Leisure activities for families with children

Hiking, Canoeing, Cycling, Experience Animals and Much More

Family outing on a bike on the Baltic Sea island of Ummanz, © TMV/Roth

The almost flat paths through the vacation state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern are ideally suited for family tours on a bike or hiking boots. Leisurely from sea to sea, with wind around the nose along the coast, or adventurous through the pristine forest - adventure trails of different lengths for the whole family bring active fun for young and old nature lovers.

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Whether paddling or sailing, touring by canoe, houseboat or raft, family crews can crisscross the state's lakeways. Small and large captains can set sail on the salty Baltic Sea or the numerous inland lakes and rivers and hoist the pirate flag. Excursions to nature and national parks and biosphere reserves, where rangers offer guided hikes with animal observations, offer an impressive nature experience for the whole family. This also includes "up in the air", when the binoculars of the young and old animal lovers are directed at the shy inhabitants of the forest from a high seat.

Hiking with Kids

A hiking tour in the coastal region offers a close-to-nature experience for parents and their children. Hiking leisurely from lake to lake or roaming through the national park - here in the lowlands the whole family can reach their destination without much effort.

The flat relief of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is ideal for hiking beginners and families. On the well-signposted and varied paths, small and large nature lovers can explore the local flora and fauna in the best possible way. Under the attentive eyes and ears of the whole family gang, it is not uncommon for squirrels and deer to cross the path, accompanied by the insistent tapping of a woodpecker or the call of a cuckoo. The rustic woods are home to wood anemone, woodruff and other rare plant species, such as wild orchids. Berry lovers get their money's worth when blackberry and raspberry bushes line the path and invite you to a spontaneous picnic.

Nature and adventure trails for the whole family

Theme and adventure trails such as the Dargun Family Adventure Trail offer a great hiking adventure . On the tour, which can be either 1.5 or 3.5 kilometers long, "Scrofi", a wild boar cub, leads you to up to 15 stations where you can experience the forest habitat in a playful and athletic way. Information boards at each station make the adventure trail a mine of knowledge for the whole family.

The state's nature and national parks offer a whole series of themed family hikes, on which unique vantage points are visited and rangers sometimes reveal insider tips. For example, families can go on an excursion to "Raccoon, Beaver & Co" or "In Search of Tracks with the Squirrel" in the Müritz National Park. Of course, weatherproof clothing and sturdy shoes are essential for a hike. And if you need to take a breather, there are plenty of places to rest along the hiking trails.

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The most beautiful hiking trails and adventure trails for children

© TMV/outdoor-visions.com

Discovery trail Graal-Müritz (7 km | 1 day tour)

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© Nationalparkamt Müritz

Forest adventure trail Serrahn

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© Stadt Dargun

Slavic castle rampart adventure trail

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© M. Kiauka

Historical adventure trail "Slavic fortress complex

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© Gabriele Skorupski

Zarrentin bog adventure trail

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Forest adventure trail in Dargun recreational forest

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© Nationalparkamt Müritz/Kaiser

Nature experience trail SpurenWeg

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© Meckl. Seenplatte

Nature discovery trail Verchen

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© Stadtinformation Dargun

Forest adventure trail Dargun (1,5-3,5 km/ 1 day tour)

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© Foto: Tourismusverband Mecklenburg-Schwerin

Friedrichsmoor Forest Adventure Trail - Legendary Lewitz

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© TMV/Roth

Forest adventure trail Ummanz (4 km | 1 day tour)

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© Tourismuszentrale Rügen

Forest adventure trail Ummanz "Des Försters Wald" (The forester's forest)

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© TMV/UB

Circular hiking trail Darßer Ort (4 km)

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Cycling with the Family

The charming nature, hardly any inclines and an excellently developed network of paths offer families in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern ideal conditions for a tour by bike. Breaks at bathing spots, paddocks and rest areas guarantee additional fun for young and old pedalers.

Roll up your trouser legs, strap on your helmet, get on the saddle and start your family vacation on a bike. Blue skies, clear air and an excellently developed network of paths make Mecklenburg-Vorpommern a popular cycling region . Bike tours crisscross the state: past sparkling lakes and rushing rivers, through rustic forests, across meadows and fields, and all the way to the Baltic Sea coast - active vacation fun for the whole family. In many places there are rental stations, which also allow spontaneous day trips for families. Rest areas along the way invite you to picnic, and regular stops at playgrounds, paddocks, bathing coves or forest clearings are welcome stops on a family tour.

