Family vacation on the North Sea: These are the best travel destinations

Family vacation at the North Sea – The North Frisian Halligen

An absolute classic of the North Sea are the Halligen, small patches of land in the Wadden Sea. They are regularly washed over by the sea, which shapes the land and life on the terps. The terps form artificial hills to protect against the North Sea, on which houses and often small farms are located. So remote, the world consists of sky, water and a lot of time. However, the vastness and tranquility easily hide the multitude of small activities that are possible here.

• Swim in the sea 
• Beach walks and mudflat hikes (for longer distances, to be on the safe side, with a professional guide),
• lighthouse visits
• amber loops
• and observing the lively life in the mudflats. At low tide, crabs crawl over algae-covered mussel beds, native and migratory birds can be seen all year round and, with a bit of luck, you can even spot seals and harbor seals.
• In short: a family holiday on the North Sea is directly linked to lots of nature, relaxation and freedom.

Langeness and Hooge

Accommodation on the Halligen is usually in self-catering apartments, but guesthouses and small hotels are also easy to find. They are usually reached by ferry, which makes the rounds twice a day from Schlüttsieler Hafen. There is also space for a car if you register in advance, but many Hallig residents are happy to pick up their guests themselves by prior arrangement. The ferry itself can also be easily reached by bus and train.

1. Hallig Langeneß is the largest of the North Frisian Halligen. There are two museums, a church, a library, two hotels and many farms with agriculture. In summer, many small concerts provide musical variety. As on most Halligs, groceries can be ordered twice a week, but there is also a small farm shop on the Honkenswarf where you can get basic needs such as pasta, bread, slightly salted Hallig butter, strawberry or dandelion jam.

   The Hallig residents also like to invite you to small cultural events, such as their own theater – performed in the best Frisian.

   In summer there is also the opportunity for children, but not for whole families, to spend riding holidays with their own foster pony on Warft Süderhörn.

2. The second largest Hallig Hooge has various shops and restaurants, a tourist office and a storm surge cinema that gives an impression of what it’s like when the sea suddenly swallows up the land. For Hallig residents, “Landunter” is part of everyday life, but for tourists it may seem frightening. However, this rarely happens in summer, i.e. in the main season.

   However, the world of the Halligen is massively threatened by climate change. The mounds and dykes cannot withstand the rising sea level forever. But if the Halligen go under, a unique and beautiful ecosystem in the world will be irretrievably lost.

Foehr

Larger than the Halligen, the North Sea island of Foehr offers a wider range of around 9,000 events a year. There are hotels as well as the possibility to spend the holidays on a farm . Frisian tradition meets the “Caribbean feeling” of the white beaches.

• For 59 euros per night you can even rent sleeping beach chairs on the beach to watch the sunrise over the sea or to spend a whole night outside by the sea.
• In addition, Föhr is considered “the” German horse island, predestined for a horse holiday with a ride on the mudflats.

house

If you want to make a short stopover on the way to the Halligen, you can make a note of Fontane’s “grey city by the sea”. Husum is a picturesque spot and without fog not half as melancholic as its nickname suggests.

• The local museums form the center of the Museumsverband Nordfriesland. They offer an overview of the history of the city and the cultural area of ​​the North Sea.
• You can also take a boat trip to the Halligen or
• Take bike rides along the sea.
• Sport and fun on tennis courts, bowling alley and in the swimming pool with water slide are also offered.
• The cultural town offers theater, cinema, musicals, exhibitions and markets all year round.
• The Fun Center Husum, a colorful house full of climbing frames and trampolines, is particularly interesting for children.