sea islands are an experience in themselves, the annual beach sculpture exhibition on Usedom just one highlight among many. Rügen attracts with the white chalk cliffs as an excursion destination, with the Jasmund National Park families experience a unique flora and fauna. And who doesn’t know the Mecklenburg Lake District with its many sporting opportunities. Canoeing, stand-up paddling and much more are so much fun that even the kids can’t get enough.

Lower Saxony – ideal with kids

With the Hannover Adventure Zoo and the Heidepark, Lower Saxony offers two unbeatable highlights for excursions with children. The list of must-dos in Lower Saxony continues: The Serengeti Park in Hodenhagen, the treetop path in Bad Harzburg or the Science Center phaeno in Wolfsburg are just a small selection – highly recommended!

Cologne or Düsseldorf? North Rhine-Westphalia!

Cologne, Düsseldorf, Bonn, Duisburg – the list of cities worth seeing in North Rhine-Westphalia is long. How about a trip to the Drachenfels, the mystical mountain near Königswinter? Or a ride on the cable car over the Rhine in Cologne? A visit to the Allwetterzoo in Münster is just as worthwhile as the Movie Park in Bottrop, Phantasialand in Brühl or the Panarbora tree top walk in the Oberbergische Kreis.

Rhineland-Palatinate – pure variety

A suspension rope bridge, 360 m long and 100 m high? The Geierlay suspension bridge is not for the faint-hearted. Fun and games for the whole family await you at the Klotten Wildlife and Leisure Park. And the Fell visitor mine offers insight into the world underground – the exciting guided tour is a real highlight of the to-dos with children in Rhineland-Palatinate!

Saarland: small but mighty

As one of the smaller states in terms of area, Saarland nevertheless offers a fantastic selection of excursion destinations that will delight the whole family. The Saarschleife alone is worth seeing, and from the Treetop Path Saarschleife in Mettlach it can be seen perfectly. With the Bostalsee, the Saarland offers the perfect local recreation area for water sports enthusiasts, recreation seekers and families. Animals up close can be found in the Freisen Nature Wildlife Park.

Saxony

Of course, Dresden with its sights, for example the Zwinger, should not be missing on any trip to Saxony. But who has ever heard of Wurzelrudi’s Erlebniswelt in Eibenstock? The small but nice adventure park offers fun and games even for the youngest. A day trip to Saxon Switzerland culminates with a visit to the Bastei, the Elbe Sandstone Mountains attracts with unique rock formations worth seeing.

Saxony-Anhalt

Whether it’s the Rübeländer Dripstone Cave, Regenstein Castle and Fortress, the Harz Miniature Park in Bürgerpark Wernigerode or Halle Zoo: Saxony-Anhalt outdoes itself with the many attractions the state has to offer for families with children. If you’re looking for a little peace and quiet, head to the Harz National Park. The animals that live there are a real experience not only for children.

High in the north: Schleswig-Holstein

The sandy beach of St. Peter-Ording alone is an experience in itself. Whether sporty on the go (windsurfing), architectural (building sandcastles) or seeking relaxation (chilling on the beach) – here every member of the family will find their individual fulfillment. Mudflat walks are just as much a highlight in Schleswig-Holstein as the Hansa Park or a trip to Helgoland, one of the most beautiful North Sea islands of all.

Thuringia

In the German Toy Museum, the little ones and the grown-ups won’t be able to stop marveling – that’s a promise. The Saalberg Fairy Tale Forest is also playful, where well-known fairy tales meet attractions such as a cable car, watercraft and slides. In the Merkels adventure mine, you can go down to 800 m into the crystal grotto and to the “hands-on museum”.