And if you want to pedal along with your family, you can really get going on a trolley tour. Here the whole family can take a seat and ride on rails through the unspoiled nature of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. An extraordinary experience!

The most beautiful children's bike tours

© Robert Ott

Around the island of Hiddensee

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© TZR/C. Thiele

Mönchgut bike tour

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Family Vacation on the Water

Exciting raft boat tours on your own, sailing or cozy houseboat sailing, paddling with canoe or kayak - Mecklenburg-Vorpommern offers families ideal conditions for an adventure vacation on the water.

Whether by canoe, houseboat or raft - in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, families can become crews themselves and set sail on the Baltic Sea or the numerous lakes and rivers in the state's interior. Most of the waters of the vacation state are calm and manageable, the current is usually only weak. Many of the flowing waters can therefore be navigated in both directions and are ideal for families and beginners. And best of all, on the smaller houseboats and rafts, parents or grandparents do not need a special boating license on many routes in the lake district. A short briefing is often enough to get a so-called charter certificate - and off you go.

All aboard

On a day or multi-day trip, small and large captains can finally ring the ship's bell or sound the foghorn themselves as they drift leisurely across the Elde or Havel, past beaver castles and families of ducks basking in the sun. Those planning a longer vacation on the water with the family can moor with the whole crew at numerous harbors, marinas and water hiking rest areas, bunker provisions or explore the surrounding countryside by bike.

Jump from the boat into the water or go fishing with a landing net - in the river and lake landscape of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, not only the little ones become real pirates. The safety of the mini-captains is also guaranteed, because life jackets are available in every size.

Family Tours on the Water

© TMV/Roth

Canoe trip on the Havel

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© TMV/WorldonaBudget

Raft adventure on the Peene

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© TMV/Roth

Feldberg lake landscape

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Nature and Animal Observations

Families can move through the vacation state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in a variety of ways and make great nature observations: Beaver families, eagles , kingfishers, herons and cranes , among others, can be heard and marveled at here, amidst the diverse natural and animal world.

Between lush green pastures, natural lakes and endless forests, a family vacation in the midst of nature is truly relaxing. Mecklenburg-Vorpommern offers a unique backdrop and a home to rare animal and plant species. More than a quarter of the state's area is under nature and landscape protection - more than in any other federal state. Three national parks, seven nature parks and three biosphere reserves alone protect the unique nature of this vacation state.

Observing animals in the wild is often a matter of luck. The best way for families to do this is on a guided tour with an experienced ranger. The little explorers can look over the expert's shoulder, learn how to treat nature with respect and even become junior rangers themselves. Equipped with binoculars and a camera, patient nature lovers can watch ospreys soar through the air at many observation stations in the state, watch beavers build their castles in the river course, or discover white-tailed eagle nests, deer and roe deer. With a bit of luck, even grey seals can be observed in the Baltic Sea. Animal sounds, such as ducks chattering in the reeds, frogs croaking on the shore or the trumpet-like calls of cranes foraging, offer a great cinema of nature and will become a lasting vacation memory for the whole family.

Here it gets wild - Places for animal Observation at a Glance

Where Eagles, Cranes and Co. can be observed undisturbed

© TMV/Foto@Andreas-Duerst.de

Viewpoint Dütschower Bridge

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© C. Drühl/Tourist-Info

Observation Tower Burgwallinsel Teterow

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© Kur- und Tourismus GmbH

Bird watching point Pramort

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© TMVoutdoor-visions.com

Käflingsberg Tower

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© Anke Neumeister/Deutsches Meeresmuseum

NATUREUM and lighthouse Darßer Ort

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© Tourismuszentrale Rügen

Bird watching platform Tankow / Ummanz

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© Gabriele Skorupski

Zarrentin bog adventure trail

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© Landesforst MV

Wisentreservat Damerower Werder

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© Kur- und Tourismus GmbH

Birdwatching Point Pramort Hohe Düne

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© Gabriele Skorupski

Observation tower "Elwkieker" Boizenburg

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© TMV/Fischer

CRANORAMA at Lake Günz

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© K. Bärwald

National park visitor centre in Barhöft

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© Nationalpark-Information Federow

National park visitor centre in Federow

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© Erlebnis Akademie AG / Naturerbe Zentrum Rügen

Natural Heritage Centre Rügen (Naturerbe Zentrum Rügen)

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© TMV/Tiemann

Jörnberg lookout tower

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